Muscat, Oman: travel guide
Oman's capital on the Gulf of Oman, framed by the Al Hajar mountains — home to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Royal Opera House, the whitewashed Corniche and souq at Muttrah, and the twin 16th-century Portuguese forts guarding Old Muscat.
- Country
- Oman
- Currency
- OMR
- Time zone
- Asia/Muscat
- Nearest airport
- MCT
Top places to visit in Muscat
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Mosque · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · entry OMR 8
Oman's main mosque, holding a vast single-piece Persian carpet and an immense Swarovski chandelier beneath a 50m dome. Open to non-Muslim visitors in the morning.
Al Alam Palace
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.7 h
The Sultan's ceremonial palace in Old Muscat, framed by gold-and-blue flared columns and the two harbour forts; grounds viewed from the forecourt.
Royal Opera House Muscat
Cultural · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · entry OMR 3
Oman's premier performing-arts venue, an opulent complex of Omani marble, teak and Islamic design hosting opera, ballet and concerts.
Qurum Beach
Beach · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h
Muscat's long public sandy beach, popular for evening strolls, jogging and beachfront cafés.
Muttrah Souq
Market · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h
One of Oman's oldest covered markets (Souq Al Dhalam), a warren of lanes selling frankincense, silver, khanjars, textiles and spices.
Qurum Natural Park
Nature · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h
A large public park behind Qurum beach with a boating lake, gardens, fountains and shaded lawns.
Riyam Park
Nature · 4.3 rating · about 0.8 h
A hillside park between Muttrah and Old Muscat crowned by the giant frankincense-burner monument overlooking the harbour.
Muttrah Corniche
Viewpoint · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h
A palm-lined waterfront promenade along Muttrah harbour, lined with restored merchant houses and best walked at sunset.
National Museum of Oman
Museum · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · entry OMR 5
Oman's flagship museum with 14 galleries spanning national heritage, maritime history and Omani craftsmanship, opposite Al Alam Palace.
Muttrah Fort
Fort · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h · entry OMR 3
A restored 16th-century Portuguese hilltop fort above Muttrah harbour, giving panoramic views over the Corniche and dhow port.
Bait Al Zubair
Museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.3 h · entry OMR 1
A privately run museum of Omani heritage set across traditional houses and gardens, with fine collections of weaponry, jewellery and dress.
Amouage Perfume Visitor Centre
Cultural · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h
The Omani luxury perfume house of Amouage, offering a free guided factory tour of frankincense-based fragrance-making, plus a boutique.
Things to do
- Dolphin Watching Cruise Water · 2 h · from OMR 15 per person
- Sunset Dhow Cruise Water · 1.8 h · from OMR 20 per person
- Daymaniyat Islands Snorkel & Dive Water · 7 h · from OMR 45 per person
- Muscat Half-Day City Tour Tour · 4.5 h · from OMR 25 per person
- Amouage Perfume Factory Tour Cultural · 0.8 h
- Wadi Shab & Bimmah Sinkhole Day Trip Adventure · 9 h · from OMR 35 per person
- Wahiba Sands Desert Safari Adventure · 10 h · from OMR 45 per person
Day trips and tours
- Muscat City Highlights Day Tour 5 h · from OMR 25
Where to stay in Muscat
- Muttrah about OMR 30 per night
Atmospheric old harbour district with the souq, Corniche and budget-to-mid hotels.
- Shatti Al Qurum about OMR 80 per night
Muscat's beach-and-culture strip with the Opera House, malls and upscale hotels.
- Al Mouj & Seeb about OMR 70 per night
Modern marina-front community near the airport with waterfront dining and Daymaniyat boat trips.
Hotels
- Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel 5-star · OMR 150 to OMR 320 per night
- The Chedi Muscat 5-star · OMR 150 to OMR 380 per night
- Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa 5-star · OMR 90 to OMR 240 per night
- Grand Hyatt Muscat 5-star · OMR 70 to OMR 150 per night
- InterContinental Muscat 5-star · OMR 60 to OMR 130 per night
- Crowne Plaza Muscat 4-star · OMR 45 to OMR 90 per night
Where to eat
- Kargeen Caffe Omani, Middle Eastern · about OMR 10 per person
- Bait Al Luban Omani · about OMR 12 per person
- Ubhar Omani, Arabian · about OMR 13 per person
- The Beach Restaurant Seafood, International · about OMR 32 per person
- Turkish House Restaurant Turkish · about OMR 8 per person
- The Restaurant at The Chedi International, Asian, Mediterranean · about OMR 40 per person
- Automatic Restaurant Lebanese, Arabic · about OMR 8 per person
- Bin Ateeq Omani · about OMR 7 per person
Getting around
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Car Rental Self main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Ride Hail main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Unmetered taxi overcharging
Airport, Muttrah, hotels
Muscat's orange-and-white taxis have no meters, so drivers may quote inflated fares to tourists, especially from the airport or souq.
How to avoid it: Agree the fare before getting in, or use the Otaxi or Careem apps for a fixed upfront price.
Souq "antique" and price mark-ups
Muttrah Souq
Some items sold as old silver, khanjars or antiques are newly made, and opening prices for tourists are high.
How to avoid it: Bargaining is expected; compare a few stalls and settle on roughly half the first price.