Muscat
Travel Guide > Middle East > Oman > Muscat
In this Article
- Introduction
- Neighbourhoods
- Sights and Activities
- Events and Festivals
- Weather
- Getting There
- Getting Around
- Eat
- Drink
- Sleep
- Work
- Learn
- Keep Connected
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Introduction
Muscat (مسقط) is the capital and the biggest city in Oman and has about 750,000 inhabitants. It is located in the northern part of the country along the coast roughly where the Indian Ocean meets the Persian Gulf. The city is one of the oldest cities in the entire Middle East and people have been living here for almost 2000 years. Nowadays it is one of the busiest places in a country with lots of open space, and also the city itself keeps a relatively slow pace, with green parts and few highrise buildings compared to for example Dubai. The people are a welcome mix of Omanis and expats. More and more luxurious hotels are opening, but a few cheaper places are still available for travellers, although accommodation stays relatively expensive. From the capital, good roads (a rental car is recommended) lead in all directions but the city deserves a few days before exploring all the great scenery the country has to offer.
Neighbourhoods
Sights and Activities
- Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
- Souq and Medina
- Mix of Hindu temples and Christian churches
Events and Festivals
Weather
Warm or hot, that are basically the two options you have in Muscat and unlike the south around Salalah it doesn't have a rainy period (July/August in the south) at all. Winter obviously is the best time to visit, but expect to bake in the summer oven with temperatures well into the fourties on some days.
Getting There
By Plane
Muscat International Airport (MCT) (formerly known as Seeb International Airport) is located 15 km from the main residential localities and 30 km from Old Muscat. Oman Air, the national airline of Oman, is based here. It has flights to mainly the Middle East destinations and also to several cities in India, Bangkok and London.
Indian Airlines and Air India Express also fly into Muscat from several cities in India.
By Train
By Car
Good tarred roads lead to and from Muscat all the way to the south at Salalah, to the north at the Musandam Peninsula and into the United Arab Emirates. It takes about 10 to 12 hours to the southern tip of the country from Muscat.
By Bus
By Boat
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Budget
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beach Hotel Muscat | Shitti AL Qurum P.O. box 678 P.C: 116 | Hotel | 70 |
| Hala Hotel Apartments | Bait Al Falaj Street, Ruwi, Muscat P.O. Box: 678, PC.116 | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Golden Oasis | Deira/Alras - PO BOX 353 Al Wadi Al Kabir | Hotel | 73 |
Mid-Range
Upscale
Work
Learn
This is version 4. Last edited at 17:53 on May 19, 09 by Utrecht (+346). 14 articles link to this page.
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