Safety in Oman

Crime: Oman counts among the safest countries in the world, and you can walk any district at night without concern.

Traffic police: Officers are consistently polite to visitors but fine strictly for any speeding, and even for driving a filthy car.

Flash floods: Never camp in a dry wadi bed, because a sudden downpour in the mountains turns them into torrents within minutes.

Heat: Summer temperatures in the desert and the mountains go off the scale, so always carry five litres of water per person in the boot.

Animals on the road: Be extremely alert on highways at night, since camels and goats step onto the carriageway without warning.

Getting stuck: If you bog down in sand, locals will often pull you out for nothing, but carry your own tow rope and a shovel, and check your own government's travel advisory before you travel.

Oman is one of the calmest and least tourist-spoiled countries in the Gulf. Deception is not the custom here, and lost property is returned.

Taxis. There are no meters in Oman — prices are agreed verbally, and that is the norm rather than a scam. A foreigner will be quoted more, and haggling is expected. Otaxi and other apps operate in Muscat.

4x4 hire. The main source of costs and risk. Check that the insurance covers leaving tarmac: many contracts exclude it, and you cannot enter wadis or dunes without four-wheel drive. Suspension damage claims on return are typical.

Excursions. Diving, canyoning and desert overnights are sold in Muscat and Nizwa. Prices vary widely and equipment quality differs. Ask about insurance.

Mutrah Souq. Haggling is compulsory and the opening price is double. Frankincense, silver and khanjars are genuine; fakes are few.

Currency exchange. The rial is pegged to the dollar and exchange is honest.

Alcohol. Sold only in licensed hotel venues. Importing it is prohibited. Drinking in public and appearing drunk in the street are offences that bring detention.

Drugs. The law is extremely harsh, up to life imprisonment for trafficking. There is no leniency.

Drones. Import without permission is prohibited and devices are confiscated at customs. Permits are issued in advance by the civil aviation authority and are hard for a tourist to obtain.

Dress. In towns, villages and souqs, shoulders and knees are covered, and women should avoid low necklines. Hotel beaches are unrestricted; on public beaches and in wadis, bikinis are not the custom — locals swim clothed.

Photography. Do not photograph people without permission, women especially. Military sites, palaces and ports are also off limits.

Ramadan. Strictly observed; no eating or drinking in public during daylight.

Camping. A rare freedom for the region: in Oman you may pitch a tent almost anywhere, beaches and wadis included. The rules are simple — not on private land, not beside a village without permission, and take your rubbish.

Same-sex relations are criminalised.

Vaccinations. None mandatory. A yellow fever certificate is required from arrivals out of endemic countries.

Water. Muscat's tap water is desalinated and safe. In remote areas, bottled is better.

Flash floods in wadis are Oman's main danger. A dry riverbed fills within minutes while the rain falls in mountains tens of kilometres away. People die in wadis every year, tourists included. The rules: do not descend into canyons when rain is forecast, do not camp in a bed, and do not try to drive through a flow — a metre of water carries a 4x4 away. The risk season runs November to April, though downpours occur in summer too.

Heat. From May to September it passes 45°C, reaching 50 in the Wahiba and the interior plains. Plan the desert and Jebel Shams for winter.

Mountains. Jebel Shams rises to 3,000 metres and is cold at night even in summer. The plateau roads require four-wheel drive, with unguarded drops.

Healthcare. Good in Muscat and Salalah, thin inland. Evacuation from a wadi or the desert takes hours. Insurance covering adventure activities is essential.

Emergency number is 9999.

Oman is among the least corrupt countries in the region, and street crime is essentially absent.

The Royal Oman Police. Correct and professional, and they speak English. Tourists are treated attentively.

Traffic police are what you will encounter. Oman has an enormous number of fixed and mobile speed cameras, and limits are strictly observed by locals. Fines are substantial and reach the rental company. Seatbelts and phone use are enforced separately.

Checkpoints. These occur on interregional highways; document checks are routine and quick.

Reporting theft. Reports are taken without difficulty and certificates for insurers issued, in English.

What actually matters. Oman is so safe that the main risk of a trip is not people but nature: wadis, heat, mountain roads and the distances between filling stations. Plan your route with fuel and water in reserve, and tell someone your plan for the day.

Emergency number is 9999, for police, ambulance and rescue alike.