City Life

Events

History

Shopping

Travel Tips

Top Destinations

Travel Planner








Greetings
تحية


Good morning
 صباح الخير


Good afternoon 
مساء الخير


Good evening
مساء الخير


Hello/Hi/Hey
مرحبا


How are you? 
كيف الحال؟


How is it going?
 كيف الامور؟


At the Airport 
في المطار


I’m thirsty. I would like some water. 
آنا عطشان اريد ماء


What time is my flight? 
ساعة كم الرحلة؟


What airline am I flying?
على اي خطوط الطيران؟


Where is my gate?
 اين البوابة؟


Where is the restroom/toilets? 
أين دورة المياه؟


How much does it cost? 
كم يكلف؟


On the airline
 


Are meals included? 
هل الوجبات مشمولة؟


May I have something to eat/drink? 
هل لي بشيء لأكله/أشربه؟


May I purchase headphones? 
هل يمكنني شراء سماعات رأس؟


What time is it? 
ساعة كم؟


Customs
 


I have a connecting flight. 
لدي رحلة متصلة.


I am travelling for leisure. 
أنا أسافر لقضاء وقت الفراغ.


I am travelling for work.
 انا مسافر للعمل.


I will be here for ……. Days. 
سأكون هنا لعدة أيام.


I am visiting my family. 
أنا أزور عائلتي.


I am staying at …… 
سأقيم في....


Arriving at your Destination
 


Do you have a map? 
هل لديك خريطة؟


Where is the currency exchange?
اين الصرافة؟


Where is the bus stop? 
أين هي محطة للحافلات؟


Where can I find a taxi? 
أين يمكنني أن أجد سيارة أجرة؟


I would like to go to …… 
أود أن أذهب إلى....


Do you know where this hotel is?
 هل تعرف مكان هذا الفندق؟


I don’t understand. 
ما فهمت


I don’t speak English very well, please speak slowly. 
أنا لا أتحدث الإنجليزية جيدًا ، يرجى التحدث ببطء


At the Hotel
 


Does the room have a bathroom?
 


How many beds are in the room?
كم سرير في الغرفة ؟


I would like a queen bed, please.
 اريد سرير كبير.


I would like two double beds, please.
 أريد سريرين مزدوجين من فضلك.


What floor am I on? 
الغرفة في اي طابق؟


Where are the elevators? 
وين المصعد؟


How do I access the Internet?
 اريد واي فاي.


Is there free breakfast?
 


My room needs towels. 
احتاج الى فوطة.


My room is messy and I would like it cleaned. 
اريد تنظيف الغرفة.


How do I call for room service? 
عطيني رقم خدمة الغرفة


How do I call the front desk? 
اريد رقم الاستقبال


Around Town
 


Where can I find a grocery store? 
وين البقالة؟


Where is the hospital? 
وين اقرب مستشفى


Where can I find a restaurant? 
وين اقرب مطعم ؟


Where is the bank? 
وين أقرب بنك ؟


How do you get to ….. ? 
كيف تحصل على… ..؟


How far is to …. ? 
كم يبعد عن…. ؟


Direction
 


It’s to the right.
 يمين


It’s to the left. 
يسار


It’s straight ahead.
قدام


It’s at the corner.
عند اللفة


It’s two blocks ahead.
قريب


At a Restaurant (all in English)
 


A table for two.
 


I would like to drink …..
 


May I see a menu?
 


I would like to order ….
 


I will have a salad.
 


I will have soup.
 


I will have chicken.
 


I will have an appetizer.
 


I would like desert.
 


May I have the bill?
 


Common Problems
 


I have lost my passport.
 لقد فقدت جواز سفري.


Someone stole my money. 
في شخص سرق فلوسي.


Help! 
ساعدني


Be careful! Put on your mask. 
لبس كمامة.



 



Omani Accent

Hilda Carter

Beginner





Tips to have a Safe Travel

1. Do Research
As soon as you make up your mind to travel somewhere, you have one primary important project to do; research, research, and research! You may ask yourself what’s the reason for so much insist on doing the research before travelling?! Or you may think we are exaggerating about it because you didn’t do research before your previous travels and you didn’t face any trouble. Yes, you were lucky! But always remember that it is out of control and you will make better decisions if you are aware of that situation. Also, you will enjoy better budget management and take more activities into account in your itinerary. First of all, try to understand what types of activities are available at your destination which can help you plan your itinerary and take the time to find online resources. Second, research is needed to perceive the vaccinations or any other kinds of medical precautions for travelling abroad. You should be aware of your destination required items such as checking with your health provider or going to a travel clinic. It’s also fruitful to check the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website to know more about infectious diseases and their consequences on humans. After that, you should check the currency and try to use the currency of the intended country during your travelling. Finally, try to learn more about culture and cultural differences to be able to interact appropriately with locals and don’t get shocked by some differences from your own culture.
2. Have Travel Insurance
I remember that I was always worried during my travel, especially when I was in a taxi, bus, or train. I used to put my backpack instead of a pillow on the train to be sure it won’t get stolen. Now, there are no other worries about my valuable stuff, especially about my laptop, camera, or cellphone. Try to get travel insurance and be comfortable because if you lose them they will be replaced by a new one; it doesn’t matter how careful you think you are, it may happen. So, for sure try to guarantee your travel with insurance and take it into mind to choose those with Covid-19 coverage.

3. Luck up your Valuables
You may think lucked backpacks will minimize the opportunities for thieves. But you should know that a lucked backpack is not a scary deterrent because the zipper will easily be opened by a sharp object. Don’t get scattered mind and keep an eye on your valuable stuff. One thing you can do is to ask your hotel maid for secure storage options, room safe, lockers, or a locked storage area. You shouldn’t also carry a large amount of money with you. Before leaving your city, let the bank know where you are going in order to create an international account for you so that you can receive money from the ATMs with your credit cards. It would be a good idea to use a neck wallet to keep your cash and credit cards close to your body but it may be annoying when you need to take them in and out often. The best way can be using mobile payment applications. Don’t ignore the effect of body language and the message your body sends to scams and thieves. If you are sitting in a comfortable manner without much attention to your surroundings, they won’t lose this opportunity to deceive you. Try to keep your head up and demonstrate you are aware of what is happening in the surrounding area.
4. Don’t be in Attention Center
When you’re travelling abroad, try to dress as the locals do and don’t be an obvious tourist. Women should put emphasis on this issue and get rid of unpleasant attention by dressing appropriately. There is another important factor regarding your dress: you should be culturally sensitive to dress codes to respect local expectations and as a consequence, enjoy your trip. If your destination country is a certain Islamic one, there are some requirements that tourists must obey such as covering arms, legs, hair, etc. You should take care not to use flashy jewellery which makes you an obvious target for robbery. Deposit them to your family or friends especially while travelling to crowded areas. One of the most important tips is to drink responsibly, and don’t forget safe drinking in public specifically if you’re a woman. Also, in case you prefer participating in the local nightlife, take care not to be in danger of scams or robbery.

5. Have Copies of Documents with you
There are some essential documents you need to have during your journey: driver’s license, passport, travel visa, all identification docs, travel insurance plan details, travel itinerary details, tickets for events, and COVID-19 travel docs. You should take some copies of those you think are more essential not to be in trouble if they get lost.
6. Let the Family Have Your Itinerary
No matter how old you are and how expert in travelling! When you decide to go on a journey, try to share your detailed itinerary with one or multiple people you trust. Unfortunately, we don’t get the importance until we face troubles on our trip. Some people complain that they are not a child anymore and there is no need to explain where they exactly are, but it’s a wise job to do so because you may yourself fall into trouble and need help or something happens to your family which you are not aware of. There are lots of people, especially those experienced ones that share their detailed itinerary even when they have a trip on a short distance.

7. Ask Locals for Help
When you are in a new and strange place, the best and most efficient way to gather detailed information about places is to ask for help from locals. But you should also pay attention that all strangers are not trustworthy to help you. You should test the perceived information; the wisest way is to check that information by asking two or more people to be sure you have the right details because robbers or scams will not lose the fortune to deceive a tourist or give him/her wrong details/address. If you’re intended to participate in some tours or call for a tour guide, locals are the best choice because they are familiar with that environment better, they can help you while facing problems, you can make new friends and sometimes get familiar with their families, and you will pay directly to the locals. Generally, it would be a good idea to learn some basic self-defence techniques and learn when to apply them. We don’t mean that you should have black-belt skills, but be able to defend yourself in unpredictable dangerous situations. As the author of Sam Harris stated:
“Do whatever you can to avoid a physical confrontation, but the moment avoidance fails, attack explosively for the purposes of escape.”

8. Don’t Trust Strangers
In the previous section, we suggested you receive help from locals but there is a caution here. If you are a nice guy, you may always think all people are as nice as you. However, there are lots of dissimulated people that you should take care of; it would be better to avoid giving information to strangers about your place, your aims of visiting, your job, etc. Don’t allow strangers to enter your room in the hotel or carry your stuff. If you need room services, call the person in charge of doing that and take your valuable things with you.

9. Don’t Put Yourself in Danger
Lots of people like having photos of all places they visit to share on Instagram or save in their albums. That’s interesting but sometimes, it can cause problems. Be careful not to do risky activities just to receive likes on social media. We’ve heard several news about people falling down from the cliffs or being attacked by wild animals when they were trying to take different amazing photos. Thus, pay attention to your personal limits and consider posted signs to avoid dangers. As the last point, try to respect locals and keep places clean in order to receive the respect back and spend a memorable time.

10. Learn about Scams
Everyone thinks s/he is so smart to be scammed but it can happen. As Matt suggests out of his several years of experience in travelling, there are several common travel scams such as broken taxi meters, overbooked/closed hotels, free bracelets or rosemary, spills on your clothing, fake police officers, the attraction being closed, friendly ATM helpers, flirtatious local woman, fake transportation tickets, fake hotel wakeup call, motorbike rental damage, fake WiFi hubs, child/injured beggars, group photo offer. Be aware and conscious about what is happening around you. You can read more about the travel scams and proposed avoidance ways on the link below: https://expertvagabond.com/common-travel-scams/




Tips to have a Safe Travel

Lily Christiansen





City Life in Oman
Culture
 
Each region in Oman, the second-largest country in the Arabian Peninsula, has its own identity and culture, and you will be wondering about so much diversity across the country. As a result of the entrance of many travelers from all over the world before the 1970s and the assimilation of many cultures, the culture of Oman was a mixture of different cultures. Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said came into power in 1970 and decided to have a unique national identity and culture. Islam is the religion in this country and Ibadism is the most dominant religious branch in Oman, which is its differing factor compared to other Muslim communities. Unlike their Muslim neighbors, the mosques have simple decorations with no minarets. According to Ibadis’ suggestions, people should be modest and they are not supposed to drink alcohol. In public, men and women are expected to wear kinds of clothes that cover their arms, shoulders, and legs. During the Ramadan month, eating, drinking, and playing loud music in public are legally forbidden. However, Oman owes a high rank of religious tolerance including non-Muslim communities of Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Christians.

Violent, anger, and rude gestures in public are not permitted. You should take permission before taking photos in public. Don’t shake hands with women and let them start the conversation. Being invited to Omani’s houses is usual, but remember to prepare a small gift for their house and take off your shoes before your entrance. "Sayed" and "Sayeeda" are formal addresses for men and women, respectively. The locals respond well to those who try to speak Arabic and demonstrate that they are interested in their language and culture. As they don’t tolerate insulting comments about the Sultan or religion, try to avoid talking about the government or the Sultan in conversations. Although the weather is warm, men and women should cover their bodies by wearing loose ankle-length clothes for men called ‘dishdasha’ and full-length skirts and headdresses called ‘lihaf’ for women.

India, Africa and Arabian Peninsula affected on the food of Oman. The base of their food is the meat of chicken and lamb serving with rice. The most favorite dishes in Oman are Mashai which is made of roasted kingfish and ruz al mudhroub served with fried fish. Also, Arsia served with torshe, which is a combination of roasted lamb and sour sauce, is among the most delicious ones. Kebabs and Shawarmas are also categorized as Omani food.
Transportation
 
Transportation vehicles of Oman include buses, taxis, ferry services, and planes. You can reach public buses all around the country from Sohar port city in the north to Salalah about 1000 kilometers. They are comfortable, cheap, and safe preferred by citizens and tourists. Muasalat is the transport company of the Oman government. There are two types of small and bigger buses. The former is in white and orange colors and the latter is more comfortable equipped with air-conditioning system and the ticket value is higher. On the other hand, there are two types of regular and company taxis. The orange taxis are private but the white ones work on specific routes with more than one passenger. The average cost of taxis from the international airport to every place in Muscat is about 6 OMR. Two major taxi companies are called Marhaba and Muasalat. They are the only permitted services to carry passengers from the airport to hotels that have the cleanest, safest, and most efficient taxis in this country.
You can enjoy visiting islands in the country by using ferries that connect all islands and the enclave of Musandam. It would be a good opportunity to visit Diba and Masirah islands, easily. Also, you can take your own/rental car with you to those places which are hard to go on foot or not cost valuing to take taxis. It would be also a good idea to use planes and fly from Muscat to Salalah with a one way-ticket and pay just 36 OMR (94$) in high seasons.

Work
 
Unfortunately, the smallest part of the economy in Oman goes to the agriculture due to its deserts and climate and most of their income in this area goes to camel-breeding, fishing, growing dates, bananas, and coconuts in coastal plains and fertile provinces of Al-Batinah and Dhofar, respectively. On the other hand, its industry is all about gas and oil which are of the great importance to the labor force. Copper mining, aluminum smelting, the petrochemical industry, and cement production are among the most important fields. If you are searching for a job in Oman, you can read English-language Business Today Oman and Oman Economic Review; these search engines might help you: Careerjet Oman, Gulfjobsmarket, Al Jazeera Jobs, and Gulftalent. If you are going to setting up a business in Oman, you should meet some criteria including: applying for a license at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, investing a minimum capital of 150,000 OMR, and if you are a business person and foreign investor you are allowed to own 49% of company shares. Based on the labor law and working conditions of this country, you should go to work from Saturday to Thursday during a week about 40-48 hours and during the Ramadan month it decreases to 36 hours per week.
Cost of Living
 
According to the Mercer Cost of Living Survey in December, 2021, Oman owns the rank of 108th out of 209 cities which demonstrates that the cost of living is less than neighboring countries. Those highly skilled western workers will be offered to have good salaries and less expensive stay, car, and flights. One of the biggest problems for expats in Oman is their job insecurity which can cause lots of concern for expats. Based on the reports, accommodation costs are much lower than some other countries with lower rent and utility expenses. However, the costs do vary based on the size of the house, area, and included facilities. Although public transportation including buses and taxis are cheaper than in European countries, expats prefer driving on their own.
If you are willing to prepare local food, you will save more money. You should also be noted that some kinds of drinks, which contain ‘sin tax’, such as energy drinks, alcohol, pork, and tobacco will be more expensive in Oman. Having an authorized residence card and willing to buy alcohol, you should prepare from restaurants with proper license; however, you may face some difficulties and it will be costly. For more information you can see the table of cost of living in Oman in https://www.expatarrivals.com/middle-east/oman/cost-living-oman

Education and Schools
 
Pre-school education in Oman is considered for those bellow the age of 10. There are some private sectors and public organizations that held these courses. It should be noted that nursery enrolment is limited in Oman. The opening hours of kindergartens are 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM and the teachers are free for designing materials of the curriculum to cover both school learning and leisure activities. The other two forthcoming levels are basic and secondary education. There was a reform happened in education system in 1997 to have a unified system for the first 10 years of schooling. There are two cycles for basic education: the first cycle for grades 1-4 and the second one for grades of 5-10. After that, there are 2-3 years of post-basic education that the students can finish this level sooner than usual. Public schools are free to the end of secondary education and classes are with Arabic language following Islamic curriculum.

Although there are some advantages of participating in a public school with basic differences, most of non-Muslim expat parents prefer to enroll their children in private international schools due to the difficulties of being in local Omani classes. As most of Omani pupils attend in public schools, private schools are small and less-crowded. However, they should be approved by the Ministry of Education, they are more flexible. Due to the large community of expats in Oman, expat parents should consider the time and the limits in international schools.

Healthcare
 
Oman has one of the best healthcare systems in the world. There are 59 hospitals, 897 medical centers, clinics, and dispensaries. Only 10 hospitals are private and the rest of them are government hospitals. Omani people and expats from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) benefit from free healthcare provided by the Sultanate covering specialists’ appointments, primary care, and needed medical treatments. Also, if you are an expat employed by the government, then you will receive healthcare. Otherwise, if you are working in a private sector or an expat from outside the GCC, then you will not be covered by public healthcare and in this case, you should have private insurance. After an announcement in 2018, employers are mandated to provide insurance for their international employees and workers. If you are an international expat, make sure that your insurance covers all medical treatments, especially air ambulance in emergencies that you need to fly back to your home country. There is a vast range of insurance providers in the country. Allianz Care and Cigna Global are among those known health insurance providers, but you should make sure that your ideal providers satisfy your and your family’s expectations. It is worth mentioning that medicines could be accessed easily but anti-depression drugs are banned in Oman and it would be better to talk to your doctor if your drugs are accessible overseas.

Entertainment
 
There are some awesome games and entertainment centers in Oman which are worth experiencing. Both, you and your children can spend lots of exciting hours on these recreational centers and participate in baseball games, ice-skating, escape games, bowling, shooting, culture and nature tour operators, etc. Here we name some of these centers: Troom Oman Escape Room, Vox Cinema, Yellow Submarine Kids, Al Seeb Bowling Center, Bows & Amows, Trampo Extreme, Muscat Bay, Dhofar Bowling, Fun VR Amusement & Theme Park, Oman Automobile Association Karting Track, Sohar City Cinema, Al Buraimi Park, BOUNCE Oman, Xcape Muscat, TRAVEL POINT LLC, Faby Land, Funzone, and The Base.

Sports and Outdoor Activities
 
According to your favorites, there are several kinds of sports and outdoor activities that you can enjoy in Oman such as off-road driving, swimming, hiking in mountains, scuba diving, kitesurfing, boating, horse and camel riding. Hiking in mountains is one of the most rewarding activities to do in this country due to the western Hajar and its canyons, wadis, and mountain ridges. If you are interested to do so, don’t forget to take sufficient water with you and have a watchful eye on weather changes not to be surprised with rainfall and sudden fatal flooding; you can also see the best hiking trails in Oman Trekking articles published through Oman. Among other adventure activities, there are the possibilities to experience canyoning, caving, abseiling, tackling, rock-climbing, mountain biking, and kayaking. Oman is a good place for diving and snorkeling because the coastal waters are intact and reclusive most of the time which result in being the home for large marine lives and coral gardens. If lucky enough, you can also participate in bull-butting and camel-racing activities. They are held on National Days and public holidays. However, it’s a bit hard to gather information about the exact time and location and asking local people may help you.

 



Collections

Ideas & Tips