If you’re considering a trip to Oman, one day in Muscat, the nation’s capital, is an absolute no brainer. Aside from the practicalities of being the hub for Oman, Muscat itself has plenty of offer for visitors.
Muscat’s laid back way of life, warm people and excellent food makes it very easy to spend multiple days here. Indeed, we spent 5 days in Muscat. Admittedly though we did spend a couple of days reading books by the pool! If you’ve only one day to explore however, don’t fear. We’ve got your itinerary for one day in Muscat covered below, ensuring you see the very best highlights.
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Getting to Muscat
Oman is located close to the United Arab Emirates and is serviced by the Muscat International Airport. The airport is the gateway to the rest of Oman. Oman’s national carrier, Oman Air has frequent flights. Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad also provide services from their nearby bases. When flying, we find Skyscanner to be our most reliable booking engine.
For the budget conscious traveller, a bus route exists between Dubai and Muscat. The journey takes around 6 hours to complete.
Oman requires most travellers to obtain a tourist visa which needs to be completed in advance of travel and via the Royal Oman Police website. Be sure to check ahead of your visit to avoid any on ground surprises.
Getting around Muscat
Muscat is a large city and its sights are spread out over a large area. Unlike its Middle Eastern cousins in Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi, Muscat is a city that builds out rather than up. And that means that distances between sights do take some time to get between. Walking distance isn’t really a thing unless you’re only interested in the Muttrah area.
This practicality means you’ll need to consider your transport options.
Public transport
Muscat is well serviced by public buses. Thankfully, these are air conditioned (a necessity for around 9 months of the year!) connecting the majority of Muscat. Most of the big sites listed below have stops at or near to the main attractions.
Hire a car
For part of our time in Muscat (linking with a longer trip through Oman) we had hired a car. This was incredibly useful, and allowed us to travel at our own pace. Parking is plentiful, even near the busy Muttrah area. Just be sure to watch out for signs ensuring you can park in given areas, some have time boxed permissions only.
Hire a driver
On arriving in Muscat, we caught a cab to our hotel. We were in Muscat for a few days before picking up a car and exploring parts of Oman further afield. Chatting to our driver Talat, he offered a rate for driving of 10 rial per hour (~$AUD35) for 4 hours. We took his phone number to compare with what we could get at the hotel.
When we arrived at our hotel – admittedly the upmarket Kempinski – the price was nearly 3 times. So we took up Talat on his offer to check out the highlights of Muscat.
Depending on your plan for your time in Oman, the easiest way to see everything would be with your own vehicle. If you’re only in Oman for a very short period though, the private driver option can be the easiest option. Have a chat with a taxi driver and you’ll likely get yourself a reasonable deal.
Not keen on exploring yourself? There are a range of half day and full day Muscat tours available.
Getting your one day in Muscat started
Once you’ve worked out how you’ll be getting around, let’s start your one day in Muscat. Where else do we start but the most famous site of all, the Sultan Qaboos mosque.
Sultan Qaboos Mosque
If you’re headed to Oman, you would have seen the impressive Sultan Qaboos mosque in many pictures. A relatively newcomer to the city, the mosque was opened in 2001. It celebrated Sultan Qaboos’ 30 year reign over the country.
For those who like random facts, I can promise you that the stunning mosque is filled with them. With its five minarets, you’ll also find yourself amongst some 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone. The stunning central dome towers some 50 metres high.
The word awesome is thrown around way too loosely these days. However standing outside, you will most definitely be overcome with awe. That is, until you step inside. More beauty and arresting statistics await! The main prayer hall is covered with a carpet which until recently was the largest single piece of carpet in the world. It took over four years to build and it is every bit as intricate as you’d expect.
Somewhat unnervingly, an enormous chandelier hangs overhead. This was also once the world’s largest chandelier. In case you’re wondering, the Sheikh Zayed mosque in Abu Dhabi stole both the chandelier and carpet titles.
You’ll also be able to enjoy some Omani coffee and fresh dates as some of the staff explain the tenets of Islam. Out of all of our travels to Islamic countries, this was the most in depth and helpful explanation to help better understand Islam.
Buzzed from your coffee and had one too many dates? It’s time to head off for your second stop on your one day in Muscat itinerary.
Royal Opera House
Hailing from Sydney, we know a good Opera House when we see one. And whilst the Royal Opera House of Muscat doesn’t sit over the ocean with defined sails, it is every bit impressive.
Bright white in modern Omani architecture, the Opera House is surrounded by reflective marble. This serves to make the building seem a lot bigger than it is.
We only made a pit stop here for a view from the exterior. Many Omanis told us that watching a show inside is one of the most exclusive and amazing experiences you can have in Muscat. Unfortunately our itinerary didn’t align to a performance. Over the years, the likes of Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli and the London Philharmonic Orchestra have graced the Opera House. So if you do plan on a visit to Muscat, be sure to see what’s playing and if you can make it work into your itinerary.
Royal Palace of Oman
We next made a quick pit stop at the Royal Palace of Oman. Talat advised that we couldn’t enter the Palace but could admire briefly from outside. He opted not to come up to the gates suggesting he’d had some altercation there previously with the guards. A slightly alarming warning, but we took our chances, had our cameras on full display and entered full tourist mode.
We made sure not to loiter for too long, but managed to get a glimpse of the magnificent palace from the outside. Having visited the Opera House and the Sultan Qaboos mosque, it can only be left to the wildest imagination what the interior looks like.
It’s time now to head to Muttrah, a place you could easily spend an entire day in Muscat at next.
Muttrah fish and vegetable market
Wherever you choose to eat during your time in Muscat, it’s likely your produce or seafood came via the Muttrah market. The Gulf of Oman is full of high quality seafood, and the Muttrah market is the place to make the selection.
Take a stroll along and see the wide and varied assortment on offer before heading through to the vegetable section.
At the fruit and vegetable market, you’ll have a combination of produce grown in Oman as well as imported from overseas. Oman’s harsh climate doesn’t make for great growing conditions for many produce items. If you’ve got a hankering for dates from earlier in the day, this is a great spot to pick some up.
Looking at all this food, you’ll probably be working up an appetite by now. Wander along the Muttrah corniche and stop at one of the restaurants along the way for a bite. During our time in Oman, I developed something of an addiction for zaatar. Super cheap, and readily available, zaatar is a mix of herbs and spices spread on bread. A dash of salt, some oregano, some olive oil and sesame seeds, it’s the perfect snack or light meal.
Muttrah Souk
With your appetite sorted, it’s now time to immerse yourself in the best shopping that Muscat offers. Muttrah Souk is home to all things Omani. Shops selling gold and silver seemingly pop up everywhere. Sprinkled with stores selling frankincense. They’ll be easy to find – follow your nose or look for the smoke.
If you didn’t realise you needed a dagger, you can also purchase a famous Omani dagger here. You’ll recognize the dagger from the Omani flag and these are a symbol of Oman. I’ll leave it to you to decide whether you want to purchase. Prepare yourself for a discussion with your customs officials on the way home!
The souk can be something of a rabbit warren, and when busy, a little overwhelming. Luckily, respite is not far away.
Wander the corniche
The easiest part of your one day in Muscat is a stroll along the Muttrah corniche. The walk along here is stunning and gives you a range of perspectives over Muttrah. Hungry seagulls will squawk for food. Take a slow wander and admire the stunning colour of the ocean and the city it laps up against. On a hot day, be sure to take a bottle of water with you for the stroll.
Depending on how long you’ve taken at the souk and corniche, you’ll have some time to head back to your hotel and freshen up. Tonight you’ll be heading to one of the more exclusive parts of Muscat.
Dinner and evening at Al Mouj
Your one day in Muscat has been filled with stunning architecture that harks to what feels like a different era. This evening though, you’ll flash forward to a modern Oman. The town of Al Mouj is located inside ‘The Wave’ precinct. The Wave sits alongside 6 kilometres of pristine coastline. Filled with modern buildings, the opulent Kempinksi hotel, it even boasts a Greg Norman designed golf course.
This is the future of Oman. In Al Mouj, you’ll find a range of restaurants, with wealthy Omanis puffing away on their hookahs, enjoying a good meal. You’ll find the restaurants here a little more expensive than elsewhere in Muscat. Given what I’ve just described you can understand why.
Our pick of the restaurants here was the Lebanese restaurant Zahr El-Laymoun. High quality kofta, falafels and tabbouleh. We were staying nearby, so this restaurant did get a revisit!
When you’re finished eating, get yourself an ice cream and stroll alongside the marina. There are some impressive boats that call The Wave home. And whilst they might not be yours, you can still enjoy the view.
And with that, your one day in Muscat has come to an end. You’ve seen some impressive sites, eaten delicious food and hopefully met some lovely, warm Omanis.
Where to stay in Muscat
We stayed in two different properties during our time in Oman.
The Kempinski, Muscat
After a month in Africa, we decided to take the opportunity to stay somewhere nice. The Kempinksi is not a hotel for the budget conscious, however the value seeker will find value here. The foyer sets the tone with its high ceilings and views over the main pool area. The rooms are well oversized and decked with the plushest finishing and linen. If you’re thinking of spoiling yourself and like the sound of The Wave, this is where you’d want to be.
Note that we did not have a car during our time here given we were predominantly based in Al Mouj for this part of our stay.
Fraser Suites, Muscat
On our return from a week long trip through Oman, we needed a more practical, budget friendly option. We’ve stayed in a number of Fraser Suites. The self managed accommodation with washing facilities suited our needs here perfectly. Fraser Suites Muscat is located close to a major shopping mall, the nearby supermarket and restaurants were great. Parking was also free.
Wherever you stay or visit, we hope you have an enjoyable one day in Muscat, or perhaps even longer! If you’ve any questions, we’re always more than happy to answer. Happy travels.
