explore oman with a transit visa

The capital city, Muscat has been filled with amazing things all around. It also has the main airport of the country, where you can easily transit through a transit visa. The country attracts several tourists from all over the world, and if you are someone who has a layover, you should feel lucky. You can then easily explore Oman with a transit visa.

The country’s unique architecture and culture has attracted millions of people. There are some amazing things that you can do with an Oman visa. Read this article to find out more. 

WHAT IS OMAN TRANSIT VISA

There are several Oman visa types. One among them is a transit visa, which is needed when you travel to your destination through another place. Suppose you have to travel to country A to country B visa country C. Here, country C is where you will need a transit visa, if you are spending a considerate amount of time. This visa allows you to stay in the country for a maximum period of 72 hours. You should not exceed this time frame. This is only granted when you have sufficient funds in your bank account to support you financially while you stay in the country.

However, if you have a layover of less than six hours, you won’t need this visa. The requirements for obtaining this are:

•         Passport
•         Photograph
•         Return flight bookings
•         Visa for the destination country

READ ALSO: Iconic places to visit in Oman

HOW TO SPEND YOUR LAYOVER TIME?

Planning a layover may be a difficult task. When you travel to an unknown foreign country, you will have to know all about the visa policy of the country, along with the places that you can visit without missing your flight. We have tried to provide a complete guide for the same below.

IF YOU HAVE THREE HOURS

Three hours is definitely not enough time to enjoy this beautiful city. You will not be able to enjoy being around with the constant fear of missing your flight. It is also not advised to step out of the airport if the layover time is less than 6 hours. Hence, you are left with the option to enjoy your time staying at the airport. There are plenty of eateries and duty free shops in there. Some of them are mentioned below:

•         PLENTY: This is a casual dining place that offers fresh and simple food without any artificial ingredients in them. If you are a healthy eater, do not forget to try this out. It is located at departure level 4 before the immigration point, and also after that towards gate C.
•         CAKES & BAKES: Enjoy a wide variety of baked food items by visiting cakes and bakes located at departure level 4.
•         LUNA: If you are into Latin food, you should not miss this restaurant. You could enjoy the best time with your family and friends here.
•         SEASIDE PARK: This place could be a treat if you are traveling with a child. This is a cute sandy coast with a lot of play items. You can spend some leisure time here. This is also located at departures level 4 towards gate A.

Apart from these, there are also some famous chain stores like KFC, McDonalds, etc where you can try a delicious bite. 

IF YOU HAVE FIVE HOURS

The five hour layover can give you a reasonable amount of time to roam around the city. You can visit:

•         SULTAN QABOOS GRAND MOSQUE: This is the most famous as well as the biggest mosque in the country. It is located around 12 kilometers away from the airport. Hence, it won’t take you much time to reach. The mosque is open from 8 am to 11 am for non muslim tourists from Saturday to Thursday. You can also visit the outside of the mosque and enjoy the splendid architecture as well as the charm. The place also has the biggest chandeliers as well as Persian rugs.
•         AL DIYAFA STREET: After you are done seeing the mosque, you can visit the Al Diyafa Street which is only an eight minute drive route. Enjoy some Turkish food and spend quality time with you and your loved ones there.
•         OMAN AVENUES MALL: If you still have some time, you can also visit this place and explore one of the best malls in the city. Indulge yourself in luxurious shopping right here.

READ ALSO: Best Oman weekend getaways 

IF YOU HAVE TWELVE HOURS

If you have this much time in your hand, then you really are lucky. You can enjoy lots and lots. You can visit:

•         MUTTRAH: You can visit this traditional city. It is situated 32 kilometers from the airport. It was also used to be the center of commerce of the country and also a major seaport. You can enjoy some of the traditional souks here. The small shops in the souk sells Arabian perfumes, Omani jewelry, crafts, handicrafts, and so much more. You can buy some unique souvenirs from here. If you do not want to buy something, you can just stroll around the traditional market and experience the unique culture of the country.
•         MUTTRAH CORNICHE: This is situated outside the souk. You can enjoy the views of the muttrah port and also the Gulf of Oman.
•         RIYAM PARK: After you are done with the corniche, you can visit this place which is just 1.2 km away. Enjoy the great scenery over here of the whole city.
•         AL ALAM PALACE: If you want a bit more of the tradition and history of the country, you can visit this place which is the residence of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said. 

It is needless to mention the amount of joy and enjoyment you will experience during your layover period if you manage it cautiously while following the Oman travel restrictions and also the Oman quarantine rules.

Apart from the above-mentioned places, you can also explore these if there is still some time left:

•         Turtles in Ras Al Hadd
•         Al Bustan Palace hotel
•         Khasab
•         Al Qurum beach

Before stepping into all these, make sure to check your Oman visa status, and consider following the immigration rules and regulations.

READ ALSO: Things you should not do in Oman 

Hence, if you manage your time precisely you can enjoy the most and explore Oman with a transit visa at its best.

Apply Oman Visa