Things to Consider When Travelling to Oman with Children
Packing
Unlike other countries in the area, it’s unlikely that you’ll do a lot of moving around in Oman. The best cities are vastly spread out, and even if you do plan on camping for a night, you can still leave your larger luggage bags in a hotel room. Camping is a great way to experience Oman, and you can do both, camp and stay in a hotel.
We all know that packing to go anywhere with kids feels like you’re moving and with Oman, you don’t really have to worry about being able to pack everything up again and again. Instead, book your time in a luxury hotel where you can let your kids put their clothes away in dressers and not have to live out of a series of backpacks.
You will probably want to pack a few things to keep your children busy during car rides as you may spend a lot of time in a 4×4 or in any other type of vehicle as travel between cities, out to UNESCO sites and to popular tourist destinations are all pretty far apart. Consider buying each kid a day bag that they can easily carry around on their own.
Plan, Plan, Plan!
If you have someone in your family who actively hates planned vacations, leave them at home. Vacations in Oman are still a new thing to the country, and you are walking around as a tourist is exciting for many of the locals. But, when it comes down to booking tours, renting 4x4s or other vehicles and getting camping equipment, you’re plum out of luck. Tours, vehicle rentals, and hotel rooms usually need to be booked months in advance.
The great thing is that you can work with your hotel concierge to set up most of what you want to do. Because tourism in Oman is so new, there are usually only private tours available, and usually, they’re only available through hotels. Additionally, your hotel can recommend which company to use for renting vehicles or equipment and help guide you to the best beach spots!
Remember that Oman vacations are pretty luxurious in nature and using your hotel’s concierge service is a benefit that you should definitely use because they can make your vacation truly amazing with some high-quality planning. Not to mention they take off a lot of the stress of setting everything up, which can be a struggle during family vacations.
Luxury Resorts
If you’re looking to have fun snorkelling and taking wildlife safaris your best bet is to book with a luxury resort. Not only do many of these resorts host these activities on the resort grounds, but they’re also open to western dress which means that you can go down to the pool in a two-piece swimsuit without worrying about offending locals.
Luxury resorts are also great for taking children too because there is so much security. Even the most attentive parent has to look away for a second here or there, and that puts so many parents on edge during vacation time. Because looking away for a second can kill your ability to relax on vacation it’s nice to know that there are almost always licensed lifeguards and a slew of security all around. Many hotels’ offer supervised play areas so you and your significant other can breath for a minute or maybe even take a date night.
Opt for the Once in a Lifetime Experiences
Visiting a waterpark or walking through a big city is something you can do almost anywhere. But there are not many other places in the world where you can ride beautiful Arabian horses on the beach, or explore sand dunes and visit UNESCO sites.
Oman, unlike other vacation areas, is more apart from the experience of staying there rather than going to a spa for pampering and then flying home. It is relaxing, and Oman is a great place to decompress. But if you’re missing out on the experiences that Oman has to offer, you’ll feel the immediate need to come back once you have left.
Are you eligible for Oman visa? Find out the requirements here!
Consider the Big Questions: Is it Safe? Can You Even Go There? And is it Reasonable for Children?
If you take your kids to any country East of France and you’ll quickly have these questions thrown in your face. It’s uncomfortable, but you can answer them with confidence after reading what we have to say about it.
First, yes, Oman is safe. Oman is actually known for their inviting locals and more than anything else, their tolerance. That’s right, Oman is a very tolerant country, and although they’re conservative, you can travel with ease.
Secondly yes, you can go to Oman, and you should! Oman does not have travel restrictions, and it’s currently working with some of its neighboring countries to make the visa process even easier so you can divide your vacation time between Oman and Qatar.
Finally, Oman is probably one of the best places to take your children. Because of the lack of alcohol and general customs against public displays of affection it means that this vacation isn’t going to be a whirlwind romance of making out on the beach with your kids a few feet away. Oman is a place where you will have the time and focus on engaging with your kids. Not to mention kids love safaris and zoos and Oman has those. Children love going to the beach, and Oman has some of the best beaches in the world. There’s an entire country to explore as a family, and it’s well worth the holiday time spent to see it.
