Oman

Oman is basically a year-round destination, but there are different climatic conditions depending on where you want to spend your holiday in the Sultanate. While the mountain regions tend to be cooler in the evening and at night, the Arabian Sea is hot and dry.

In the region around Muscat in the north, the months from November to April are recommended, as this is when the climate is mild with pleasant temperatures between 15 and 25 °C. The region is characterised by intense heat and hot temperatures from May to October.

In Salalah, Oman's bathing paradise, temperatures range between 25 and 33°C all year round. Rainfall increases during the monsoon season from June to September.

In this sense, there is no "perfect time to travel" to Oman, but you should make your plans depending on your favourite activities and preferences.

Several religions live together peacefully and without conflict in Oman. The majority of the population (approx. 86 %) belong to Islam. The remaining approx. 14 % are Christians or Hindus. There is a mosque in every village, no matter how remote, consisting of mud houses inhabited by shepherds and their goats.

Before travelling to Oman, it is advisable to familiarise yourself with Islam and the five pillars of Islam. Briefly explained, the five pillars have the following characteristics:

The founder of Islam is the Prophet Mohammed. The "Salât" (obligatory prayer) should be performed five times a day according to the position of the sun during the course of the day. The almsgiving "Zakat" is done discreetly and is intended for the needy. Every Muslim should make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their life, this is called the "Hajj". The fasting month "Ramadan", during which restrictions in public life are to be expected. The profession of faith "Shahada" is recited before every prayer.

Other practices include circumcision, ritual ablution before prayers and a ban on eating pork.

Oman is a favourite destination on the Arabian Peninsula not only because of its relaxed atmosphere, but also because it has a more humid climate than Saudi Arabia, for example, and is greener and cooler than the rest in late summer. If you walk through the mountains, you can see the traces of cultivation. Even on steep slopes that are difficult to access, terraces have been formed with their own unique architecture.

Small earth walls are built around every rose bush and every pomegranate tree. Each plant has its own mini-plot, so to speak, so that no water can run off unused. This is part of an ancient, widely ramified irrigation system that is as simple as it is ingenious, creating blooming oases, the contrast to the barren landscape making them even more magical.

The little water that can be collected when it rains is channelled through a system of canals and directed to the respective piece of land as required through gates that can be opened. The result is a mountain world criss-crossed by veins and arteries, which bears witness to the determination with which every drop was wrested from nature.

Oman is one of the few countries where the frankincense tree grows. Its resin was already used for mummification in ancient Egypt and still plays a fundamental role in the Catholic Church today. Its disinfectant and anaesthetic properties have made it a sought-after commodity for thousands of years. If you want to see where frankincense comes from, you have to travel to the south-west of Oman. In no other region in the world do frankincense trees thrive as well as in Dhofar: here, at an altitude of 300 to 800 metres, the air is warm and humid from the monsoon.

When the frankincense tree is harvested, cuts are made in the bark with a special knife so that the tree's resin can escape. The resin solidifies very quickly and has to dry for about 14 days before it can be harvested. While the first harvest is of inferior quality, the resin becomes clearer and brighter with each pass. Frankincense only reaches its best greenish-white quality at the end of the harvest season in autumn. Frankincense is sold in markets all over the country in every conceivable quantity and quality. The lighter the colour, the better the quality and the higher the price (40 to 50 euros per pound, bargaining is essential in the bazaar).

This makes frankincense a wonderful souvenir and a typical souvenir from a stay in Oman.