bonjour,
Il y a une semaine j'ai demandé par mail le prix d'une chambre a l' Iran hotel d'Ispahan, 2 jours après il me dit que c'est OK, je lui lui demande si c'est possible d'avoir un e-mail de confirmation, pour le présenter à l'ambassade à Paris, lui explicant les éventuelles difficultés pour obtenir un visa.
Et voici sa réponse : (traduction internet ).
" Malheureusement, nous ne pouvons pas traiter votre demande actuellement. On nous a annoncé que tous les ressortissants étrangers, jusqu'à nouvel ordre, sont dirigés un certain nombre d'hôtels spécifiques à Isphahan. Car notre hôtel n'est actuellement pas sur cette liste, nous ne pourrons pas ne réserver ou admettre aucun ressortissants étrangers. Nous attendons actuellement les informations supplémentaires que nous espérons recevoir dans les prochains jours. Une fois que nous recevons d'autres clarifications, nous vous informerons et si possible, nous vous enverrons pour confirmer votre réservation. Nous regrettons n'importe quel dérangement que ceci a pu avoir causé. Si vous avez n'importe quelles autres questions, veuillez ne pas hésiter à nous contacter. "
Qu'en pensez vous, avez vous déjà été confronté à ce problème, ou est-ce tout simplement, le fait que je lui ai écrit dans mon mail, qu'il y a des difficulés avec le visa ?
Je sais que quand j'etais a Ispahan avec un ami iranien, on s'est vu refuser l'acces d'un hotel sous pretexte qu'il etait reserve aux iraniens et aux arabes....
Certains autres hotels ont deux tarifs, un pour les iraniens et un pour les touristes....
J'en ignore les causes, mais faut faire avec....
Si tu veux un hotel pour ton visa, donne juste une adresse d'hotel a Teheran, sans reserver, c'est ce que j'ai fait a deux reprises et ça a tres bien marche!
Apres c'est vrai que quand on etait a Ispahan, on avait pas reserve et on a bien galere pour trouver une chambre.
On a rencontre quatre français qui galeraient aussi pour la meme raison.
Peut-etre que justement certains hotels sont reserves aux iraniens pour leur eviter de se retrouver a la rue dans leur propre pays a cause du nombre de touriste a Ispahan?
Apres ce que j'en dis....
A Ispahan j'étais descendu à l'Amir Kabir Hotel qui accepte étrangers et Iraniens. Ils disposent de chambres et de dortoirs. C'est pas le grand luxe mais c'est pas cher.
Il y a bcp d'hotels dans cette ville mais aussi bcp de touristes iraniens
Si tu connais quelqu'un en Iran, tu peux lui demander son adresse pour le visa. Ca se durcit pour obtenir un visa. Le mien je l'avais obtenu sans difficulté à Erzurum en Turquie en nov 2007. Durcissement du je pense, au comportement agressif et guerrier du gouvernement français qui se range derrière l'administration Bush.
en espèrant que ça va s'arranger
Est ce que, par ton expérience, il est préférable de demander un visa pour 15 j et le renouveler sur place, ou demander directement un visa de 30 j
merci
le renouvellement est payant en Iran mais ça fonctionne
demande directement un visa de 30 jours tout en sachant qu'ils pourront aussi bien t'accorder un visa de 15 jours, de 30 jours ou un refus
J'etais a Ispahan en Aout. C'est d'ailleurs là que j'ai fait pronger mon visa.
A la base j'avais un visa d'un mois et ils m'ont remis un mois supplementaire sans problemes.
Les visas de 15 jours obtenus a l'aeroport, ont peut les renouveller?
Si oui pour combien de temps?
Quelqu'un l'a deja fait?
J etais en Iran il y a un an. Voici quelques réponses que je peux donner.
1 - Hotels
Je n'ai jamais réservé d hotels : toujours trouvé le jour même sur place.
Par contre, il est arrivé très souvent que l on m annonce que l hotel etait complet : bien évidemment il ne semblait pas l etre du tout. Mais disons que des étrangers en couple sont parfois mal venus. Par forcément du fait des tenanciers de l hotel mais parce qu'ils craignent en partie les gardiens de la révolution( lire Persepolis de Marjane Satrapi pour comprendre). Il préfère donc éviter les ennuis. Mais on trouve toujours quelque chose et l accueil des iraniens est tellement exceptionnel qu'il ne vous laissseront jamais sans solution.
2 - Et chez l habitant
j ai beaucoup logé chez l habitant en Iran. Tu pourrais trouver sur le site hospitalityclub.org.
D ailleurs si tu vas à Esphahan et que tu me dis d ou tu es, je serai heureux de te faire passer un petit kdo pour un ami la bas.
3 - Visa
Tu n as pas besoin d invitation d hotel pour ton visa. Je sais qu'il le demande souvent mais rien de legal la dedans.
Legalement il n y pas de prolongation possible mais dans les faits c est vraiment aléatoire et ca dépend sur qui tu tombes :))
Je te conseille tout de meme de demander 30 jours plutot. Si ti l as pas tu prends 15 jours et tu tenteras la prolongation.
Pour plus de renseignements, des photos et autres : mon site tour du monde avec article et photos sur l iran
http://tourdumondedenaisetvincent.blogs-de-voyage.fr/
Hesite pas pour toutes questions complémentaires.
cette interdiction fait suite a des restrictions de securite . Fin 2007, un touriste francais a ete assassine par un malfrat en cavale a la gare routiere d esfahan. L interesse a menace de mort ouvertement les etrangers et les representants des forces de l ordre. S en est suivi un renforcement de la protection des touristes dans la ville au debut 2008, et pour cela, la restriction vers seulement 5 "grands " hotels de la ville. Debut avril 2008, la presence militaire et policiere est toujours importante dans tous les lieux touristiques de la ville, les monuments et les musees.
Quels sont ces 5 grands hôtels et leur site web, s'il te plait ? Ils vont être pleins tout de suite, surtout avec tous les groupes qui vont à Ispahan, donc il faut réserver d'urgence.
Je veux bien, mais interdire certains hotels, sous prétexe d'un seul meutre, de plus en ville, je ne vois pas ce que cela va changer, je peux aller dans un des 5 hotels d'ispahan autorisés et me faire assassiner dans une rue, a moins d'avoir un policier qui me suit pas à pas.
je pense que ce n'est pas dans un hotel que l'on peut se faire trucider, mais bon, si ce sont les explications officielles, je reste perplexe ...
L'interdiction de certains hotels aux etrangers est bien plus anciennes que le meurtre de ce français.
Je pense pas d'ailleurs que cette interdiction vienne du gouvernement, plutot du patron lui-meme (peut-etre selon l'humeur du moment)
Et se faire attaquer a Ispahan c'est vraiment pas de bol quand on voit a quel point les policiers sont au taquet pour surveiller que rien n'arrive aux touristes!....
Pasqualina,
Normalement j'en ai pas besoin, mais il y a tellement d'avis différents sur le visa .Certains disent qu'avec une adresse d'hotel, c'est plus sur, d'autres disent que sans adresse, on peut avoir son visa .
En conclusion, je pense que c'est un peu aléatoire l'obtention d'un visa à l'ambassade, un coup ça marche, un coup ça marche pas, il n'y a pas de recette, ou plutôt il y en en pas mal,
As-tu demandé à l'ambassade directement ? Et as-tu des témoignages de gens à qui on a refusé le visa parce qu'ils n'avaient pas ces réservations ? Moi je suis à Madrid, pas à Paris, je ne suis pas encore allée à l'ambassade, mais au téléphone, ils étaient très aimables. J'ai dit que je suis française, ils m'ont assuré que je n'avais besoin d'aucune réservation, ni d'hôtel, ni d'avion, mais que je devrais attendre un mois pour mon visa, donc qu'il valait mieux commencer les formalités dès maintenant.
bonjour,
Est-ce que quelqu'un est déjà allé a l'hotel Pars ou l'hotel Qasr d' Ispahan, ces 2 hotels (bon marché) acceptent les étrangers.
Si vous avez des renseignements ( situation :centrale ou non, qualité des hotels, ect.... )
Merci
Durcissement du je pense, au comportement agressif et guerrier du gouvernement français qui se range derrière l'administration Bush.
en espèrant que ça va s'arranger
qlqes trucs a propos de l'iran
1) le visa n'est pas dur a obtenir il est juste long ce qui n'a rien a voir et d'une validite d'un mois.
2) pas besoin de resa pr obtenir le visa une simple addresse d'hotel suffit
3) pour les hotels qui acceptent les touristes se refferrer au LP en cas de pb d'hotel pleins aller au poste de police demander une derogation. depuis 3 semaines en iran je n ai eu aucun pb.
4) la prolongation de visa est facile meme au milieu du visa a shiraz.
rien ne prouve de durcissement que je ne connais personne qui s est vu refuse un visa pas de trace sur le net non plus.
salut
tu penses que les ambassades n'adaptent pas leur politique du visa suivant les relations diplomatique entre les deux pays? L'inde rend difficile le business visa pour les stagieres voulant aller en inde, car l'ambassade francaise ne donne pas assez de visa pour les indiens. La syrie est moins sympa avec les ressortissant francais à cause des declaration de notre president sur la rupture des relations diplomatique reprise petit à petit depuis peu.
Rien ne prouve ce que je dis, mais les relations diplomatique ne sont pas basé sur la langue de bois, les messages indirectes et les allusions?
Quel hotel as-tu choisi pour Téhéran ? J'ai besoin de donner un nom pour commencer le visa lundi prochain. Comme beaucoup de gens citent l'hotel Mashad, j'ai regardé le prix : 46 € sur un site, 67 $ la single sur un autre site, alors que le guide petit Fûté (j'attends toujours le Lonely Planet par la poste) dit que c'est un hôtel bon marché et pas génial ? Je cherche un hôtel proche des musées à visiter à Téhéran et qui soit valable comme nom à donner pour le visa. Merci d'avance pour votre aide.
j'ai chosi celui là : http://www.hotelkhayyam.com/
20$ en simple taxes et petit dej. inclus, il est dans le petit futé, mais je crois que les wc sont à la turque.
le site est un peu long à l'affichage
il est rue amir kabir près du parc Shar, et de la la place de l'imam khomeini, plan centre ville du petit futé,
je ne sais pas s'il est autorisé, mais ce que je sais c'est qu'il accepte les étrangers
- La syrie est moins sympa avec les ressortissant francais à cause des declaration de notre president sur la rupture des relations diplomatique reprise petit à petit depuis peu.
Rien ne prouve ce que je dis, dis tu ....
alors pourquoi t'en prendre à la france et son president.peux tu nous donner une reference de cette déclaration ? et prouver ce que tu dis..
tu penses que les ambassades n'adaptent pas leur politique du visa suivant les relations diplomatique entre les deux pays?
la politique du visa en france est dictée par des critères simples, risque ou pas risque c'est tout. Si on devait le donner a tout le monde, A quoi les visas serviraient-ils ?
j'ai pas le droit de parler de la france et du président qui se trouve etre mon pays et mon président...
A force de supporter israel, etre contre l'iran, etre contre la syrie, etre avec les USA, à etre contre la regime chinois... certains pays vont pas trop apprécier la france et les relations diplomatiques peuvent changer.
salut
un début de preuve que les ambassades reagissent suivant les relations diplomatiques.
Paris: il faut 20 jours pour avoir un visa tourisme pour la Syrie. Je ne pense pas que l'ambassade de Syrie soit débordé par des milliers de demandes.
New-Delhi: 30 min pour obtenir le meme visa que le francais à paris attendra 20 jours, et encore, j'aurais pu l'obtenir en 5 min, le consul n'etait pas là...
ainsi, en supposons que l'ambassade de syrie à paris travaillent 3 h par jours, 5 j sur 7. L'ambassade de syrie met 90 à 540 fois plus de temps pour donner un visa. Si c'est pas du zele qui est fait à paris pour les francais, je ne vois pas trop d'autres raisons.
ok, c'est leur probleme, mais ce n'est pas l'attitude de la france qui en est la cause, ceux qui sont accuses d'ingerence au Liban c'est eux, de terrorisme, c'est eux, alors c'est leur probleme.
Pour Sagonne, merci beaucouppour ton aide. J'ai vu leur site et le plan, c'est bien central en effet. Mais il n'y a pas de prix sur leur site. Les as-tu contacté par mail pour le savoir ?
Pour carthago17 et yokatai, je ne crois pas que vous pourrez-vous mettre d'accord. Mais si vous voulez continuer cette discussion politique, ne pourriez-vous ouvrir une autre discussion ? Celle-ci concerne les noms d'hôtels autorisés pour les étrangers et valables pour les demandes de visas pour l'Iran. Merci de votre compréhension.
de rien, voici leur mail, hotelkhayyam@hotmail.com
le contact est M.A. Jasbi, (en anglais) .il repond avant 3 jours.
Oui, demander le prix, j'ai remarqué que les petits hotels ne mettent pas le prix.
Hello Fellow Travelers,
I’ve just returned from a week-long trip to Azerbaijan, covering both Baku and the country’s main sights.
Contrary to what the "Travel Advisory" from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, you can travel everywhere safely—the Azerbaijanis are lovely to foreigners, and the police are absolutely helpful.
Just follow the local laws, as you would anywhere, to avoid any trouble.
I highly recommend visiting this stunning country.
Antoine
Hi,
We’re supposed to go to Oman from October 17th to 30th for a 4x4 road trip. We’d already bought our flight tickets before the war started... We’re looking for recent traveler feedback from anyone who’s been there lately. Obviously, we plan to avoid areas around American military bases as well as the Salalah, Duqm, Musandam regions, and the border with Yemen.
Thanks in advance for your input.
lili
Hello, we’re two senior couples who often travel with a guide and driver. For this trip to Oman, though, we’d like (for various reasons) to have a fixed base and visit the must-sees with a local guide but on a hub-and-spoke basis. Do you think that’s possible, and what would be the best place to stay?
We’ll be in Oman for 7 days in March 2026.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Hi there,
This year we want to go to Georgia. We have a ticket to Istanbul and would prefer to avoid an Istanbul/Tbilisi flight to see a bit of Turkey, which I love.
I found a train from Ankara to Kars (25h): why not?
But how do we cross the border: which town? Is it easy (or not)?
I’m leaning toward Batumi, but I’m not sure about anything—thanks for your tips!
Thanks for your insights
I’m planning a two-week trip to Iran in September and I’m reaching out for some valuable tips....
After doing a bit of research, I’ve sketched out a rough itinerary.
I plan to spend 2–3 days in Tehran, then head down to Isfahan for 4–5 days with an overnight stop in Kashan. After that, I’m thinking of going to Shiraz for 2–3 days, including a visit to Persepolis.
Then back to Tehran with a 2-day stop in Yazd.
What do you think? Is this doable? Are there any other must-see spots?
The north, with Tabriz and Masuleh, also caught my eye, but what should I cut to fit them in?
If you have any recommendations for high-quality, authentic hotels, I’d love to hear them.
And one last (silly) question—I’m a smoker (unfortunately!), so is it allowed for women to smoke in Iran? If so, under what conditions?
Thanks in advance for your help, and I’m all ears for any advice!
hi,
do we absolutely have to get the ETA before traveling to Israel these days?
some people say it’s not mandatory, others say it is.
any feedback, please?
thanks
Hey everyone!
A comeback after so many years... but my question is simple:
"Has anyone wandered around these two countries recently? (The posts and travel journals I’ve read are a bit dated.) I’m planning a trip for late spring—one I had mapped out for 2023 but never got to do.
For any info on transportation, border crossings, cost of living, and interesting hostel/GH addresses, thanks in advance! 😉
Hi,
We’ve got flight tickets for a two-week trip to Georgia from April 8th to 23rd.
Should we go ahead with our trip or postpone it to September, given what’s been happening in the Persian Gulf since late February 2026?
Are there any impacts in Georgia?
Thanks for your help
Hi there, I’d like to spend a few days in these two countries. How many days do you recommend? Any ideas for things to see? Which airline should I take to go from one to the other? I think there are no more direct flights? Thanks
Hi,
We’re heading to Asia this summer, and to avoid arriving in the middle of the night, we’ve decided to stop over in Dubai for a day and a half on the way there and back. Any ideas for activities during this super-hot period? Bonus points if they’re reasonably priced 🙂 Which neighborhood is best to stay in?
Thanks in advance, and have a great day!
Bruno
We visited the northern/northeast part of Oman, the most touristy area, last February over 11 days there. It’s a great time to go because the temperatures are pleasant and there aren’t too many tourists, even though the country is only just starting to develop its image. 11 days was enough for us to see the essentials, but you can always extend your stay depending on what you want.
2 days in Muscat, 2 days in the desert—we would’ve happily stayed longer—2 days in the mountains, 3 days in the wadis, and the rest for the cities, villages, and the coast.
Oman offers stunning landscapes and a genuinely warm welcome. We always felt safe, never experienced any malicious looks or gestures.
As usual for our trips, we chose to organize everything ourselves but with a guide to better explore and soak up the local culture.
The point of my post isn’t to recount our journey but to encourage and reassure anyone considering this destination.
If I can be of help, I’m happy to answer your questions based on what I know.
Living in Amman, Jordan, I’d like to visit Jerusalem and the surrounding areas during the Christmas season.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on:
- the security conditions in Israel/Palestine,
- sightseeing in Jerusalem during the Christmas period.
Hi! If anyone has been to Georgia recently and could tell me if it's feasible to travel around the country using public transport. My itinerary would be Kutaisi (my arrival airport), Tbilisi, Mestia, Ushguli, Batumi, and back to Kutaisi (departure airport) in ten days. My flight arrives late at night, around 1 AM—would it be possible to take a taxi to get to the city center?
Any advice is welcome, and regarding the language, can you get by with English? Thanks in advance.
Hi everyone, I’m married to a Kurd from Iraq, and we’re heading to Kurdistan in November with our two-and-a-half-year-old son. Even though I’m really excited about this trip and happy to go, I’m a bit nervous because as a European woman, I feel like there’s nothing to do and I have this image of a dangerous country… To put my mind at ease, I’d love to chat with other Europeans who’ve been there. Thanks! !
Hi there
Does anyone know if it's allowed to use a drone (under 250 g) in Oman?
If so, is there any registration required for the device?
Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Laurent
Hi there,
We’re traveling from 12/23/2025 to 1/9/2025 in Oman.
However, our flight lands in Dubai.
So I’m looking for a car rental company that allows crossing the border into the Sultanate of Oman.
Thanks for your recommendations!
I think I saw there’s also the option of vehicles with rooftop tents…
Hello... nothing new for several
years now...
Can you go there independently from the rest of the country? Any recent experiences, either in Kurdistan or the rest of Iraq?
Thanks a lot
Hi, we’re traveling to Georgia soon and want to go to Azerbaijan. I’m having trouble finding info on crossing the border.
Is it possible to do it by car or train? Are the land borders between the two countries open? Or do we have to fly?
Thanks in advance
Since I had trouble finding up-to-date info, here’s an update on some key points for Jordan/Egypt ferries as of August 2025.
Right now, AB Maritime is the only company still operating ferries. Other companies sometimes mentioned (Jordan Sinaï Hotel and Tour, Sinaï Ferry, etc.) have stopped running (no response by phone or email, and confirmed on-site).
On the Jordanian side, the fast ferry doesn’t leave from the port of Aqaba but from Tala Bay (20 km further south). There’s supposedly a slow ferry that departs in the evening from Aqaba port (according to a taxi driver), but I couldn’t find any info about it.
Currently, there’s one ferry per day in each direction for Aqaba/Taba and another for Aqaba/Nuweiba. But the schedules aren’t great for backpackers—and they’re not the same every day.
On the Jordanian side at Tala Bay, you access the port by walking through a large resort, go through border control before boarding the ferry (+ luggage check). You have to pay the exit tax of 10 JOD (12 €) to "someone sitting on a bench in front"!!! It’s true—you need to ask who to pay, or customs won’t let you through without the magic coupon.
Oddly, I arrived early and managed to take a different ferry than the one I’d booked online by insisting (it wasn’t open for online reservations).
I bought the ticket on the AB Maritime website. Confirmation by email was brief. Then you have to find another person outside the port who has the passenger list and will give you the actual ticket. (What a joy this organization is!) Luckily, everyone’s really friendly with tourists.
On the Egyptian side, arrival in Taba isn’t in Taba itself but at Taba Heights (20 km further south), in a hotel zone. Immigration can be more or less quick depending on your place in the queue at the single office... (free Sinai visa or paid Egypt visa). And outside... nothing. Nothing: no exchange bureau, no ATM, no drink or SIM vendor... A nightmare. No bus station. One or two taxis at prohibitive prices. Personally, I walked about fifteen minutes to the Strand Hotel to find someone who could actually help me (ATM out of service in that big resort). From there, two bus companies currently operate: Webus in small vans but you have to book at least 2 days in advance (frequent, fast, reasonable prices) or GoBus with large buses (only one per day, even cheaper). They head south to Nuweiba, Sharm El Sheikh, etc. A taxi from Taba to Sharm was quoted at 120 USD at the port exit!
For me, the ferry and GoBus schedules didn’t align at all. If I’d known about Webus earlier, I could’ve saved 6 hours of waiting...
On another note, a Taiwanese traveler I met also mentioned that the Hurghada-Sharm El Sheikh ferry is no longer running.
Basically, these border crossings and ferries are more suited to organized tours than backpackers, but it’s still doable.
Hello everyone,
We’re just back from a wonderful adventure exploring Wadi Rum.
We spent 3 days and 2 unforgettable nights there. Our guide, Mohamad, introduced us to the desert—its beauty, its mysteries—with rare skill, kindness, and generosity. We hiked through breathtakingly beautiful places, slept in a Bedouin tent and under the stars, enjoyed delicious meals, and shared moments of incredible quality.
Mohamad honored us by sharing songs, poems, and stories, and introducing us to his family. His humor, life philosophy, and empathy will stay with us forever.
Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful experiences we’ve ever had.
Mohamad’s contact details can be shared via private message.
I’m also happy to provide any info about this unforgettable trip.
Michèle
So happy to be back with you all that I’m rushing to share my trip report!
We chose to stay exactly 14 days to avoid paying for a visa. As a result, we didn’t have time to explore the south—we’ll be back because Oman is a great destination in January. Temperatures were a perfect 25–27°C during the day. No rain for us, but it can happen.
We bought the *Évasion Oman* guidebook. We started with the Jebels (the mountains), abandoned villages, then the desert, wadis along the coast, and finished in the capital. For us, it was easier to go from cold (2,000 meters, after all) to hot before returning to our freezing Normandy in January.
The people were incredibly welcoming and lovely. We camped in natural camping areas where you can make a fire (free, no facilities or water). Easy to find—just search "camping" on Google Maps (an essential app). We traveled as a group of five and rented a 4x4 seven-seater from Europcar before leaving (price included our insurance): 800 euros for 14 days. Essential for getting everywhere, as there are lots of dirt tracks. We brought our camping gear from France since the baggage allowance is 30 kg. Oh, and also two liters of rum and a box of white wine—also essential.
Food was tricky if you don’t like spicy dishes or just chicken. You have to eat at international restaurants, which cost about the same as back home. We’d packed vacuum-sealed meat for the first three days and a few cans. For beaches, stick to the ones marked on Google for swimming—otherwise, they can be dirty and full of oil.
We arrived at 6:30 AM, bought a SIM card (make sure to remove yours before arriving and tape it to the back of your phone), exchanged money (not great rates at the airport—better in malls or souks; no exchanges in banks), and picked up the car. Then we headed to a Carrefour supermarket, but it was closed. We drove to Jebel Al Akhdar, the Sayq Plateau, where we found markets along the way. There are also bazaar shops where you can get gas bottles—they’re everywhere in mid-sized towns. There are even hypermarkets.
We hiked the well-marked old Sayq trail (red and white markings). Our return was improvised. We camped on the plateau and got cold—bring 0°C sleeping bags! The next day, we visited the abandoned villages of Wadi Bani Habib: juniper forests, canyon viewpoints. Then Birkat Al Maws on the way down—a beautiful palm grove. Next, Nizwa Hotel. The beds were really hard there—ask to see the rooms and test the beds before booking. There’s always availability, with prices starting at 35 euros for two.
On the third day, we went to Jebel Shams. Hiked along the canyon starting from Ghul, then descended. Camped on the road to Balha Fortress, which we visited the next morning (stunning!). Then we explored Nizwa before heading to the Wahiba Desert. Camped along the way, then drove to our accommodation: two days in the desert. We found the Thousand Nights Camp 40% cheaper a month before. Note: you have to leave by 1 PM in a convoy to reach the hotel.
On the sixth day, we hiked in the desert on our own because the activity prices were outrageous.
On the seventh day, we headed to a wadi, Bani Khalid, then to Sur, a seaside hotel. We booked just one room for five of us—hotel apartments are huge, and since we had our camping mattresses, it wasn’t a problem to set up in the living room. There’s even a kitchen. In cities, camping spots are poorly located—near intersections, etc.
Beach time and sightseeing on the eighth day, then we drove to the white sand beach in Fins, where we stayed for two nights (we left the tents set up but empty). This was our favorite campsite—go all the way to the end of the road, there’s a small cove and a stunning spot.
On the ninth day, we visited Wadi Shab and the Salma Plateau to find the tombs. The hike up from Fins was way too long—probably better to take the route suggested in the guidebook for a round trip. Meh, no one really enjoyed it.
On the tenth day, we went to Wadi Al Arbiyyin and drove to Seeb Al Mouj to book a diving trip. Stayed at Al Ferdous Hotel Apartments until the end—well-located for visiting Muscat and a great value. Just make sure to check the room first, as some beds are very hard and others aren’t.
Eleventh day: diving and beach time.
Twelfth day: visited the Grand Mosque (unlucky—first day it became paid, and not just a little: 8 OMR). Then explored the old city.
Thirteenth day: the Grand Opera and beach at The Village, where we found a great pizzeria: pizzawifi.com.
Fourteenth day: And that’s it—back home, thrilled to have discovered this magical country. We’ll be back!
Hi everyone!
I’m giving this a shot, hoping to get some answers that can help clear things up.
We’re planning a trip to Oman in February and want to rent a car.
The catch is we probably won’t have received our international driving permits in time.
After some research, we still can’t figure out if there are any rental companies that only require a French license...
or possibly a certified translation of it.
Given that the French license is recognized in Oman, we’re hoping for some advice.
Any tips would be hugely appreciated, and thanks in advance to those who can help!
Best regards,
Olyana
Hi there, 😄
my friend and I are leaving in 15 days for Kurdistan, by road, in our little converted van... The only thing we're sure of (well, the only thing we've actually thought about! The adventures will take care of the rest!) is that we're planning to take a month to get there, 15 days on site to visit my sister-in-law who's been living there as a teacher for a year! and 15 days to rush back, because my boyfriend has to go back to work on November 3rd!! After that, the itinerary isn't set yet—I've just bought a map of Europe... and still haven't found one of Kurdistan! or Iraq! I just finished work yesterday... and until now, this trip felt so far away... I didn't imagine much about it... I kept telling myself, "You'll see when you're done working, your brain will be more available!" Well, now my brain is in "gooo go go!" mode 😮 and it's going fast! I've got tons of questions popping up all at once!
- The itinerary... (we're thinking of lingering a bit in Greece on the way there... and taking a more direct route back). I don't think we've fully grasped what it's going to be like to cover at least 5,000 km in such a short time! Bibi's tinkering with the van (a Peugeot Expert that goes anywhere) and I'm the tour guide!
- Camping in the van... where? Under what conditions? Areas to avoid? Places not to miss?
- The borders... especially the Iraqi one! What are the formalities? Visa or no visa?
- The political situation in the countries we'll cross... (with our entourage putting pressure on us—they're right, of course! How many times have we heard, "You're crazy! Oh, you're really going? We've been hearing about this for a year but didn't think it was so soon... and with everything going on right now, isn't it risky? Aren't you afraid of getting kidnapped?" 🤪 To be honest, we don't know much, we've been a bit out of the loop, working hard... and just craving adventure! But I admit, sometimes I get little waves of panic 😕 when I check official websites... then I go back to daydreaming!
- Why not Couchsurfing?
- Oh crap, the most annoying part... the paperwork, insurance, health stuff, blablabla...
- Will the van hold up? 😐
- Should we prepare for the possibility of not making it all the way, and accept that not as a failure but as a different kind of adventure? Well, there you have it—a little peek into the chaos in my brain! 🤪/😎
So if any of this resonates with you... if you feel like sharing ideas, advice, or stories... we're all ears! Well, I am, and I'll pass it on to Bibi, the fearless warrior, wrench in hand, new tires at the ready, changing the oil and fine-tuning the beast! When I ask him what he expects, what he thinks, what his fears are (with me being the eternal scaredy-cat about wild camping in places I can't picture when we arrive at night—apparently a typical female fear, according to my surveys!—and the wonder of waking up to discover our surroundings... we made the right choice!), his desires... he just says, "Well, we'll start the car, go straight ahead, and see what happens. What do you think could go wrong?!" We complement each other well!
