J'ai commence a apprendre l'Arabe tres jeune et j'ai une bonne pronunciation ainsi qu'un vocabulaire dormant. J'aimerais vivre environ trois mois et pratiquer la langue dans un pays ou les gens parlent un bon Arabe mais ou la vie n'est pas trop chere. Je ne cherche pas a aller a un institut connu car j'apprends la langue pour moi et j'ai aussi un certain bagage. Je suis musulmane et ce serait aussi pour utiliser l'Arabe dans la comprehension du Coran.
Est-ce que l'Egypte ou le Yemen sont des bons pays? Est-ce que quelqu'un a deja fait un sejour comme ca?
Moi, j'habite en Oman, je prends des cours d'arabe depuis que je suis installee. Ici les gens sont extrement gentils, par contre dans la capitale le niveau de vie est assez eleve, mais si tu pars dans un village, la c'est beaucoup plus raisonable. C'est un pays en pleine expension econmique et touristique.
Entre l'Egypte et le Yemen, je te conseillerai plutot l'Egypte, d'un point de vue de securite et puis parce que l'arabe egyptien est compris dans tous les pays arabes.
Voila pour mes conseils....
a bientot
Beatriz
Je vis au Yemen depuis 8 mois. Je travaille ici. Je ne parle pas Arabe malheureusement, enfin pas encore, je vais bientot prendre des cours.
Le Yemen est un pays tres accueillant et la vie n'est pas chere ici. De plus, il n'y a pas tant d'insecurite qu'on le laisse penser. Les medias ne refletent pas une bonne image du Yemen, mais etant ici je peux te dire qu'il n'y a pas de gros risques a y vivre.
De plus, l'Egypte est sans nul doute beaucoup plus touristique et la vie la-bas sera plus chere...
Si tu as des questions n'hesites pas...
Oman c'est un pays don't je me rappelle rarement. Comment as tu choisi d'aller dans ce pays...c'est peu connu mais avec bcp de petrole et une petite population je crois.
Le Yemen, j'y suis deja allee et je partage ton avis il faut etre sur ces gardes...ce n'est pas le meme danger que dans une ville americaine mais il y a quand meme des risques. En fait, je connais un peu l'Arabe Yemenite, c'est l'Arabe que j'ai appris en premier dans mon pays d'origine.
En fait, je cherche a aller dans un pays pas trop chere car je vais prendre une annee sabatique si mon employeur accepte et j'aimerais voyager assez pendant de longues mois et je ne veux pas tout depenser pendant mes 3 mois d'apprentissage.
Je veux aussi aller a Dubai pour visiter mais si je prends les cours la-bas j'ai peur que je ne sois obligee de retourner travailler avant les 10 mois prevus.
Ou habites-tu au Yemen? J'ai visite Sana et c'est une belle ville ancienne. Qu'est-ce que tu fais la-bas?
J'ai rencontre des Francais venant du Yemen a Djibouti il y a 2 mois. Au fait, pendant que tu es au Yemen profite-en non seulement pour visiter le moyen-orient mais aussi l'Afrique de l'Est...il y a des trucs a ne pas manquer meme si c'est dommage le Kenya n'est plus sur en ce moment.
C'est vrai que l'Egypte est tres touristique mais en meme temps je connais des gens qui sont alles acheter des maisons la-bas pour juste $30, 000...c'est incroyable...peut-etre loin des circuits touristiques c'est moins chers. Mais c'est sur que la ou le Yemen va etre bcp mieux c'est sur la gentillesse des gens...les gens vont etre plus simples et il y aura moins de faux brillant.
As tu pensé à la syrie ? Malgré les images qu'on en donne d'ici c'est un pays très sure pour les étrangers et même pour une femme seule. Si tu souhaite approfondir le coran et l'arabe, le centre Abou el nour fait les deux pour pas cher à Damas. Si la vie est plus chère depuis quelques années, ca reste raisonnable. Et c'est un pays superbe ou les gens sont très accueilllant.
Le travail de mon mari lui a proposer un poste en Oman, voila pourquoi nous sommes ici.
Les gens sont tres gentils, ils t'invitent a prendre un cafe/the chez eux tout le temps.
Je te conseil plutot que Dubai (grande ville, grise, triste), de visiter Oman. De plus si tu es dans les pays voisins, il faut en profiter !
Le pays possede un peu de petrole (ils ont decouvert tard dans les annees 70), mais veulent developper le tourisme.
J'habite a Sana'a, la capitale.
Je ne suis pas ici en touriste mais je travaille, depuis le 1er juillet 2007 je suis assistante dans une entreprise qui fournit des services (SMS, MMS, WAP, GPRS, Chat...) a d'autres entreprises.
Malheureusement je n'ai jusqu'a present pas eu le temps de visiter, ni le pays en lui-meme, ni les pays voisins.
Je travaille beaucoup et donc je n'ai pas de temps libre.
D'ici quelques mois je vais essayer de visiter un peu le pays et aussi d'aller en Egypte et en Jordanie et pourquoi pas egalement a Oman qui n'est pas loin d'ici...
C'est sur que la gentillesse des yemenites est incroyable. Ils sont extremement accueillants. Et si tu veux un pays ou la vie n'est pas chere c'est bien ici...
Quant a Dubai, j'y suis allee 3 jours en janvier, c'est superbe la-bas mais assez cher et il y a beaucoup de tentations, j'y ai depense pas mal d'argent !!
Pour depenser peu ce n'est pas l'endroit ideal... mais c'est magnifique et completement different de ce que je vois au Yemen...
Disons que je connais un peu le Moyen orient et j'ai grandi en Afrique juste de l'autre cote de la mer rouge. J'ai ete tres brievement a Dubai et je connais un peu le Yemen. Mon voyage au moyen orient sera dans le cadre d'une absence d'environ 10 mois. Si tout se passe comme je le pense je vais voyager loin de mon lieu de residence: je planifie de visiter un peu l'Espagne avant un petit sejour en France pour des retrouvailles avec mes amis la-bas et revoir ou j'ai habite il ya des annees de cela.
Apres ca, je veux faire 3 mois a pratiquer mon arabe et ameliorer mes connaissances.
Je veux aussi visiter l'Australie et Dubai et les ses environs.
J'aimerais rester 2-3 mois minumum en Australie vu que c'st loin de tout.
Je compte acheter un billet Tour Du Monde et visiter le plus sur mon parcours. Il faut dire que j'ai pas mal de contacts famille et amis dans des pays eloignes et je vais plutot aller la ou je connais des gens a moins qu'il n'y ai un interet particulier de ma part pour le pays. Par exemple, je voudrais visiter Dubai et Abu Dhabi et voir comment les gens vivent et si je pourrais m'y plaire. Jusqu'a il y a pas longtemps, mon sejour au M-O etait organise au tour de Dubai avec 2-3 mois de sejour mais je viens de decider d'y aller pour apprendre l'Arabe et c'est pour ca que je cherche sur les autres pays que Dubai.
Je vais faire des recherches sur Oman car tout ce que je sais c'est que c'est le voisin du Yemen et qu'ils avaient eu le Sultanat d'Oman a Zanzibar (Tanzania).
Peut-etre je te verrais a Oman ou a Dubai l'annee prochaine qui sait?
(j'ajoute inshaAllah a tous mes plans presentes plus haut).
Quand je suis allee a Sana j'ai trouve la ville interessante mais j'avais une escale de quelque jours seulement. Le Yemen est a la fois familier et trop different de ce que je connais. J'ai appris classique mais je comprends l'Arabe Yemenite j'ai meme l'impression que je comprends plus le yemeni dialect.
En fait, j'ai contacte quelqu'un qui avait ete au yemen pour etudier l'Arabe et j'attends sa reponse.
Dubai, c'est fou et je n'ai pas envie de claquer tout mon argent la-bas mais je veux juste voir a quoi ca ressemble. J'ai des anciens contacts...cousines inconnues et connaissances et j'ai vais visiter.
La difference c'est que Dubai rappelle plus les pays industrialises grace a son essor economique tandis que le Yemen est je crois le pays le plus pauvre du moyen-o. Mais il ya une plus grande richesse culturelle la-bas et les gens sont plus "genuine" (au secours je perds mon francais :) )
Le Yemen est effectivement plus authentique que dubai. 😉
J'ai l'impression, d'apres le peu de choses que j'ai pu voir pendant mes 3 jours a Dubai, que c'est la ville des businessmen.
La vie la-bas semble effectivement assez chere et c'est completement different du Yemen. Il m'a semblait que la religion est aussi moins presente qu'elle ne l'est au Yemen.
J'ajoute que le Yemen merite d'etre reconnu pour sa grande richesse culturelle et son architecture et aussi pour la richesse interieure des gens.
Suite a mon experience au Yemen, je vais peut-etre me lancer dans l'ecriture, ce n'est pour l'instant qu'un projet mais j'aimerais vraiment faire partager mon experience et faire mieux connaitre ce pays.
La Syrie est tres prisee pour apprendre l arabe. Mais ils demandent deja un niveau bac +2 en arabe.
Le Yemen possede un Centre Culturelle Francais qui propose des hebergements. Ils ont un site internet.
L Egypte offre un arabe qui n est pas compris partout.
Le must au MO reste le Yemen et la Syrie. En plus, ils ont l experience.
Bonsoir Cathérine!
C'est vrai que c'est beau le Yémen, en plus ces derniers jours on a eu le plaisir de voir un documentairesur le pays...c'est magnifique!
J'aimerai visiter le Yémen, voir y passer quelques années (qui sait!?) mais ça ne pourra se faire pour mon cas, qu'en 2009 voir 2010...
Profite de ton séjour et visite l'arrière pays! il est authentique...notamment le village perché à 3000 Mètres où les premières plantations de café Arabica a vu le jour!
@ bientôt
Cordialement
Zak--
Il faut aller voir Sanaa même si le chemin est long (citation des voyageurs Suisses, lors de la découverte de Sanaa au regard de sa beauté, en contraste avec l'Europe)
Oui je sais que l'architecture au Yemen est tres originale vielle de 2000 ans. C'est peut-etre une excellente idee de penser a ecrire sur le Yemen, je ne crois pas pas qu'il a pas grand chose en francais sur ce pays. Je crois que le Yemen a ete peu colonise ou tres brievement par l'Angleterre et puis une petite presence de l'URSS dans le sud a Aden pendant la guerre froide et donc c'est un pays non seulement riche en culture mais aussi a la culture preservee. On m'a deconseille d'aller en Egypte pour apprendre/pratiquer l'Arabe car tout le monde te parle en anglais la-bas. Je crois que j'avais dit au depart dans cette discussion que le Yemen est trop traditionel pour moi. Je pensais a un incident que j'avais eu la premiere fois que je suis allee la-bas il y a des annees. A l'epoque ils ne donnait pas le visa sur place et puis, je n'etais pas couverte de la tete au pied comme c'etait attendu. Je ne sais pas de qui j'ai garde le plus mauvais souvenir les authorites ou mes proches venus me chercher et qui m'ont fait la tete parce que je n'avais pas le hijab comme eux.
Est-ce que tu connais Jaffa? Une tres bonne amie est originaire de cette ville-village mais habite aux US maintenant.
Que penses-tu d'Aden du Sud? J'ai toujours entendu dire que les gens d'Aden sont plus ouverts sur le monde.
Alors la Syrie est hors de question car j'ai pas bac + 2 en arabe. Ca va je ne suis pas tres attiree par les pays comme La Syrie au proche orient sauf l'Egypte et on m'a dit que l'Egypte n'est pas un bon pays pour apprendre l'arabe et pas seulement a cause de leur dialecte.
Est-ce que le centre culturel francais loue des chambres? A tout le monde ou a ceux avec passport francais?
A Sana tu peux louer une chambre au CEFAS (centre des chercheurs francais) situe Beyt Al Ajami, donnant sur la rue de 26 septembre, et en (tres) bon voisinage. Si tu justifies de ton universite de rattachement (francaise ou CEE, indifferemment), une lettre de motivation presentant ton projet d etude, stage, etc...a la direction du CEFAS devrait suffire. Tu trouveras leurs coordonnees sur le site web de l universite d Aix en Provence.
zarrah
bonjour
meilleur pays pour apprendre l'ARABE ....il n'y en a pas ...pour la simple raison que l'accent particulier à tel ou tel pays et le dialecte local y prevalent...meme en ARABIE on ne parle pas l'ARABE litteraire....
Personnellement je pratique 4 langues ARABE/FRANCAIS/ANGLAIS/ALLEMAND et je me mets à L'ESPAGNOL
par une formation autodidacte ...
ce que je vous suggere c"est de decortiquer une langue si je pourrais m'exprimer ainsi...étudier sa grammaire..beaucoup de lectures...apprendre la redaction...la dissertation...suivre les infos et autres emissions
audio_visuelles sur telle ou telle chaine...et couronner le tout par des sejours linguistiques ici ou ailleurs...
meilleures salutations
njm
zarrah
bonjour
meilleur pays pour apprendre l'ARABE ....il n'y en a pas ...pour la simple raison que l'accent particulier à tel ou tel pays et le dialecte local y prevalent...meme en ARABIE on ne parle pas l'ARABE litteraire....
Personnellement je pratique 4 langues ARABE/FRANCAIS/ANGLAIS/ALLEMAND et je me mets à L'ESPAGNOL
par une formation autodidacte ...
ce que je vous suggere c"est de decortiquer une langue si je pourrais m'exprimer ainsi...étudier sa grammaire..beaucoup de lectures...apprendre la redaction...la dissertation...
Si si...il y a des pays ou l'arabe n'a ete influence ni par des langues locales ni par les langues europeennes des anciens colonisateurs mais ils sont rares. Et puis aussi il y a le cout, les conditions de vie et plein d'autres parametres. Un voyage linguistique... c'est l' immersion dans la langue mais c'est sur que comme pour tout il faut bcp de travail a cote.
Alors c'est quand le voyage en Espagne...ou Cuba? (just kidding...je fais allusion a l'autre discussion).
Je voulais savoir si tu étais toujours à Oman ou si tu étais revenue dans ton pays d'origine ?
Mon mari va peut être partir travailler là-bas et je cherche des infos sur la vie en général (le coût, l'éducation des enfants, l'intégration dans ce pays, trouver un logement....)
Est-il facile pour une occidentale de s'adapter dans ce pays?
Est-ce que tu travailles? Si non, comment occupais-tu tes journées?
Y a-t-il beaucoup d'étrangers là-bas?
J'attends de tes nouvelles, cela nous aidera à prendre notre décision (mon mari doit donner une réponse dans le sjours à venir)
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!
