For such a small country, Oman is surprisingly filled with adventures for every type of traveler. Should you find yourself with the kids flying to Oman, know that there’s a lot in store for your whole family. We’re not just talking about the deserts, beaches, mountain ranges, and sand dunes, because Oman is way more than these. Moreover, this country is home to warm people who will welcome you. In Oman, it is common to encounter a friendly family recommending about an activity locals really enjoy. Transportation around the country is also hassle-free, as you have various options to reach a certain attraction. Aside from these, Oman has amazing hotels which also offer tours and various activities for travelers. You are bound to discover endless fun in Oman with your little pumpkins! Refer to our list below of the things to do in Oman with the kids, and we hope you get the most of every adventure.
An activity in Oman you can’t miss is hiking and trekking along the Balcony Walk in Wadi Nakhur. Wadi Nakhur is the highest region of the Western Hajar Mountains in the far west of Jebel Akhdar. Also called Oman’s Grand Canyon, Wadi Nakhur is a massive hole with vast cliffs. This canyon is the world’s second deepest, and will take you 3 hours to trek. Kids can also do some adventure walking (recommended age to complete the entire walk is 7 and above) will find this experience exhilarating, although younger ones could get tired from the long duration of the trek. You can take the Balcony Walk from Al Khitaym to the As Sab abandoned village, which will allow you and the kids to appreciate the lush bottom and the picturesque terraces carved on the side of the mountain. At the end of the trail, the kids can explore the abandoned old houses located at the village. If you are adventurous enough as a family, you can proceed to the Grand Canyon Rim Walk for an entire day of trekking experience. Anyway, you have the option to return to the starting point once the kids get tired, you just don’t want them to miss the experience of trekking in Oman’s Balcony Walk.
Cost: $50 to $65
Probably a fact that you aren’t aware of is Oman’s more than 3,000 kilometers of coastline packed with marine life. The Gulf of Oman, for instance, is an untapped jewel which is the perfect spot for scuba diving and snorkeling. In these waters, you can find all sorts of lovely sea creatures swimming in splendor. You can see sperm whales, blue whales, sea turtles, shy whale sharks, orca pod, dolphins, humpbacks, and pristine coral reefs. Off the coast of Muscat, Oman’s capital city, is the Gulf of Oman’s most famous diving spots, the Daymaniyat Islands. You can reach Daymaniyat Islands after a 90-minute boat ride from Muscat. Listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, Daymaniyat Islands is the best place to do snorkeling with the fishes and the sharks. Yup, you read it right. Sharks! Kids can finally see some sharks in closer view and swim with them. Divers at the island have reported spotting various types of sharks, including the zebra shark. Of course, this activity is for those adventurous folks unafraid of aquatic life. If your kids want to learn how to dive, you can enroll them in short diving lessons at the island, too. Just remember to book in advance with a tour company about your planned snorkeling adventure at Daymaniyat Islands.
In every place we visit, kids would urge us to take them to the mall. This is probably because they want to score new toys and stuff for school or some souvenirs. Or they want to watch a new film. Or they want to play in the arcade or have fun with the rides inside the mall. Whatever their reasons are, you have no excuse not to take them to one of Oman’s shopping malls. You actually have a lot of choices, including the Oman Avenues Mall, Panorama Mall, City Center Muscat, Safeer Mall, Niza Grand Mall, and the Salalah Gardens Mall. Most shopping centers in Oman are concentrated in its capital city, Muscat, although there is no shortage of entertainment hubs in other cities, too. Anyway, we recommend going to the City Center Muscat, the Oman Avenues Mall, and the Muscat Grand Mall. These malls have special area for the kids, where they can get the most fun in trying out rides, playing with toys and video games, going to the cinemas, and munching on their favorite snacks. Plus, these malls are air-conditioned, so the kids won’t have to worry about the temperature outside.
Cost: $38
One thing that must be included in everyone’s list when travelling to the Arabian countries is the opportunity to ride a camel. Kids would totally love this new experience and would talk about it nonstop with their friends at home. Fondly nicknamed as “ships of the desert”, camels are the main transport option for those who want to explore the deserts. Camels move gently and slowly, so you have no worries about safety. Plus, you’ll get to take in the view of the entire desert. Riding camels is an easy activity to do since most travel agencies and the locals offer a taste of the experience.
Cost: $2.5 to $5
Oman has many wadis, or deep valleys and desert oases, which allow for an amusing experience for kids and adults. One of Oman’s most popular wadis is the Wadi Shab (or Wadi Shaab) located in the Al Sharqiyah Region in Oman. In order to reach the best spot of the Wadi Shab, you ought to take a boat across a river and complete an approximately 40-minute hike. If you think that’s tiring, well think again, because after the hike, you will be treated to a beautiful scenery. Also, if you want the kids to get closer to nature, this is an activity you can take them to. Inside the Wadi Shab, your whole family can have fun splashing in the pools with clear blue waters, playing in the shallows, and having some fish nibble at your toes. Believe us when we say it’s truly a relaxing and beautiful experience. However, the fun doesn’t stop here. You can also go higher up the Wadi Shab with the braver kids and climb over the rocks to reach the cave and a waterfall. Or you can continue to explore Wadi Tiwi, the Bimmah Sinkhole, or the Tiwi beach. You’ll probably not want to go home after treating yourself to these magnificent sights in Oman.
If you’re not so keen on booking tour agencies to take you and the kids to Oman’s best attractions, or if you just want a quiet family moment where kids and yourself can have the most fun and the most relaxing getaway, go to the Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort. Located on the northern Musandam Peninsula in Oman, the Zighy Bay Resort is a sight to behold. It boasts of an indigenous village-style accommodation, a private marina, a sandy beach, and mountain vistas. If the kids aren’t wowed by this resort, then we don’t know which universe they come from. Kidding aside, the Zighy Bay Resort is a paradise for adults and kids alike. With its huge selection of activities, everyone is guaranteed the most memorable vacation they could have. The kids can swim in the clear waters, go kayaking, build sand castles, collect sea shells, do snorkeling, learn diving, watch a movie on the beach, try water skiing and stand-up paddle boarding, experience swimming in the wadi, or even try paragliding from the top of the Zighy Mountain! Likewise, the kids can play all sorts of games, including treasure hunts, swim relays, archery, adventure hikes, and Olympic games. Or they can do something more productive like learning to cook Arabic cuisines. Also, your whole family can share a bonding moment while watching a spectacular sunset or dining al fresco on the beach. We feel your excitement as early as now, so go ahead and make the reservation at the Zighy Bay Resort.
Cost: $90 to $127
Another popular activity to do in Oman with the kids is a Bedouin-inspired camping in the desert. The most popular camping site in Oman is probably the Nomadic Desert Camp, which is run by a local Bedouin family. There are several other night camps in Oman, such as the Desert Nights Camp and the 1000 Nights Camp, which you can explore as well. Anyway, the Nomadic Desert Camp allows you to experience a traditional take to the desert life. There are huts and sitting areas inside the camp, all of which are built from palm-tree leaves and other resources from nature. There’s also no electricity inside the camp, and you will learn to rely on candles and solar energy to see your surroundings when it goes dark. When you book a night camping experience with the Bedouin tribe, you will be given a barasti hut with comfortable beds and shared al fresco showers. You can watch the sunset together and then wait for the stars to light up the skies. The kids can play on the sands, taste the camel milk, or even eat some dates. Staying with the Bedouin tribe at the Nomadic Desert Camp is a unique cultural experience with the children. A night spent here will teach your kids some valuable lessons about satisfaction, the value of traditions, and genuine happiness.
Cost: $39 to $44
Dolphins are such beautiful creatures and swimming with them (or just watching them swim) is a magical experience particularly for the kids. In Oman, you can take your kids to swim with wild dolphins. If you are hesitant about doing this activity for environmental reasons, don’t worry because swimming with wild dolphins is not harmful compared to swimming with captive dolphins. Many tour agencies in Oman offer this kind of activity in their packages, and they understand the value of conserving these creatures. The best spots for dolphin watching in Oman are the Musandam Peninsula and the Gulf of Oman. Aside from getting the opportunity to watch and encounter the wild dolphins, you and your kids also get to experience riding the dhow or the traditional Omani fishing boat. While doing this activity, keep in mind some regulations to help with protecting dolphins and other marine creatures. For instance, remind your kids not to feed, harass, and touch the dolphins. Admiring them as they glide is already an amusing sight, so getting closer with them is not necessary. Plus, swimming too close to the dolphins is not recommended. The safe distance would be at least 50 yards away. Despite these regulations, watching the wild dolphins in Oman could be a precious experience for your little ones. Additionally, they get bits of information about the significance of protecting these dolphins and their natural habitat.
Cost: $38.9 to $52
If you are looking for an activity to spend a lazy afternoon in Oman, we have just the perfect answer for you. Take a boat cruise along the coast of Oman with the whole family. Just like the adventures in Oman we mentioned above, this specific experience does not discriminate according to the age of guests. Since this basically consists of cruising along the waters of Oman in a traditional Omani wooden boat called “dhow”, you and your kids can just relax during the entire ride. Throughout the cruise, you can try the traditional Omani coffee and dates for free. Kids can also munch on snacks, fruits, and juices while on board. Do this activity before the night falls and you can have the chance to watch the sunset. There are also boats which provide day trips along the coast of Muscat. More than a cruise, they give guests the chance to enjoy some barbecues, fishing activities, and even giant comfortable pillows for a better ride. Likewise, there are motor boats which can give you a similar experience, although we recommend taking on the traditional dhow boat cruises for a more cultural and more amusing experience.
Cost: $5 to $20
Just three hours from Oman’s capital city, your kids can enjoy a unique experience of interacting with the turtles. At the Ras al Jinz Nature Reserve, the kids can enjoy witnessing how turtles go on a journey to return to the beach where they were born in just to lay their eggs. And these aren’t just ordinary turtles you’ll be watching. We are talking about the endangered green ones. Similar to watching the dolphins, this activity is a magical one which will let your kids appreciate the beauty of the biological environment. Likewise, watching the turtles should not solely be for recreation purposes. You will have ecotourism guides who could provide you with valuable information and trivia about the turtles. The schedules for doing the activity are also limited, so you have to plan if you are going to join during the dawn schedule at 4:00 a.m. or the evening schedule at 9:00 p.m. These time slots are the best time to see dozens of green turtles coming out from the sea and burrowing into the sand for their eggs. Also, the months of July, August, September, and October are the most ideal months for spotting turtles in Oman, although there are turtles to see any day of the year. These eggs then start to hatch after 2 months. As you do the activity, make sure your kids are aware that they need to be silent. For sure, this activity will get your kids more fascinated with animal life even more!
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Cost: Free
An oasis of calm as many past travelers described it, the Misfah Oasis serves as your most ideal retreat adventure. The Misfah Oasis is located at the Misfat Al Abryeen, and boasts of an amazing system of waterways coming out of a rock in the mountain. This picturesque scene is enough to calm your kids’ tantrums or soothe your tired mind. Besides, the kids will have the chance to appreciate more of nature at the Misfah Oasis. As a family, you can go strolling together towards the village, exploring the ancient houses, and grabbing lunch or dinner at the famous Misfah Old House. After a day filled with tranquility on this paradise, you can watch a glorious sunset over the mountains.
Cost: $64.9
You’ve probably heard of dune bashing or looked it up online while searching for things to do in Oman and other Arab nations. Since Oman has lots of golden-hued deserts perfect for camel riding, stargazing, and camping, dune bashing found its way to the country. Dune bashing is essentially driving in the sand of the deserts. An activity which is suitable for a family, dune bashing is usually done by renting out a 4X4 vehicle, hiring a local, and having the most fun driving at terrifying angles. This activity will surely get the kids screaming and shrieking in nervous excitement as you drive down steep dunes and go up again. So if you are looking to pump out some adrenaline from your little ones, this adventure in Oman is a must-try. Try going to Wahiba Sands or Sharqiya Sands for an awesome dune bashing adventure with your entire family.
Cost: Free
Another must-visit in Oman is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque located in Muscat. Beautifully designed even from the outside, this mosque will definitely excite the kids. The mosque is open for everyone at designated times, except prayer times wherein you can’t take the children. It doesn’t charge an entrance fee, although if you aren’t properly dressed (covered knees and shoulders for women), you need to pay $6.5 to rent an abaya or dishdasha. Visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and give kids the chance to admire the stunning interiors of this holy place. You can visit the mosque daily, except Fridays, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Souks (which literally mean “markets”) are popular places in Oman to go shopping with kids. We recommend going to the Muttrah Souk and discover plenty of stuff for cheap prices. You can go shopping for handicrafts, shawls, lamps, cloth, perfume, wooden chests, and other souvenir items the kids would want to bring home or give to their friends. Plus, the Muttrah Souk is stroller-friendly so you’ll know kids are welcome here. The Muttrah Souk is open daily, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
If you have long wanted to take stroll along the Corniche in Oman, you can head straight to the Al Riyam Park. This popular park is distinguishable from the giant incense burner statue on the hilltop (as shown in the photo above) so you can immediately find it when walking around. Below the burner statue, you will be treated to a wide expanse of green area where kids can run around. There is a playground which you can enter for free. Kids can play in the slides and swings. Also, if the kids are in the mood for some amusing rides, you can head to the small amusement park within Al Riyam Park. The rides have minimal fee so you won’t spend too much to give your kids a bit of sunshine.
We feel your excitement about going to Oman to try our recommended activities for the youngsters! Tell us about your visit to Oman in the comments below.
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