Have you ever found yourself lost in your own thoughts that the only way out is to venture into the unknown?
Thinking on how to get in touch with reality once again, I decided to plan for a short trip (Yes, to explore a place in another country just for one day!) somewhere near where I don’t need to spend so much with air ticket and other stuff.
Planning for my trip
Weekend was fast approaching and I only had the whole Friday off to spend for my trip so I wasted no time and googled some places to go to. After hours of searching, I wasn’t able to find an interesting place where I don’t need to hop on a plane just to reach there until I remembered this place where people with tourist visas do their exit run from Dubai by bus–Buraimi. So I searched about Buraimi and confirmed that it’s in Oman. A lot of wonderful places popped up as I continued searching and I must say every city is interesting. Now onto the next step of planning. Oman here I come!
Getting an Oman tourist visa
The following day, I went to the Consulate of Oman to apply for a tourist visa just to make sure I’d be able to enter the country smoothly. I’ve read some posts that expats residing in Dubai, UAE and other GCC countries are eligible for a visa on arrival; however, there is a list of professions that can benefit from the residents entry visa as stated on the Oman Royal Police Website. (Other information regarding Oman visas can also be found here) All you need is your original passport, copies of your visa page and passport and the form you filled up for visa application which you can find inside the visa center. Next step is to pay 50 dirhams or 5 Omani Rials for your visa. The visa will be available the next working day. Tip: Go to the consulate early in the morning because I think they are only open from 8 am ’til 12 noon.
Discovering Oman
Just to share some facts, the Sultanate of Oman is an Arab country situated on the southcoast of the Arabian Peninsula boardered by the United Arab Emirates on the northwest making it an accessible getaway for short holiday trips. My discoveries about this country over the internet made me want to explore this hidden gem even more but the struggle is real–there is no sufficient time to do so. Then I decided to just focus on one unique and breathtaking destination in Oman where I can spend the entire day savouring its beauty. I searched and searched until I stumbled upon this picture. Is it not amazing? Who would have thought this place exists in Oman.
Great! Now my trip is slowly taking shape. I can’t wait to visit this hidden gem. Hopefully everything will fall into place as planned.
Traveling to Oman by bus
My next concern was how to go to Oman by bus. Thanks to some helpful friends, I was directed to the Oman National Transport Co. (ONTC) bus terminal behind DNATA and Ponderosa Restaurant in Deira where I went one night before my departure date to Muscat. Unfortunately, the guy there said that for 11 pm bus timing, you can’t buy the ticket in advance or reserve your ticket. You just have to be there at the terminal around 10 pm to secure one. There are 3 bus timings from Dubai to Muscat as shown below. You can also reach them via their contact number for more inquiries.
The round trip ticket price is Aed 90.00. Be sure to keep the return ticket somewhere safe but handy so you won’t have trouble looking for it when you head back to Dubai. There are three copies of the ticket in the booklet which they’ll give you: one for Dubai to Muscat trip, one for Muscat to Dubai trip and the last one is yours I believe.
The time has come to leave the busy life of Dubai for a while and explore a new world full of adventure waiting to be discovered. We were supposed to leave at 10:30 pm as stated in my ticket but then we waited for more passengers until we finally departed around 11:30 pm.
We had 3 stops along the way. First was for the exit stamp at Dubai immigration where I first paid 35 dirhams for the exit fee (which I never expected to pay since I wasn’t able to research on that!) at the small cubicle located outside the immigration and then I went inside to have my passport checked and stamped by a local officer at the counter. Second, we stopped again and got off the bus with our bags for checking. They also checked the entire bus before they allowed us to go back in. Finally was the entry stamp at Oman immigration where we took several minutes because some were having trouble with their visas (Whew! Good thing I was spared from that nerve-racking moment.) Then we hit the road once more for several hours. We had few stops along the way to drop some passengers including a stop over a city named Sohar which locals believed to be the birthplace of Sinbad the Sailor.
We finally arrived at Ruwi bus terminal around 5:30 am after a six-hour journey on the road. Success! Welcome to Oman!
From the bus station, I walked for about 5 minutes towards the signal to catch the Baisa bus or maxi taxi which is a common mode of transportation in Muscat aside from the regular taxis which are more expensive. These buses are air-conditioned vans that carry several passengers to there destinations. The fare ranges from 200-300 Baisa for rides around Muscat. Note: 1 Omani Rial= 1,000 Baisa= 10 Dirhams so 200 Baisa is 2 Dirhams.
An alternative bus service is provided by Mwasalat red and green buses which have fixed drop off points around Muscat. These have different codes on them which correspond to their destinations.
So there, I rode this baisa bus going to Muttrah Corniche where I can spend a couple of hours watching the sunrise. It is a three-kilometer stretch along the harbor which overlooks mountainous rocky formations and a corniche of latticed houses, mosques and old buildings.
While I was taking this shot with my tripod situated at the bottom of this structure along the sandy shore of the corniche, an Omani local noticed me. Apparently, he was also taking a selfie of himself when he was amazed on how I was taking my shots. Thats when we started our conversation about the must-see places in Oman. I shared to him my plan of visiting the Bimmah sinkhole and he was surprised because it was too far from where we were standing. He even brought out his tablet and googled how far it is. Furthermore, he explained that when they go there, they really plan it ahead of time and with my iterinary, there’s no way I can make it there. The taxi fare would also cost me around 40-50 Omani Rials (400-500 dirhams) just to get there and during Fridays, it might be difficult to get someone to bring you there. You really need to make special arrangements for this kind of trip. Feeling hopeless, I started thinking of other measures to take so I can enjoy my trip to Oman even though I won’t be able to reach the very reason why I traveled this far.
A kind-hearted man he is and a well-traveled one as well, he offered me a tour of Muscat to comfort my disheartened soul. He continued suggesting some nearby places that we could visit so that all my efforts of traveling and planning won’t be wasted and I’d still be able to enjoy my stay in Muscat. At first I was hesitant to grab it–thinking of the things you’d usually consider when you are with a stranger and in a totally new environment–but then I told myself, “There’s always a first time for everything. Who knows, this could be one of the best trips I’d ever have.” And so off we went. *fingers crossed*
The road towards the mountainous side of the old Muscat was so enchanting that you wouldn’t mind driving forever. I could just take endless pictures and videos throughout the entire journey and I’d be gratified already. We then continued our way up until we reached the summit and I was totally left in awe.
This spot right here was perfect as the sun rose behind me revealing the grandeur of the Hijra Mountains of Oman.
To be continued…
Right here is the perfect webpage for everyone who really wants to find out about this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally would want toÖHaHa). You definitely put a fresh spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!