Travelling during the fasting month of Ramadan in Oman

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Ramadan is no reason not to travel to Oman during this time, but you should be aware that there are certain restrictions. The travel programme may need to be adapted. If you like to sit in the sun in street cafés a lot, travelling during Ramadan makes little sense. Museums and public institutions sometimes have reduced opening hours (usually only in the mornings). Eating and drinking should be avoided in public during the day (until sunset). Many hotels do not serve alcohol.

Grocery stores are open and there is plenty on offer in large malls, so you can easily stock up on dried fruit, dates, biscuits or whatever your heart desires for the day. Whenever you are among yourselves, i.e. in a hotel room, in the car, in a lonely landscape, you can of course have something to eat at any time during the day. There are no morality police or anything similar, but respect is expected. Most hotels also offer extra dining rooms/restaurant areas for non-Muslims to eat during the day or offer room service. Also, desert camps and most guesthouses cater for non-Muslim guests.

Life in the country is slowed down due to Ramadan - in addition to the fact that the clocks tick a little differently in Arabia. Please treat the locals with leniency, as fasting in the heat is a challenge and performance levels drop in the afternoon.

There is often a hectic rush in traffic just before sunset, as everyone wants to be home in time to break their fast;

Ramadan also offers advantages and makes travelling during this time a special experience: the atmosphere is particularly good in the evening during Ramadan, when the locals meet up at sunset to break their fast together. Even in front of small shops, for example, the picnic blanket is spread out and dates and coffee are ready until the „starting signal“ is given to eat. The shops are sometimes closed briefly for this ceremony. The mood in the country as a whole is quite „inspired“ by this month dedicated to religion. The locals use the evening hours to go out. Social life shifts to the evening hours, when people often eat extensively after sunset. And: there are fewer tourists travelling during Ramadan. If you like travelling in quieter times, a trip in Ramadan could be just the thing for you.

According to Muslim customs, it is generally permitted to eat and drink if you have health problems, and children up to the age of puberty do not usually fast. Omanis are mostly open-minded and tour guides in particular know very well that European tourists do not fast and understand that non-Muslims need to eat something in between meals. On guided day tours, it is best to discuss the topic openly at the beginning of the tour.