Best Time to Visit Oman

Two cities, two climates

Oman's weather depends on where you are. Muscat, on the northern coast, is a winter city. Salalah, in the far south, runs on a different clock. Both are at their best from December to February, which makes planning easy if you want to see both.

In Muscat, those months feel like a warm spring. You can walk the Muttrah Corniche, wander the souk (the old market) and sit outside the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque without wilting. Salalah is just as pleasant then. Its beaches, frankincense trees and Wadi Darbat area are easy to enjoy.

Summer: heat in Muscat, green in Salalah

Muscat is brutal in summer. June is the hottest month at 42°C, and afternoons are best spent indoors. The data also shows August as the wettest month in Muscat, at 130 mm. That's a surprising figure for a desert country, so treat it as a sign of a heavy, humid season rather than a reason to pack an umbrella.

Salalah flips the script. Its hottest month is May at 33°C, which is mild by Gulf standards. July is the wettest at 102 mm, thanks to the khareef, the monsoon mist from roughly June to September. The hills turn green, waterfalls run and the air feels cool and damp. Families from across the Gulf drive in, so hotels fill up and the Salalah Tourism Festival draws crowds. If you hate crowds, skip July and August.

High season, low season and holidays

High season runs from roughly December to February in Muscat. Expect higher prices and busy hotels around Christmas and New Year. Salalah has a second peak in the khareef.

Summer is low season in Muscat. You'll find bargains, but you'll also find heat that limits what you can do.

Ramadan and the Eid holidays move each year with the Islamic calendar. During Ramadan, eating and drinking in public in daylight is frowned on, and some restaurants close until sunset. Eid brings family travel and packed roads. Oman's National Day on 18 November is also a public holiday, with flags, lights and parades in Muscat. Check the dates before you book.