Drive on the right-hand side of the road

Driving is on the right-hand side of the road in Oman, similar to most of Europe and the USA,

There is lots of parking in Oman and it is all free of charge. We struggled to find parking spaces in a few places:

It’s often difficult to get parking on the Mutrah Corniche as it’s popular with both locals and tourists and the souq is a big draw. It may be easier to take a taxi rather than drive.

At Wadi Bani Khalid on the weekends. You might find yourself parking a short distance away and walking to the entrance.

Make sure not to park in front of public buildings, as this is prohibited in Oman.

Most rental companies require drivers to be at least 25 years of age and to have held a licence for at least one year to rent a car in Oman. Some rental companies will rent to 21 to 24 year olds, but there is a significant excess payable in the case of an accident.

Oman is home to breath taking cities, mountains, deserts and coastline and renting a car is one of the best ways to see as much as possible. We highly recommend renting a car in Oman to have the freedom to explore at your own pace and discover everything the country has to offer. We found driving safe and easy and we highly recommend renting a car in Oman. Here are our tips for renting a car in Oman to help you on your journey!

Much of Oman is accessible with a regular car and most of the major tourist sites can be reached without a 4×4. However, having a 4×4 allows for a more comfortable journey and it gives more options for exploring. In particular, a 4×4 is recommended to access Wahiba Sands (regular cars can get stuck in the sand) and for the Jebel Akbar and Jebel Shams mountain ranges. A 4×4 is not essential in Salalah but, again, it is nice to have and you can make stops at some awesome sights en route from Muscat.

While rental companies don’t always check if renters have an international licence, it will likely be an issue if you are stopped by the police. Make sure to check the rules of the rental and if you require an international licence prior to travelling.

Tolls

There are toll roads in Oman. Ask the rental company for an automatic toll reader with the rental: we paid all of our tolls automatically and the total amount was charged to our credit card after returning the vehicle.

Car Seats for babies and children

We usually travel with our own car seats. It is also possible to reserve these with the car rental company. The rules state:

Navigation

Use the Waze app for navigating in Oman. Google Maps did not work for navigation when we visited.