Middle East and North Africa

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• You should maintain a high level of security awareness, particularly in public places, and avoid large gatherings and demonstrations. Peaceful protests have taken place in several towns recently, including Muscat, Salalah and Sur; however disturbances continue in Sohar. Further demonstrations in Sohar on 1 April resulted in the death of one protester and several others being injured, but there are no reports of protests being directed against foreigners or foreign interests.  You should exercise extreme caution in the Sohar area.
  
  
• Security forces are present in areas where protests have occurred in Sohar, and security check points are in operation. While delays are possible as a result, traffic is flowing smoothly most of the time.
  
  
• Piracy is a significant threat in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Due to pirate activity we advise against all but essential travel by yacht and leisure craft on the high seas (more than 12 nautical miles from shore) in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and part of the Indian Ocean bounded by the following latitude and longitude: 15°N in the Red Sea, 23°N in the Arabian Sea, 78°E and 15°S in the Indian Ocean. For more information, see our page on Piracy in the Indian Ocean.
  
  
• There is an underlying threat from terrorism in Oman. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. See the Safety and Security - Terrorism section.
  
  
• 29 British nationals required consular assistance in Oman in the period 1 January 2010 – 31 December 2010 for the following types of incident: deaths (8 cases); hospitalisations (3 cases); and arrest, for a variety of offences (2 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with lost, stolen or recovered passports (16 cases).
  
  
• You should carry some form of identification with you at all times (either a copy of your passport or your Omani ID).
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See the General - Insurance section.