Oman's genuine motto: quality of life and education instead of nouveau riche pomposity. The country is not a party destination, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. Everything here is slow and leisurely - Sultan Qabus bin Said, who died in 2020, placed great emphasis during his long reign on not becoming a second Dubai or Abu Dhabi. He did not have racetracks and skyscrapers built, but instead funded a grande new opera house in the capital, Muscat. The literacy rate is well over 90 percent, one of the highest in the Arab world. Women got the right to vote in 2003. People travel to Oman to enjoy the sleepy coziness and natural beauty of this safe desert state, which has an amazing variety of landscapes in a very small area.

The mountains, the sea and the desert are all visible at a glance. The winding mountain roads are a paradise for mountain bikers, a potential that is only partially developed in tourism. The routes are breathtaking, hardly a car disturbs the cyclists - at most herds of goats pass by, they are herded in Oman by women who have to perform adventurous climbing skills to keep their herds together. The souk of Muscat is located in the harbor, in narrow alleys you pass incense and other exotic scents, it is easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle.

This is how glamping works: the Magic Camps offer unique overnight accommodations in the desert. © magic-camps.com

Muscat, the capital, is a child of the 1970s; the individual eclectic parts of the city are best reached by car; strolling is possible only to a limited extent. It is more idyllic to explore the rest of the country: follow in the footsteps of the explorer Sinbad on a dhow, a traditional wooden ship, and sail the fjords of Musandam; spend the night in the Wahiba Desert and marvel at the magnificent starry sky; find oases, so-called wadis, which invite you to swim - or go diving in the sea off Salalah in the southwest of Oman, where the coast is lush and green. This is also where the famous frankincense is extracted, the fragrant resin that was valued and traded around the world thousands of years ago. The frankincense souk of Salalah is a real experience - not the only one in Oman.

Dreamlike scenery: With its rugged cliffs and turquoise pools, Wadi Shab is one of the most beautiful in Oman. © avisekhphotography.com

Good to know:

• The Omani diary
  The traditional working week in Oman lasts from Saturday to Wednesday. Some stores open on Thursday morning; Fridays are an Islamic holiday.
• For a tea to the cab driver
  Omanis are known for their hospitality - so at the end of a tour, the driver may well invite the guest to his home for dates and coffee.
• Etiquette
  Conversations begin only after a clear greeting - simply asking questions or chatting away is considered extremely rude. Male visitors should avoid conversations with local women with whom they have no relationship.

Related: The 5 Most Stunning Destinations in the Arabian Peninsula