r/geography • u/Necessary_Wing799 Geography Enthusiast • 15d ago

Oman - a country rarely spoken about. What's happening there? Discussion

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Oman is located in a area we heat about a lot for an array of reasons - there are many famous and newsworthy spots close by from dubai to Doha to Iran and Yemen...... what goes on in Oman? Let us know how life is here and any relevant info on its current state....

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u/AssumptionExtra9041 15d ago

Oman is stable, is relatively rich. It is not involved as much in international politics as its neighbors and it also does not prominently commit human right violations.

So, to keep it short: (almost) everything going on in the neighboring countries is also happening in Oman but to a much shallower degree.

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u/leonevilo 15d ago

only visited once a few years ago and it was a lot like i imagined the arabian peninsula to be when i was a kid, when i was only influenced by old tales and not current news.

it's wealthy, but not in your face rich, laid back, open to the world and the good life, and quite diverse. it has some of the oldest forts and ports in the world, with settlements dating back over 10k years and remnants of trade with east africa and the indus valley dating back almost as far. some surprisingly green areas (especially after monsoon) and pretty good diving.

even in salalah you won't realize there's a civil war going on next door in yemen (i realize most of the fighting is in western areas of yemen).

i understand it's not all roses, but if the rest of the gulf was more like oman this world would have a lot less problems.

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u/AssumptionExtra9041 15d ago

I never got the chance to visit it, so thanks for your insightss! I think Oman would be the first go-to place I'd visit in the middle east. Would totally agree on your conclusion :)

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u/crappenheimers 14d ago

I would strongly recommend Jordan as a first go to place in the middle east!

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u/young_twitcher 14d ago

What is the advantage of Jordan over Oman? Seems like everyone is going to Jordan which makes it less attractive.

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u/crappenheimers 14d ago

Wadi Rum is incredible, Amman is awesome and safe to visit, there are some castles there, Petra is hella cool. Just great places to visit, very adventurous. I dont really understand why you care if other people are going there a lot? It's a very cool place!

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u/young_twitcher 14d ago

I’m sure they re beautiful but often if you dig you can find places that are just as beautiful but with much fewer tourists. So I was wondering if it’s like this for Oman vs Jordan. I dislike touristy places because it ruins the atmosphere, you are supposed to be immersed in an exotic experience but it gets ruined when all you can hear is loud tourists from your own country and aggressive locals trying to sell you junk (for example).

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u/crappenheimers 14d ago

I completely understand your viewpoint but I do disagree I prefer places without tourists. But going to Petea (pretty busy but not crazy) and walking through a canyon city and seeing the massive facades was absolutely incredible. Though I will definitely say that the Bedouins in Petra were annoying as shit, luckily I had a high ranked Jordanian SOF guy to get them away from us.

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u/Suspicious_Ice_3160 14d ago

Well, I’m just lurking but you guys sure as hell sold me! I’ve been wanting to learn Arabic and planning a trip to Jordan would be just the kick I need! Any other recommendations or comments about going over there you would pass along as a white American? lol

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u/crappenheimers 14d ago

Nah it's a very friendly place. LOTS of English speakers. Definitely see if you can get a guide so you don't get swindled or anything. But the downtown areas of Amman are so cool. Roman amphitheater is really neat there.

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u/Suspicious_Ice_3160 14d ago

Oh shit yeah! actually was playing geoguesser yesterday and got the Roman Amphitheater as a location! I’d love to visit in person! What would you say is the best time of year to go?

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u/crappenheimers 14d ago

Hmm during early spring like March I imagine? I was there from November through May and it was real nice basically the whole time. It gets kinda lush in the spring.

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u/Suspicious_Ice_3160 14d ago

Heard that! Thank you so much for your insight! I know where I’ll be going for my second time out of country now!

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u/crappenheimers 14d ago

Remember to shoot me a message if you end up going id love to hear your experience!

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