Okay, this is a strange one. I don’t know if I’ve been to Oman? I visited the Omani exclave of Madha (aka the ‘Omani Donut’) in early 2021. Though I did enter the territory, I didn’t spend the night there nor did I have to clear immigration and customs. There’s just no border because at the center of this exclave is a tiny town of the United Arab Emirates called Nahwa. Google Maps did congratulate me that month for visiting a new country, so..?
I personally don’t count it as a proper visit to Oman.
I hope that in the future, you can find posts about mainland Oman on this page. For now, perhaps read about other countries such as the United Arab Emirates or Iran?
Things I’d Like to Do in Oman
- Hitchhike with locals. A long distance, a short distance, it doesn’t matter!
- Explore the capital Muscat. Especially the islands Al Jazirah Muscat (seems possible) and Jazirat al Fahl (requires a permit)
- Visit the Musandam peninsula
- Travel to Salalah overland
- Do some desert things (I’m open to suggestions!)
- Speak some Arabic after studying hard on Duolingo
- Hike up the Jebel Shams (2997–3009masl) if it’s not too sunny or tough
Right now, it’s not really interesting for me to do intensive research into visiting this country and gathering information. But once there are ideas of visiting or if I find inspiration, I might add it here.
If you know cool places and things to do in Oman, comment below so I can always find your suggestions again once I start making the dream come true! Tips are especially welcome if you are Omani or have lived there for a while
Are you a travel blogger and do you have good posts about Oman? Drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!
Kayak Trip Day 63: Svinița to Dubova – Entering Romania + Great Kazan Gorge
We paddled this stretch on Saturday the 18th of May, 2024. In the morning, we departed Golubac and took the ferry from Usije in Serbia to Moldova Veche in Romania, going through immigration. From there, we made a quick stop in Moldova Nouă and Berzasca before we started paddling from Svinița to Dubova. That stretch has a lot of things to sightsee: the Tri Kule ruined fortress, the Great Kazan Gorge, and several caves. Contents1 Ferry from Usije to Moldova Veche: Border Crossing Horror2 Paddling Out of Svinița: Cetatea Tricule3 Before Dubova: Zucchini Has a New Leak4 Kayaking the GreatContinue reading
Selimiye Mosque, Edirne (Turkey)—Ottoman Wonder of the Turks
We visited the Selimiye Mosque on Thursday, the 25th of November as well as on the 1st of December, 2021. On the first visit we went inside and on the second visit, we wandered around the on-site museum. The Idea to Visit Edirne Once the idea of taking the ferry from Ukraine to Turkey across the Black Sea was on the table, I put forward Edirne as well. Though I’d hitchhiked across the Edirne border with Bulgaria twice – and had the passport stamps to prove it – I’d never made a stop in town. Why would this small TurkishContinue reading
Madha and Nahwa Exclaves in Oman + UAE—Traveling Through the Donut Hole
Events in this story happened on Thursday the 1st of April, 2021. From Fujairah, Jonas and I visited the Omani exclave of Madha for the second time. Then we continued onward and visited the second-order enclave of Nahwa within the Madha exclave. This is how we did it. Click here to find a vital route map and for our tips on how to visit Madha and Nahwa. Contents1 Why Are Madha and Nahwa Exclaves?2 Trip Planning in Fujairah3 Finding a Taxi and Driving to Madha4 Sightseeing in Madha, Oman4.1 A Portrait, A Tower, A Mosque, and an Airport4.2 Government Buildings,Continue reading
Go West, Young Woman: Cabo da Roca
A cloudy and windy day at the Westernmost point of Europe, Cabo da Roca, Portugal. It has only been a month since I visited Tarifa, the Southernmost point of Europe. Before that, I visited the Northernmost point of Europe in Norway back in 2012. But Cabo da Roca is my favorite “extreme point of Europe”. Mostly because my trip on the back of someone’s scooter rewarded me with such threatening clouds. Dramatic skies are my favorite! Oh, and getting blown away by the wind makes me feel really alive (in a good way). Besides a marker that indeed says “this is theContinue reading
Sibiu to Timișoara: A Fluffy Hitchhiking Companion in Romania
When hitchhiking from pleasant Sibiu to Timișoara, I had a very lucky ride. The driver couple had this very sweet dog that I shared the back seat with. I know, I know… the dog looks like she’s not having a great time or is quite hungover. But I swear the dog was just enjoying my scritches. As this huge dog was a source of heat, I soon had to take off my winter hat, gloves, scarf, and coat to make this work. I’ve been wanting to travel to Timișoara since that first summer hitchhiking trip around Europe in 2013. I’d heard goodContinue reading
Sibiu, Romania: Spontaneous Couchsurfing + German Influences Everywhere
“Hey! I’m looking for a pub or some place with WiFi and beer at the small square so I can find a couchsurfing host. Do you know one?” “Oh you can stay at my apartment! Do you speak German?” Meet Adelheid, my most spontaneous couchsurfing host ever in Sibiu Romania! Two days of fun and hospitality Did you know that Sibiu in Romania historically had a big German community? Their name is Rumäniendeutsche. Hence the German influences around town. It even has a German alternative name. Are you ready? It’s Hermannstadt, I shit you not. That’s honestly the most German nameContinue reading
Bucharest Nights (Romania)
I arrived in Romania’s capital Bucharest yesterday, after joining a tedious train ride from Belgrade on an invitation. It was for a telecom conference or something like that. If I’d had more time, I’d have hitchhiked it, but I chose the lazy way and sat on the night train. At least the company was good, which is the most important thing. First Impressions After checking in at the local Raddison Blu, we went to some fancy tower to have drinks with my buddy’s colleagues. We had a vista over the city, which might have been prettier had spring been onContinue reading
Mpak – São Domingos Border Crossing by Taxi, Motorbike and Canoa
This article is about the land border between Mpak (Mpack) in Senegal and São Domingos in Guinea-Bissau. On the 22nd of March, 2025, we traveled from Ziguinchor in Senegal to Cacheu in one day. We took a taxi, crossed the border on foot, tried to hitchhike, and eventually took two mototaxis to the port, where we boarded a pirogue/canoa. Read on to find out how we did it. Contents1 Zichuinchor to Cacheu instead of Bissau2 Taxi from Ziguinchor to Mpak + Senegalese Immigration3 No Man’s Land to Guinea-Bissau4 Bissau-Guinean Immigration + Guinea-Bissau Visa5 Hitchhiking Two Mototaxis to São Domingos6 LunchContinue reading
Getting the Guinea-Bissau Visa in Ziguinchor, Senegal
It’s possible to get your Guinea-Bissau visa in Senegal near the border in Ziguinchor. We acquired ours on the 21st of March, 2025. Research into the Guinea-Bissau Visa My original digging I did into the visa for Guinea-Bissau led me to believe we could get a visa on arrival (VOA) for 90 days, at a cost of €85 per person. Or an eVisa, but no official website link to get it. Once we were on the ground in West Africa, the stories from fellow travelers were wildly different. Some said it was necessary to get it at the embassy inContinue reading
Through the Berm: Mauritania Border Crossing with Western Sahara/Morocco
We entered Mauritania from Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara on the 6th of February, 2025. We took a bus through the Berm (aka the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall) from Dakhla to Nouadhibou. At the Guerguerat border crossing, we used our Mauritanian eVisa to enter. Contents1 The Guerguerat Border in Short2 Map of Border, Berm, and Bus Stations3 Booking the Supratours Bus from Dakhla to Nouadhibou4 Applying for the Mauritanian eVisa5 Nazi Salute While Waiting for the Bus6 Departing Dakhla for Guerguerat7 The Moroccan Side of the Border8 Through the Berm: No Man’s Land9 The 1st Mauritanian Side of the Border10 The 2ndContinue reading