Oman

Is Oman safe to visit?

For crime, Oman is about as safe as a country gets. UNODC counted 0.14 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023, and theft against tourists is rare. The country is also the Gulf's traditional go-between: it was the main mediator in US-Iran talks in February 2026, Argus reported.

That did not keep it out of the war. Drones struck fuel tanks at two Omani ports in March, and the US State Department rates Oman Level 3 (reconsider travel). The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary shows Oman with the largest fall of any country in the Middle East, down to 60th of 163. We score Oman 76, a little below the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which suffered more strikes but have safer roads.

The Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz

Oman has seen far fewer attacks than its neighbours. On 11 March, several drones hit fuel storage tanks at Salalah port and started a large fire; there were no casualties and the port halted operations, Argus reported. A drone had hit a fuel tank at Duqm port the week before. Iran denied involvement in the Salalah attack.

After a US-Iran memorandum of understanding on 17 June, the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says that Iran resumed strikes and retaliatory attacks across the region from 8 July, including in Oman, against US military and civilian infrastructure. In October the pressure moved to the sea lanes. The Joint Maritime Information Center, which tracks attacks for naval forces in the region, recorded five merchant ships struck by projectiles or drones in the Strait of Hormuz between 3 and 6 October, and on 7 October a tanker hit by drones in the central Gulf off Qatar. It reported no attacks in the Gulf of Oman, which it rates a moderate threat against severe in the strait, and says a US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in force.

What that means on land: the main risk is falling debris from interceptions and sudden flight cancellations. The FCDO advises staying away from military and security sites and sheltering in an interior room if told to. The US also says do not travel to the Yemen border area in Dhofar, because of terrorism and armed conflict. In July 2024, six people were killed in a shooting near a mosque in Wadi Kabir, Muscat, which the FCDO lists as a terrorist incident.

Wadis, cyclones and heat

Oman's natural hazards are the ones visitors underestimate. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says wadis (dry riverbeds) are prone to flash flooding after heavy rain from October to March, and floods can kill. Avoid wadis when rain is forecast and for at least a day afterwards, never drive through moving water, and head for high ground at once if the level rises.

Tropical cyclones from the Indian Ocean sometimes hit Oman in July and August and can cut power and water. Summer heat inland is extreme, and the FCDO says heat exhaustion and dehydration have killed hikers. Start walks at dawn, carry far more water than you think you need, and stay on marked trails.

Roads are the everyday risk

The roads are good, but the driving is fast. The National Centre for Statistics and Information counted 595 road deaths in 2025, about 10.8 per 100,000 people, against 586 in 2024; crashes fell 17% but deaths did not. Speed caused 43.6% of crashes.

For a self-drive trip, which is how most people see Oman:

• Plan long drives for daylight, especially on mountain and desert roads.
• Use a proper four-wheel drive for the mountains and the desert, travel in convoy if you can, and leave your route with someone.
• Pay any traffic fines before you leave. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says unpaid fines and bills can stop you from leaving the country.

Laws visitors should know

Alcohol is served only in licensed hotels, restaurants and clubs, from age 21; public drunkenness and drink-driving can lead to arrest. Dress modestly away from hotel beaches, and cover shoulders and knees in souqs and mosques. Same-sex relations are illegal. Healthcare is good, but the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says visitors must use private hospitals, and those who cannot pay may be stopped from leaving, so insurance matters.

How to stay safe in Oman

• Check the US and UK advice and your airline in the week before you fly.
• Plan wadi visits for settled weather and watch the forecast for the mountains, not only the coast.
• Drive by day, keep to the speed limit and carry water in the car.
• Check the news before boat trips in Musandam and the Strait of Hormuz.
• Call 9999 for police, ambulance or fire.

How we scored it

Violent crime (95) and petty crime (90) are among the best in our list. Conflict (58) reflects the port strikes, the Level 3 advisory and the shipping attacks, and is higher than the UAE (48) and Qatar (52) because Oman has been hit less often. Roads (65) and natural hazards (64) are the weaker factors, and they matter more for a typical self-drive holiday than the war does.