Oman is a cracking country for a 5 day trip. It has that wonderful Middle East vibe without the extreme restrictions of the likes of Saudi or Iran, the extreme opulence of the UAE and Qatar, and without the crowds of Egypt and Jordan. To add to the mix, it has a surprisingly diverse offering – world class mountains, vast red deserts, gorge and canyon exploring, and all with the capital Muscat acting as a hub to launch yourself on these adventures
Its only real downsides are that it tends to be expensive; doesn’t have the well trodden traveller path (so you need to do a lot on your own); and, outside of the Hajar Mountains which are sensational, doesn’t have so many of the world class attractions you’ll find in other parts of the Middle East. That being said, the below itinerary was cracking fun
Top tips:
- #1 Prioritise the following 3 things (in order) – 4WD in the Hajar Mountains (including the forts of Nizwa and Bahla as they are en route); Hiking and swimming Wadi Shab; Staying in the red desert of Sharqiya Sands. Muscat only needs a day max and you’ll naturally find this time as you’ll fly in and out of there
- #2 Five days is enough, but with little chill out time – the 3 highlights above are all within 2 hours drive of Muscat and typically only need 0.5 days (Wadi Shab), 1 day (Sharqiya Sands) and 1.5 days (the mountains). Two ways of looking at it:
- If full of energy and trying to get the most out of the 5 days – the itinerary below is very doable and, if slightly impatient, you’ll find that you’ll be done with the places quite quickly (eg you really don’t need more than the morning in Wadi Shab and overnight in the desert). You could even choose between Jebel Shams and the 4WD mountain road to make this a 4 day trip
- If want more of a chill out – either make it a week, or chose between either Jebel Shams (famous) or the 4WD mountain road (spectacular, adventure
- #3 Oman is expensive – it’s quite a shock when you see that the exchange rate is 3US$ to the Omani Rial . . . as in, the other way around!! Everything is more expensive than you’ll likely be used to, so it pays to scan for in particular cheap accommodation and a decent deal on the 4WD
- #4 Driving – you need a car if not on a tour, as public transport is pretty poor. Broadly the deals started at around US$35 / day for a basic rental car, and around 2/2.5 times that for a 4WD – so it may actually make sense to take the 2WD for certain parts and change for 4WD when needed, which is what I did. As always, have a scan on RentalCar to see what the rates look like.
- What about a 4WD? The 4WD makes a lot of the trip easier as you can easily drive up to Jebel Shams, drive to your desert camp in Sharqiya Sands) and is an absolute must for the drive across the mountains via Hatt. That being said, the drive up to Jebel Shams is very doable in a 2WD (no restrictions); you can easily get the Desert Camp to pick you up from the town of Al Wasil or any pre-arranged meeting spot on the main road; and the drive across the mountain road via Hatt can be optional if you’re not up for the nerve jangling. Be sure as well to check that it is a genuine 4WD, rather than a 2WD SUV (which the second rental company were not clear on)
- #5 How to behave / what to wear – Oman felt very much on the chilled out end of the Middle East spectrum, and used to western tourists. Whilst its always better to dress a bit more like a local (they find it odd, for example, that we wear shorts at all), for the itinerary below, there were no places where you would feel uncomfortable wearing clothes showing knees / shoulders
- #6 – for greater detail on individual parts of this trip, see the following travel entries:
The Hajar Mountains, with their spectacular peaks, hidden hill towns, mini luscious oases and dramatic canyons are some of the most striking mountains in the world and by far the highlight of Oman. Most people visit the forts of Bahla, the Wadi Ghul canyon and drive up to the plateau of Jebel Shams, Oman’s highest mountain – and these really worth doing. But for a truly world-class experience, rent a 4WD and drive the mountain road from Bahla to Rustaq via Hatt. The number of fellow tourists drop off dramatically, the valleys and peaks become more dramatic, the hill towns and oases are significantly more remote and untouched, and above all you’ll have a great feeling of adventure. It’s not for the faint hearted though – the road is challenging, with the majority of your time spent on dirt roads, the drops off the side can be a little terrifying, and at times you will feel a bit isolated with no other drivers around you. But, considering the ease at which you can experience this (easily be done in a day from Muscat and 4WD rentals are easy to rent), this should be right at the top of your list for Oman
Top tips:
- Is the route hard to follow – no. I’ve seen plenty of blogs that make it seem easy to get lost. It really isn’t. I’ve listed below the route to demonstrate some of the things you can expect to see, but you can just plug it into google maps and you’ll have no problems. Even without google maps, its basically a direct road except for 2 forks that are clearly signposted
- Do you need a 4×4 – absolutely. Contrary to many things written about the Jebel Shams ascent, I think you can easily get up Jebel Shams without a 4WD. But you absolutely cannot do this mountain route without a 4WD – that would be dangerous
- Is it dangerous – as long as you (i) have a 4WD; (ii) don’t drive in the rain or when the road is very wet; (iii) don’t be reckless; (iv) use a bit of common sense when other cars are passing, this is not dangerous. That being said, it is challenging and at times nerve wracking just because of the steep sides
- How much time does it take – it took me 3 hours for the drive, including stopping just about every 10mins for photos. I think if you wanted to stop in some of the villages, add on an extra hour on. If you are driving from Muscat, it’s around 1.5hours to Rustaq and around 2hours to Bahla. So, all in from Muscat you’re looking at a 6.5-7.5 hour day
- The obvious stuff – your chances of something going wrong are low, but it always makes sense to prep correctly – reduce the pressure in your tires by around 20% for the offroading; make sure you have enough fuel (there are no petrol stations); make sure you have a spare tire and know roughly how to replace it; bring water in case for whatever reason you do get stuck. Whilst it is quite isolated at times, I saw around 30 other vehicles on my trip (locals and tourists) so you will have support if you run into problems (in fact it will be in their interest to help you if you are blocking the road!)
Most people visit El Nido for the stunning Bacuit Archipelago, or for the sensational boat trips through the island chains to Coron. These are for sure amazing, but another option is to rent a moped and ride the loop around the El Nido peninsular for something that is a little simpler, cheaper and quieter . There’s something just so fun and adventurous about leaving the busy touristy town and resorts of El Nido Town and within less than 20mins be in what feels like a different world of super quiet roads, real Philippino villages with no tourist facilities, world-class near empty beaches and views that make you gobsmacked so few people visit here. Really worth it
Top tips:
- The route is simple – there is a very clear circular route that follows around the peninsular’s edge and then cuts back across the interior on the TayTay-El Nido National Highway (don’t let the name fool you – it’s a single lane road barely wide enough to drive a truck on). You’ll only leave this main circuit route for 5-10mins at a time for certain beaches
- Renting is super easy – can do so just about anywhere in or around El Nido, don’t need a license and won’t pay more than 700 pesos / US$12 for the day’s rental (500 pesos) plus petrol. Just rock up and you’ll have be leaving on the moped within 10mins max
- Driving tips – this is South East Asia with different road rules and dogs / pigs / whatever darting onto the road. But these obstacles are generally only in the towns and, as long as apply a bit of common sense, the danger is very limited. Think of it the same as picking up a push bike
- Quality of road – the road is absolutely fine except for around 3km of non paved road in the interior crossing and maybe half of the detour routes to the north west beaches. For these sections you’ll get bumpy non concrete roads, or a bit muddy
- Places on the route you must stop at:
- The beaches in the north west – Nacoan Beach is the famous one (voted world’s best beach) and with great beach clubs along it. But if looking for the quiet vibe, go for Duli Beach just past it. Just as nice and with only one small beach surfing shack
- Views down across the east coast – you’ll see these at various places on the route
- If looking for place on the remote east side for lunch, Ursula Beach Club was nice and not many other options. You access it by driving along the beach which is also fun
- Ille Cave is really worth it – get a guide to enter
Romania, and in particular Transylvania, conjures up images and feelings of some far off place . . . in the mountains . . . in the forests . . . with castles . . . kind of like Lord of the Rings, but with a spooky vibe . . . and indeed it is all of this. And while there are not as much of a concentration of stellar attractions as you would get in Western Europe, that is kind of Romania’s charm and it makes for a great roadtrip for a week or so, with the itinerary below
One of the best things about making your way through Eastern Europe is being able to do so on the extensive train network rather than relying on flying or buses, and one of the longest routes is the Budapest-Bucharest
I’ve listed some tips / things to be aware of for the trip below but, in summary, whilst its not the most comfortable of sleeps because of the number of stops, I’d say it’s overall worth it based on the scenery you see in Transylvania (in particular crossing the Transylvanian Alps), the savings on hotel costs for the night and the lessened environmental impact from flying. But more than anything else, it’s just quite good fun. Again, detailed tips below
I say this trip is supercharged because it doesn’t leave much time for chilling out. But, if you’re like most of us and only have a limited amount of vacation, then this is a fantastic weekend to weekend trip that takes in the world famous sites of Jerusalem, Petra and Wadi rum; while providing time for some fun experiences like floating in the Dead Sea, scuba diving in the Red Sea, driving through sparse deserts and a party in Tel Aviv
You’ll need energy for these 7 days, but you’ll be rewarded as, in my opinion, its one of the world’s best week long trips in the world
I was hesitating in going in winter as I’d seen low temperatures. Don’t. The winter helped with reduced crowds, not needing to book far ahead and not getting exhausted by the heat. Perfect trip for a week-long winter break
We’ve all seen the famous Treasury building that sits within Petra – yes, the one from Indiana Jones – but the Treasury is only one small piece of a vast network of ancient buildings that sit within a labyrinth of dramatic red stone canyons, and all surrounded by equally dramatic mountains and deserts. To combine a visit to one of the Wonders of the World with an exploration of the broader area makes this a truly unforgettable experience
I’ve written below some tips for how to get the most out of a visit to Petra, but my #1 tip is to get local guide to walk with you from Little Petra through the back entrance of the mountains, via the Monastery, and to the main Treasury / Siq (the famous bit). You won’t be disappointed as the views are world-class and the crowds less keen to stray so far from the Treasury. We visited in winter, which naturally thinned the crowds, but the site is so vast that even in the busy periods you will be able to get away
South East Asia has to be the premier world traveling region. A big call? For sure, but consider what genuinely world class offerings it can provide:
- World class beaches and coastal areas – think of THAT beach in Ko Phi Phi and HaLong Bay, one of the Natural Wonders of the World
- World class food – think Thai, Vietnamese, Malay and the genuine fusion into the mix with the large established Indian and Chinese communities
- World class ancient sites and history – think of the temples of the “8th Wonder of the World” of Angkor Wat, and the breathtaking site of the pagodas stretching across the plain in Bagan
- World class cities and party locations – think of Singapore as the city of the future and the Full Moon Parties on Ko Pha-Ngan
And all this in a place that is super safe, outrageously friendly, easy and cheap to travel in. A must for any keen traveler and the below itinerary will give you the highlights – enjoy!
My girlfriend and I went on a 6month trip around Latin America (excluding Brazil). Started in the far South in the Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and, broadly, made our way up the west coast to the Yucatan Peninsular of Mexico. Best large scale trip I’ve done, and wanted to share the overall itinerary and tips here to hopefully help those who are considering something similar
A few high level points:
- Other than the flights there and the first hotel, there were only three things we booked in advance: the Inca Trail (which we knew we needed to for permits); plus for Patagonia a trip through Torres del Paine National Park and a ferry through the fjords (as we were going at peak season and only a couple of weeks after we landed). Everything else, we booked when in Latin America and, in our opinion, that is the best way to do it – gives you the freedom to relax in the places you find that you love and be super flexible to do what you want to do
- Total costs – my girlfriend and I went in our 30s, with no kids and on sabbaticals from work. We’re not poor, but certainly not mega wealthy. We didn’t stay in super expensive hotels (other than for the occasional splurge), flew economy and used a bit of common sense for timings of certain expensive items, but never held back on doing the things we wanted to do. Some examples of big ticket items: US$5k for a week diving in the remote Wolf & Darwin Islands in the Galapagos; US$1.2k for 4 days in Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia; US$800 for a helicopter trip to see the El Mirador Mayan ruins in the Guatemalan jungle; US$700 for the Inca Trail. Total cost of the whole trip was US$34k each. This included all flights, transport, hotels, activities, food, drink, guides, screwing things up, credit card fees – the lot. Expensive, but so are most Experiences of a Lifetime
- It’s not about trying to “do everything” – in a place as large as Latin America, you couldn’t even if you tried – so don’t think of things as a big tick box exercise. Brazil, for example, we knew we couldn’t do justice whilst also trying to enjoy all the other amazing places we’d heard of, so left it for next time
- In the similar vain, make sure you give yourself big chunks of time to chill out. Not only to recharge the batteries, but also because most places are enjoyed when you spend time to soak up the feel for the place. There were some places . . . like Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Isla Mujeres in Mexico, Bocas del Toro in Panama . . . where I could have spent weeks there just because the general vibe of the place was so wonderful
- Safety – we weren’t robbed, but many people do either having a bag stolen or, unpleasantly, get robbed face to face. Other than a couple of cities, we generally felt super safe the places we went and tried to just apply common sense to reduce our risks
- Learn a bit of Spanish before you go – the app DuoLingo was great for getting us to a basic level that made a lot of difference. But also don’t be afraid to pull out google for simultaneous conversation translations to really be able to have a conversation with someone – some long trips became some of our highlights just from being able to properly talk with the driver / locals. I particularly remember a long taxi ride in Colombia where we went back and forward for 2 hours with the driver on everything from his home town to politics to football to his favourite movies to his family problems- never could have done that without Spanish or google. In a similar vein, and using the right level of common sense, don’t turn down an invite for drinks / dinner / house visit with locals. There are some truly unforgettable natural and cultural spots to see, but similarly an evening with a local family will be something likely to be just as unforgettable
- Whenever checking out a place or must-do-site, its easy to get templed / churched / ancient site / beached out. Always do a very basic bit of research to see if there is a more out of the ordinary way to experience it – by bike / drinking tour / kayaking / helicopter / whatever. Thats what we tried to do, and I hope it reflected in some of the cool stuff listed below
We were blown away by our 10 days in Guatemala. Two of the most idyllic and beautiful places you can imagine with Lake Atitlan and Semuc Champey; a gorgeously preserved insight into former Spanish colonial times in the Old Town of Antigua; world-class ancient ruins with the #1 Mayan site of Tikal and the adventure into the jungle to see the mystic El Mirador; gorgeous jungles and mountains across the country; and all done so with the wonderful Guatemalan people
Really rated Guatemala and I’d place it as my favourite country for travelling in Central America
