Muscat: From shopping in the souqs to driving in the dunes, the new 2022 Oman guide by Tony Walsh helps optimise any Oman visit. Tony is no stranger to Oman. He lived in the Sultanate of Oman between 1986 and 2016 and has now written five books about the country.
This new guide is a revised update to his own edition 4 of the Oman guide for Bradt Guides. Tony explains; “Oman is rapidly changing and so Bradt Guides asked me to revise the Oman guide and produce edition 5. It’s now available to readers worldwide.” Oman has a unique culture and impressive historical monuments that are spread in some stupendous scenery. The Bradt Guides book on Oman enables visitors to plan all aspects of their stay, so they see the best Oman can offer.
The book is split into three main sections to help anyone visit the Sultanate of Oman. The first part is background information about the country. This is an overview of Oman’s history, even areas such as Oman’s equine diplomacy. While operating a tour company in Oman, Tony found that many European visitors were keen to see Oman’s nature. Therefore, he includes pages about Oman’s wildlife, especially birds and good places to see specific species.
The second part of the book has practical information, including the new international road between Oman and Saudi Arabia, health topics and readers can even learn the type of electrical power sockets found in Oman. This practical information helps visitors pre-plan most aspects of their visit to Oman. Having got his own car stuck in the Sharqiya Sands and broken down in the Jiddat Al Harasis, Tony included safe driving suggestions, so readers can avoid similar driving problems.
Chapters covering places to visit form the last section of the guidebook. Tony says, “Having lived in Arabia for 30 years, I put my explorations and experiences to use for the owners of this guide and created, what I hope, is an informative book for Oman.” There are comprehensive suggestions on restaurants throughout each governorate and hotel options at all prices. This is not to provide the ultimate review of a property, but more to let readers know it’s there and give an insight into what the establishment is like.
“I’ve stayed in so many hotels in Oman that I have lost count,” says Tony. “These include properties on the coastal road between Muscat and Salalah, and super luxury resorts at either end of it. Many are included in the guide so that people on all budgets can make an informed choice.” For the guidebook, Tony also created many maps so that places mentioned in the book could be found by any independent traveller.
“I am delighted with the book,” Tony says, “with 221,796 words, carefully squeezed into 416 pages, each chapter is bursting with information. I hope all readers enjoy the guidebook as much as I did researching it and they will have a superb visit.”
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