Advice on Oman

The United Kingdom has changed its travel advice for Oman, and it’s worth knowing about even if you’re not British.

(Google Maps)

The new advice focuses on laws in the Arabian Gulf nation regarding personal morality.

The latest update (dated January 31, 2017) is in the local laws and customs section, noting that “it’s against the law to live together or share the same hotel room with someone of the opposite sex to whom you aren’t married or closely related”.

One can only speculate as to why this law — which is on the book and can also be applied in several other Gulf countries — has come into prominence now, but it is safe to assume that some British citizens have fallen foul of it.

The message for all of us here is that you really must have some understanding of local laws when you travel, because you can’t talk anything for granted.

Even nearby Dubai, which some regard as a pleasure playground, has  laws regarding cohabitation by unrelated people of different genders, and the consumption of alcohol. They are not as clear as you might think, and the level and nature of enforcement can seemingly be at odds with the letter of the law.

The thing is that many people break the law, either unwittingly or knowingly, and get away with it: which can give a potentially dangerous feeling of invulnerability.

Here are some official government sites worth visiting:

The UK Foreign Office

US State Department

Australian Smart Traveller

New Zealand Safe Travel

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