When to Go

Muscat is a pleasant Middle East tourist destination that is especially colorful and buzzing during its religious festivals, sporting events and cultural festivals conducted by the tourism board. Here is a guide to the best time to visit Muscat.

Muscat Festival

Watch Muscat’s heritage and culture come alive at the annual Muscat Festival, held around January-February. The event is replete with art exhibitions, dance performances, theatrical presentations along with action-packed sporting events and traditional activities. The educational and cultural festival is enjoyed by over two and half million tourists every year. There are several competitions and games for children at the Family Village center and lectures for students of art, Islamic poetry and music at the Al Bahja Beach auditorium or the town Amphitheater.

Sailing Race

There is an exciting sailing race from Dubai to Muscat held in January every year that attracts hordes of tourists to Oman. The 360-mile sailing race commences from Dubai and several  fleets of boats pass through the Hormuz Straits, before concluding the event at the Marina Bandar Al Rhowdha harbor in Muscat. The column of bright and ostentatious yachts approaching towards the harbor is an extremely photogenic sight worth capturing on camera.

Ed al-Adha

The Ed al-Adha is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in Muscat and the city acquires a bright, carnival-style atmosphere during a three-day long fiesta. The religious festival is held in honor of Abraham who was even willing to sacrifice his son for Allah. The festival consists of an animal sacrifice ritual by wealthy Muslims and later distribution of the meat to their poorer friends and relatives. Visitors can get to savor some of the tastiest delicacies in the region during Ed Al Adha. The dates of the festival vary according to the lunar calendar; however it mostly falls in the month of December every year.

Sinbad Classic

The Sinbad Classic event witnesses participation from fishermen living all over the world. Held at the Bandar Al-Rowndha, the highly competitive event sees the winner walking away with a cool $15,000 and an entry to the Offshore World Championship. There are big-fish team competitions and catch-and-release tournaments, where contestants lay their hands on the region’s aquatic wonders including marlin, yellowfin, dorado, barracuda, kingfish and a host of other varieties.

Weather

Climatically the best time to visit Muscat is from December to March, when the weather is cool, pleasant and moderate and paves way for less strenuous sightseeing sessions. The temperature in summers from March to October soars up to 40 degrees Celsius and Muscat is absolutely avoidable during these dry and parched months.  

Muscat is at its best during its annual cultural and religious festivals and sporting events along with its pleasant winters.