UAE/OMAN for 11 days

Oman insurance on the car is required, but it is very easy to get, just tell the agent when you rent the car. We rented in dubai and driven to Oman many times, no problems with that. You have to drop the car in dubai though, cannot leave in Oman.

Salalah is very far by car and the road to get there is uninteresting. Salalah is worth to see, even in November. You may be able to fit it in if you have 11 days. You can leave it open, and see how your trip progresses,then decide if you make it there or not.

Regarding the license, the usa one should be ok, contact hertz or Avis etc in the UAE to ask. If you wanna eliminate risk, just get the international one.

I read that I need to make sure to have the Omani insurance, but is this something difficult to get? or can I just figure that out at the airport?

As AK says, the insurance is easy to arrange, but no, you shouldn't just figure it out at the airport. Many rental agencies wont let you take their cars over the border (especially 4x4s), and you need to get the paperwork done in advance so its ready to collect, otherwise you can easily waste a day to get it sorted.

Also do I need to have the international drivers license or is my US drivers license fine?

The law is unclear, and interpreted differently depending on who you deal with, so given the cheapness and ease of geting an international license, its stupid not to.

Also if you think it is just easier to just get to Oman using the bus and rent a car once in Muscat, please let me know.

4x4 rental is expensive, and normally comes with a limited km allowance.

Cross border insurance for 4x4 rental is expensive to the nth.

Driving Dubai - Muscat will use 2 full days km allowance, and the same on the return.
It will be cheaper by far to fly or bus to Muscat and rent at the airport there where you wont be paying additional insurance, and you wont start your trip with unneccessary kilometreage.

but if I go there in November, would I see any scenery that is vastly different from the Northern parts of Oman?

Yes. Definitely still worth it, regardless of season.
>Lastly, has anyone driven through Al Wusta

Regularly.
>and recommend doing so?

No.
>or is it smarter to fly to Salalah if I decide to visit the southern part of Oman?

With only 11 days to play with dont waste 2 of them driving to Salalah and back. Its a mindlessly dull journey, with nothing to recommend it. I do it because I'm paid to - its no fun.
To maximise your time in Salalah, you do want a car when you're there, so your best option (if you decide to visit) is to save Salalah for the end of your trip, with an itinerary something like:
Fly to Muscat, rent car
Return car, fly to Salalah, rent car
Return car, fly to Dubai via Muscat

You can fly from salalah to dubai direct with air Arabia, flydubai, or Oman air.

Not all rental car has mileage limitation.

Otherwise I agree with previous poster.

Thanks everyone so much for your insight. This is very helpful. Appreciate it!

Hi,
I think the others have answered most of the renting in Dubai questions but when I rented a car they did ask me for the international license and it is very cheap to get so you should get one just in case. I think that it would be silly to drive to Salalah due to the distance and the uninteresting road. If you really want to go there then you should fly but I think driving wouldn’t be the best idea. There are so many things to do in the northern half that are very good. Places like Jebel Shamms near Nizwa, the forts, the desert, the turtles near Sur, Wadi Shab, the sinkhole and the Daymaniat Islands are all world class and would easily take up a week and more if you were to do it properly. I drove in a big circle from Muscat and from my experience it would be well worth doing it as everything is very good and different.
From my own driving around Oman renting a car I wrote about my experience including maps, details etc on my website that may give you some suggestions
http://www.travellingforfun.com/oman

I hope this is of help
Ross

Thanks Ross. I've read your blog before. Thanks for the detail. How many days did you spend doing your circle route?

Edited by: ryanyuk

Edited by: ryanyuk

Hi,
Spent 9days including the night in Musandam.

Ross

Hey, I'm going at the same time! I am spending a week in Oman and 2 days in Dubai. I'm flying, it is really cheap to do so. Let me know if you want to discuss plans or even partner up. I have a tentative schedule mocked up but am flexible.