The best things to do in Oman with kids (which adults will love too)
Oman is my favourite country right now, I absolutely love it. I wanted to visit for the longest time but was slightly wary as I wasn’t sure how family friendly it would be.
I shouldn’t have worried though, it is wonderful for children with so much to do and such a warm welcome everywhere you go.
On our trip we found some real gems of things to do and so I have rounded up my best things to do in Oman with kids below.
Table of Contents
1. Watch endangered turtles in the wild (things to do in Oman with kids)
One of my favourite things we did was to see the endangered Green Turtles on the beaches at Ras al Jinz Research Centre.
Everything here is very ethically done. The centre is there to protect and look after the endangered turtles who come to these beaches to lay their eggs.
Walking across the beaches at night, in almost silence, lit by the moon and seeing Green Turtles lay their eggs, actually watching as they landed in the sand, was a magical experience.
With the sound of the waves crashing nearby and also getting to see a baby Green Turtle make its way to the sea are memories that will stay with all of us for the longest time.
You also get to stay in amazing glamping tents like those below.
Read our full review of seeing Green Turtles in Oman. Or find out more and book here.
2. Swim in a wadi
All over Oman are amazing wadis. Deep valleys, some of which contain water that you can swim in.
These offer up a wonderful experience for all the family. There are various wild pools you can visit depending on how far you want to walk and whether you want to visit a busy pool or more remote one.
From one of the best known sights at Wadi Shab to the remote Wadi Bani Awf which is best visited with a guide, there is something for everyone and allow for a unique experience.
Book your trip to Wadi Shab here.
3. Stay in a Bedouin camp in the desert
We absolutely loved our stay at the Nomadic Desert Camp. Staying with a Bedouin tribe in the Sharqiya Sands area of Oman.
The children clambered up sand dunes to watch the sun set, rode camels across the desert, slept in a camp with no electricity, watched a thousand stars light up the night sky, tried camel milk and shared dates with the nomads.
It was an absolutely amazing experience.
Read more about our stay in a nomadic desert camp in Oman here. Or find out more and book here.
4. Friday brunch
Dubai is famous for its Friday brunches. Now many Omani hotels offer their own version.
They are fantastic experiences for all the family. With entertainment on the beaches for the kids and endless dishes of local and international foods. They’re the perfect way to enjoy some down time in this culture filled country.
5. Run around the ramparts of a UNESCO world heritage fort (things to do in Oman with kids)
If there’s one thing Oman has plenty of its forts.
They are all over the country and many of them are restored or in the process of being restored.
They are fantastic places to burn off some energy and relive some of the past.
We loved the UNESCO World Heritage Fort at Bahla. But our favourite as it was much cooler and easier to understand the different parts of the castle and what it was used for was Jabreen.
The children’s favourite part was seeing the little slots they would have dropped boiling date oil through and on to their enemies below.
Read more with our review of Bahla Fort here.
6. See wild dolphins – things to do in Oman with kids
Our boat trip out from Muscat to search for wild dolphins was another highlight of our trip to Oman.
I feel very strongly that these beautiful creatures should only be seen in the wild. We were lucky on our trip out to see so many wonderful dolphins jumping high out of the sea and swimming alongside our boat.
It was an incredible sight and one that felt very special.
Book your dolphin watching trip here
7. Haggle in the souqs- one of the best things to do in Oman with kids
We love visiting souqs and exploring all of the handicrafts and local produce.
Muttrah Souq in Muscat was filled with so much. It was a feast for all the senses and we loved Nizba and Sohar Souqs too.
They are great places to visit with kids, ours really got in to helping out with the haggling process. Finding little souvenirs to take home such as Aladdin genie-like lamps and camel trinkets.
They are a fun place to walk through as a family and take time to pick out a few handicrafts to take home.
Read all about why Francincese is the best souvenir from Oman here.
Book a day trip to Nizwa from Muscat here.
8. Snorkel with sharks
Oman has some fantastic opportunities for diving. The waters here are beautiful and the sea life stunning.
Children from the age of eight can learn to dive and they have a number of certified courses for all ages.
With a large number of different shark species to be found in the area (no Great Whites you’ll be pleased to hear) it’s a great place to snorkel with sharks too.
9. Cool off in the shopping malls
This may sound like most children’s worst nightmare but Omani Shopping Malls are really fun places for kids.
We stopped off between Ras al Jinz and Muscat at the Sur City Walk Mall. There was frozen yoghurt and found a fun little playground, but this was just the start.
The Nizwa Grand Mall has bumper cars and even an ice rink in it, amongst many other play areas.
Not to be outdone Muscat’s Oman Avenue Mall has a number of rollercoasters inside on the third floor.
The kids were in their element. It’s a great place to escape the heat of the midday sun too as they’re nicely air-conditioned.
10. Sea shell hunting at Al Sawadi Beach – things to do in Oman with kids
Oman’s beaches are beautiful but Al Sawadi in particular is wonderful for sea shell collecting. Please put them back afterwards as it’s illegal to remove the shells.
At any time of the day the beach is filled with hundreds of colourful shells which is a kids collecting delight.
If you visit in low tide you may also come across a number of star fish in the rock pools too.
It’s a great place to come and explore with kids.
11. Hop-On Hop-Off bus
We love hop-on hop-off buses all around the world. They’re a great way to travel around the city.
Little legs can rest while you get to hear about the city. You can use the bus as great public transport around Muscat.
Book your skip-the-line bus tickets here.
I hope you’ve enjoyed our suggestions of our top things to do in Oman with kids, I’d love to hear how you get on if you visit Oman or if you have a favourite place to visit there with kids.
Check out our ultimate guide to Oman with kids along with our 14 day itinerary for Oman and read our feature all about an Oman road trip for more of what we got up to in this beautiful country.
I had no idea there would have been so much to do, though admittedly I know very little about Oman x
My friend Lucie has just done a trek in Oman that looked epic. I’d hadn’t thought about it as a family destination but this looks fab. Thank you
Snorkelling with sharks sounds AMAZING!!! There is so much to do in Oman with kids, I didn’t realse!
I really wouldn’t have thought ‘kid friendly’ when hearing about a destination like Oman but it sounds like there are lots of fun things to do
What fabulous memories you are making with your children. It makes a trip into Cardiff look extremely tame.
I don’t know much about Oman but it does sound like an excellent place to visit with kids!
I had no idea how much stuff there was to do as a family in Oman, it looks like you all had a fab time! x
I would love to go and see their turtles, they are one of my favourite animals x
Fabulous looking place and it’s great they have so many things to do with the kids x
Love this list- we got go do most on our trip and it really is such a fab place with kids.