I loved Oman. I couldn't have found it on a map but was working in the Middle East and went for a long weekend. Muscat was incredibly clean and the people there were very hospitable.

We also went to Egypt. Did a Nike cruise and visited the Pyramids in Cairo. I wish we had more time there. Enjoy!

Son recently went to Oman for a month. He really enjoyed it. Said Muscat, for a big city, is pretty quiet and really clean. Did some excursions in the desert, went snorkeling and had a good time.

I might be worried about traveling anywhere in the Middle East right now. While Oman is very friendly and welcoming to the West, it’s got some interesting neighbors.

My mid 60s aunts just had a blast in Alexandria and Cairo, FWIW. Though they traveled about 6 months ago.

Egypt? You want to spend your vacation getting harassed and sexually assaulted? Sounds like fun.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very different places. Why the two?

Oman is perfectly safe. Egypt seems fine at the moment. More to see in Egypt but Oman has an interesting culture of its own and some charm. Assuming you're including Dubai in this itinerary?

OP here. Because we have 3 weeks to play with, and that seems long for just one or the other. It’s only a 4 hour flight between the two, and they both look like interesting places. I’m just trying to assess what effect the whole Iran situation may have on safety six months from now. No interest in Dubai.

I wouldn’t skip Dubai. It’s a tourist hotspot for a reason.

OP here. I will be skipping Dubai.

Middle and upper class Egyptians and Omanis go to Dubai all the time. It's a major destination for Middle Easterners. If you get a good flight arrangement via Emirates it'd be foolish to ignore Dubai for a day or two. If you are absolutely 100% confident it's not for you, that's fine, but don't ignore that the UAE is a prominent part of the modern Arab world. Thinking that it's Las Vegas is wrong.