How to get to Musandam and transportation options

The busiest crossing point is the border with the Ras Al Khaimah Emirate. If you drive it by car, plan at least one hour to get your visa, especially at weekends always busy with tourists. You must bring your passport, and what to pay in cash (UAE dirhams) entry fees in Oman and out of the UAE territory. In case of affluence the small border post can quickly become confused and the formalities to be done incomprehensible. The narrowness of the place and the influx of people in transit, of which a good half without gene will not respect the order of passage.

You must take a copy of the vehicle's insurance certificate. It must explicitly mention a cover for Oman. It is possible to buy temporary insurance at the border if you are the owner of the vehicle, but it is better to contact your insurance before leaving. If you are driving a rental vehicle registered in the United Arab Emirates, you must first inform the rental company, which will charge you an additional cover for Oman. This is a very important point because the Omani authorities will be very vigilant and will ask you for the supporting documents. Another very important point is that you have to have passports for all the occupants: UAE Emirates Ids are not enough.

In the Emirates-Oman direction, you first need an exit stamp from the Emirates. Just before the gates, park your vehicle and enter with all the passengers on foot through the side door of the building. This is the border post. All passengers in the vehicle must be present, and the driver must bring the vehicle's Registration Card, license, and insurance contract. You will have to pay exit fees (few dozen dirhams). The officer will return the bundle of passports with a receipt indicating the number of people in the vehicle. You can then return to your car and cross the border post identified by gates. There, you will give the bundle of passports with the receipt. Once on the Omani side, find the entry forms and fill them out. One tip, take a pen per person because if for a stupid pen story you see a bus of 50 people taking your turn, you would lose 30 minutes and maybe arrive too late for the cruise to Khasab. There are entrance fees to the Sultanate of Oman that can be paid in UAE dirhams. The amount can change at any time and depends on the length of stay, as well as the type of UAE visitor visa (visitor or resident). We advise you to take 150AED per person, that should be enough to pay all border fees (Emirates + Oman). Again, get the registration card of the vehicle and its certificate of insurance. Once you have your passports with the precious sesame, join your vehicle and head across the border. The likelihood of your vehicle being inspected is high, so be sure not to carry illicit goods such as alcohol.

In the direction of Oman to UAE, it is the same principle but a little simpler, and no fees to pay. Before the gates, park your vehicle and go all together inside the border post to stamp your passports.

You should know that on the roads of the Musandam Peninsula there are ephemeral checkpoints of the army, so keep all the aforementioned documents at hand. Of course, it is strictly forbidden to photograph border crossings, checkpoints or any other military installation. And that's not something you can play with: given the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, and the proximity of Iran, a simple selfie can take you straight to jail for several months with espionage charges.

Khasab aerodrome (KHS airport code) is connected to the capital Muscat (MCT) by Oman Air twice a day. The flight lasts 1h15 and it is advisable to book in advance. The airfield is on the outskirts of Khasab city.

The use of taxis is limited to the city of Khasab and public transport almost non-existent. There are only two valid ways to get around Musandam: either you have your own car and you are self-driving, or you sign up for a tour from Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah. Having a 4x4 is not essential, but can be interesting if you go to the mountains.

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