Official travel advisories warn against non-essential travel here. Civil liberties are tightly restricted and political expression can carry risk.
Regional breakdown
Most of Oman remains quieter than its neighbours, but the picture is uneven right now. The **Yemen border area** in Dhofar Governorate carries the highest warning, with official advisory guidance marking it Do Not Travel. Travellers are told to stay well clear of the frontier and avoid overland routes heading south-west from Salalah. The ports of **Duqm**, **Salalah** and **Sohar** have seen limited missile and drone activity around commercial and industrial zones. The official advisory guidance warns about areas near energy facilities, military sites and US-linked locations in these cities. Visitors with business in the port districts should plan carefully and watch local guidance each morning. **Muscat** continues to function day to day, and flights between the capital and the UK still run. Internal flights between Salalah and Muscat also continue. **Khasab Airport** in the Musandam Governorate is a different story — commercial flights there are suspended right now. Heavy flooding has also closed roads and damaged bridges in several governorates, so overland travel across the country is slower and less predictable than usual.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance updated its Oman travel advice on **1 April 2026**. It tells travellers to exercise caution, watch out for regional escalation risks, and avoid areas near security, military and energy infrastructure. The guidance points to Iran's pattern of strikes on civilian infrastructure across the wider region, including ports, hotels, bridges, water systems and airports. The official advisory guidance also asks travellers to only head to airports once they have a confirmed onward flight. The official advisory guidance reissued its Oman advisory on **13 March 2026** at **Level 3 — Reconsider Travel**. At the same time it ordered non-emergency US government employees and their family members to leave Oman. The official advisory guidance links the change to armed conflict that began on 28 February following US–Iran hostilities. And to the risk of drone and missile attacks. The FAA has placed restrictions on civil aviation near the Yemen border. Both governments are reviewing the situation week by week.
What travellers should know
Anyone planning a trip should read both the official advisories pages before booking and again just before flying. Conditions are moving quickly. And the gap between a Level 2 and a Level 3 country shows up in insurance terms. Airline flexibility and embassy support. Comprehensive travel insurance that covers regional conflict and trip disruption is important right now. And travellers should check the wording carefully for exclusions tied to official advisory guidance advice. On the ground, keep a clear distance from military sites, ports, energy facilities and any location linked to the US or UK presence. Keep your phone charged, save the international Embassy number (+968 2460 9000) and the US Embassy number (+968 2464 3400). And register your trip with your home government where possible. Watch out for flooding on roads outside Muscat, and plan extra time for journeys between governorates. If you are near the Yemen border area, leave. For everyone else, build flexibility into bookings, keep onward flights confirmed before heading to any airport, and follow instructions from Omani authorities without delay.