Major city · Oman
Ibra
Stop for the Friday souq and silver on the Nizwa–Sur road, not a base: half a day or one night.
Ibra is a historic market town on the road between Nizwa and Sur, best known for its Friday souq and traditional silver jewellery. Most travellers use it as a lunch-and-walk stop or a one-night pause before the Wahiba Sands. The old watchtowers and Bait al Kabir give a quick sense of the town's past, but the main draw is the market.
More
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- OMR
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- avoid Jun–Aug (extreme heat)
- Airport
- MCT
- Nights
- 1
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 5
- Oman ↗Check entry rules and apply for any e-visa only on the Royal Oman Police e-visa portal (evisa.rop.gov.om); lookalike sites charge extra.
- Oman ↗Dress modestly in public: shoulders and knees covered; swimwear only at beaches and hotel pools.
- Oman ↗Alcohol only in licensed hotels and restaurants; no drinking in public and drunkenness is an offence.
- Oman ↗Never drive or camp in a dry wadi when rain is forecast upstream; flash floods arrive without warning.
- Oman ↗The road up Jebel Akhdar is 4x4-only past the Birkat al Mawz police checkpoint; saloon cars are turned back.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Ibra9999 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance9999
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Ibra, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?OMR (rial) is pegged to the US dollar at about 2.6 dollars per rial; 1 OMR is 1,000 baisa.Oman-wide
- SIM or eSIMOmantel and Ooredoo sell tourist SIMs at Muscat airport arrivals; passport and biometric registration needed…Oman-wide
- Tap waterDesalinated tap water is treated and generally safe in Muscat, but most residents and visitors drink bottled; large bottles cost OMR 0.2–0.5.Oman-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is added.Oman-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets G. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): fits · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 240 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Oman-wide
- SafetyIbra is safe for tourists.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels, malls, fuel stations and forts; bidet hoses standard.Oman-wide
- Emergency numbers9999 police, fire, ambulance (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysFriday midday prayers close many shops 11:30–14:00; the Grand Mosque is closed to visitors on Fridays…Friday midday prayers close many shops 11:30 AM–2:00 PM; the Grand Mosque is closed to visitors on Fridays…Oman-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckMCT Muscat International Airport (About 1 h 45 min drive; ONTC buses run twice daily (check)).
- Getting aroundIbra is compact enough to walk between the souq, watchtowers and Bait al Kabir.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee at a caféOMR 1–2
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi within townOMR 2–4
- Budget bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per roomOMR 15
- Mid-range bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per roomOMR 25
- High-end bedGuesthouse double room, a night, per roomOMR 40
A day, not counting the bed: Budget OMR 20 · Mid OMR 40 · High OMR 70
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- MCT Muscat International Airport (About 1 h 45 min drive; ONTC buses run twice daily (check))
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Feb
Best
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
Mar
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Apr
not flagged
38°C (100°F)100°F (38°C)
May
not flagged
41°C (106°F)106°F (41°C)
Jun
Avoid
43°C (109°F)109°F (43°C)
Jul
Avoid
43°C (109°F)109°F (43°C)
Aug
Avoid
42°C (108°F)108°F (42°C)
Sep
not flagged
40°C (104°F)104°F (40°C)
Oct
not flagged
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
Nov
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Dec
Best
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Best: Nov–Mar. Avoid: Jun–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jun (43°C (109°F)109°F (43°C)), coolest Jan (13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C) low), wettest Mar (20 rain days), driest Jan (1). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Ibra: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
1 rd
Feb
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
16 rd
Mar
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
20 rd
Apr
38°C (100°F)100°F (38°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
14 rd
May
41°C (106°F)106°F (41°C)
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
3 rd
Jun
43°C (109°F)109°F (43°C)
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
16 rd
Jul
43°C (109°F)109°F (43°C)
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
12 rd
Aug
42°C (108°F)108°F (42°C)
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
11 rd
Sep
40°C (104°F)104°F (40°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
12 rd
Oct
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
1 rd
Nov
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
3 rd
Dec
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
9 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Ibra is compact enough to walk between the souq, watchtowers and Bait al Kabir. For the wider area you need a car or taxi.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 1 h
Car, about 30 min east on the Sur road, then turn south into the dunes
A night in the dunes is the classic Oman experience; book a desert camp.
Door to door: About 1.5 h
Car, about 1 h 15 min east on Route 23
Dhow yards and Ras al Jinz turtle nesting; a full day.
Door to door: About 1.5 h
Car, about 1 h 15 min west on Route 23
Fort, souq and Friday goat market; a full day.
Door to door: About 2 h
Car, about 1 h 45 min north-west on Route 23 and Route 15
Grand Mosque, Muttrah Souq and coast; a full day.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre near the souq
Walking distance to the market and main sights; limited options.
On the Nizwa–Sur highway
Guesthouses and small hotels along the road; convenient for onward travel.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- OMR 15–25 excl. bed
- Mid
- OMR 30–50 excl. bed
- High
- OMR 60+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Mid-range hotel double room1 × 1 night × OMR 50 | OMR 50 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × OMR 40 | OMR 80 |
| ONTC bus Muscat–Ibra one way2 × OMR 5 · check | OMR 10 |
| Car rental per day (economy)1 × OMR 20 | OMR 20 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | OMR 16 |
| Trip total≈ OMR 88 per person per day, bed included | OMR 176 |
2026 estimate in OMR; flights and car rental excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee at a café | OMR 1–2 |
| Simple meal (shuwa or grilled meat with rice) | OMR 3–5 |
| Silver jewellery at the souqDepends on weight and design; bargaining expected. | OMR 10–100 |
| Taxi within town | OMR 2–4 |
| Car rental per day (economy) | OMR 20–30 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Friday souq is busiest in the morning; stalls start packing up after noon.
- Cash is king at the souq; ATMs in town but not everywhere.
- Summer heat (above 40°C (104°F)) makes midday walking uncomfortable.Summer heat (above 104°F (40°C)) makes midday walking uncomfortable.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 9999
Pocket card
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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
IbraIbra
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
إلى هذا العنوان، من فضلكTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance9999
Embassy
The US, UK and most other embassies are in Muscat.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- ONTC bus Muscat–Ibra: about OMR 5, twice daily (check)
- Taxi Ibra–Wahiba Sands: OMR 15–25 (check)
Say or show
- مرحبا — Hello (marhaba)
- شكراً — Thank you (shukran)
- كم؟ — How much? (kam?)
- نعم / لا — Yes / No (na'am / la)
- أين السوق؟ — Where is the market? (ayn as-souq?)
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ibra. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Mar · avoid Jun–Aug (extreme heat) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Place pages with verified opening hours for the souq and watchtowers.
- Eat pages with last orders and Friday closure notes.
- Desert camp booking integration for Wahiba Sands.
- ONTC bus schedule fixture with real-time departures.
Sources
Ask about Ibra
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