When to go · Oman
Oman in January
Great month. Best weather everywhere except cold mountain nights; book hotels and 4x4s ahead.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Crowds
- High
- Oman
- Prices
- High
- Oman
Verdict
Best weather everywhere except cold mountain nights; book hotels and 4x4s ahead.
Weather in January
- Muscat and the Batinah coast · Muscat, Sohar, Surbest weather
Winter days 25–28 °C; May–August reach 45 °C with humidity on the coast. Cyclones are rare but possible in May–June and October–November.
- Interior and desert · Nizwa, Bahla, Ibri, Wahiba Sandsbest weather
Dry heat, 45–50 °C in summer; desert nights in December–January can drop near 10 °C.
- Mountains · Jebel Akhdar, Jebel Shams (2,000–3,000 m)cool
About 10–15 °C cooler than Muscat; winter nights near freezing on Jebel Shams, and summer is the escape from the coast heat.
- Dhofar · Salalah, Mirbat, Mughsailbest weather
The khareef monsoon (about late June to late September) brings drizzle, fog and 25 °C with green hills; the rest of the year is dry and warm beach weather.
- Musandam · Khasab and the fjordsbest weather
Same heat rhythm as Muscat; calm seas for dhow cruises in winter.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Sultan's Accession Day
11 Jan
Public holiday; government offices closed — check it is still observed.
Isra and Mi'raj
About 5 Jan 2027 (lunar — check)
Holiday in some years; check whether it is on the official list.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Oman
- High
- Prices · Oman
- High
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
What to pack
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket
Where to go in January
Rated best or good this month
Muscat and the Batinah coast
Best weather of the year (Muscat, Sohar, Sur)
Interior and desert
Best weather of the year (Nizwa, Bahla, Ibri, Wahiba Sands)
Dhofar
Best weather of the year (Salalah, Mirbat, Mughsail)
Musandam
Best weather of the year (Khasab and the fjords)
Mild 18–26°C; the best months.
Best months: Jun–Sep for the khareef; Oct–Mar for warm, dry weather outside monsoon season
Best months: Oct–Apr for comfortable daytime temperatures
Best months: Nov–Mar for comfortable temperatures