When I say Oman is a country for you and me, I mean that Oman is a country for us commonfolk. Except for the airfare to get here (which also depends on which part of the world you live in), you don\\\'t need big bucks to cover your basic necessities here.

Shelter - living is affordable with a large number of hotels offering good rates, Clothing - shopping is inexpensive. For starters, NO TAXES. How good does that sound?!? Plus, there is a great variety of stores from local, small roadside shops to the big international brand names, and Food - Food is SO cheap here that its almost unbelievable. You will find every cuisine, and at such great prices that you will not want to stop eating.

So what does that spell out to? A great vacation spot, of course!

Oman is situated on the coast of the Middle Eastern Peninsula, and that means lots of beaches. So, for those who love the sun and sand, welcome to Oman!

The one thing that distinguishes Oman for me, from other countries in the world, is its people. Omanis are THE MOST hospitable people in the world. They are kind, generous and very willing to help. They will guide you, whoever you are, so don\\\'t be afraid to ask for help.

Oman has a great variety of cities that stretch all along the coast. Muscat is the most famous and biggest as it is the capital city of Oman. The second biggest city is Salalah which is the oasis in the desert that is Oman. This city is blessed with lots of rainfall which helps it stay green for most of the year. It is a VERY POPULAR tourist attraction as it is home to one of the very few ANTI-GRAVITY spots in the world. I am not making this up. You have to experience it to believe it. If Newton were alive, he\\\'d sure have some explaining to do!

Other noteworthy cities are Sur (famous for its turtle beach), Nizwa (famous for Nizwa fort), Sohar (believed to be the birthplace of Sindbad the sailor) and Ibri. You should also visit Nakhal hot springs, Tanuf springs (which is where Tanuf mineral water is prepared), and Wahiba sands.

I can go on and on about Oman, and it won\\\'t be enough. Oman is naturally beautiful. And there are no two ways about it. Enjoy camel rides in the desert, watch the sun set on its pretty beaches, or go play with some turtles in the middle of the night.

It may not have the \\\'\\\'exotic status\\\'\\\' attached to it like France or Mauritius does, but I promise, you will leave this country with more than an exotic experience.

Personally, I believe Oman represents a nation of peace and prosperity. In fact, in the capital city of Muscat, there is a particular block wherein lies a temple, a church and a mosque, all right next to each other, coexisting peacefully. And to me, that\\\'s what Oman is truly all about.

10 interesting facts about Oman:

Oman is ruled by a king - His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said. It is a widely accepted fact that he is one of the most gracious and kind rulers a country could ever have, and in this respect, Oman is truly blessed. The currency used in Oman is the Omani Rial. 1 OMR is 2.6 USD. Yes. Accept it. However, to put things in perspective, I\\\'ll give you an example of how things are priced. A 355 ml can of Coke from a vending machine costs 100 baiza = 26 cents. The national language is Arabic. Unlike most languages, Arabic is written from right to left. Apart from Omanis, Oman is mostly inhabited by Indians and Pakistanis. There are also a large number of Philipinos. Oman is hot. All the time. So, bring lots of sunblock cream, not to forget, your bathing suits! The Omani people, as already mentioned, are some of the nicest people on this planet. Omanis\\\' national garbs are black and white. The women dress in black \\\'\\\'bhurkas\\\'\\\' (as required by their religion) and the men dress in white \\\'\\\'kanduras\\\'\\\'. Islam is the religion of the land. And opposed to current opinions, Oman is a very peaceful country, and I cannot stress enough how wonderful the Omanis are. The Oman flag is just awesome! It sports the national emblem of Oman which is a \\\'\\\'khanjar\\\'\\\' dagger. The national animal of Oman is the oryx. It is a very graceful and beautiful animal. It looks like a deer but it\\\'s not.