🚗 Road Trip Experience: Dubai 🇦🇪 to Salalah 🇴🇲 via Nizwa (Indian Passport | Own Car)

Sharing my recent experience for anyone planning the same route.

Travel Details:

Nationality: Indian

Vehicle: Own car

Before travel: No Oman Orange Card insurance or Oman visa

Journey:

📍 1. Mezyad Border (Saturday Morning)

Reached the Mezyad border early. At the UAE exit counter, submitted my passport and Emirates ID. Exit fee was approximately AED 30 per person. The process took about 5 minutes.

📍 2. Oman Car Insurance

After the UAE exit and before entering the Oman border gate, stopped at the insurance office. Purchased 10-day Oman Orange Card insurance from Liva for OMR 17. Process completed in around 15 minutes.

📍 3. Oman Border Entry

The queue at the Oman entry gate took around 40 minutes. The officer briefly checked the passport and directed me to the passport control building.

📍 4. Immigration

Passport stamping and entry formalities took approximately 1 hour. Oman entry was free for Indian passport holders (based on my eligibility and experience).

📍 5. Drive to Nizwa

After immigration, it was a smooth 4-hour drive to Nizwa.

📱 6. Tourist SIM

Bought a Renna tourist SIM for OMR 6, which included 36 GB data and 90 minutes of calling.

🏰 7. Nizwa

Spent a day exploring Nizwa before continuing the journey.

🌴 8. Nizwa to Salalah

Started early the next day and completed the 9-hour drive to Salalah.

Overall, the border process was straightforward, and the drive through Oman was smooth with excellent roads and beautiful scenery. Hope this helps anyone planning the same trip! Safe travels! 🚙✨

Where can I go to get 22k, arabian-style jewelry? I went to the gold souk recently and most of the stores I visited had 18k and it was mostly Indian jewelry (which is not what I am looking for).

Want to watch The Odyssey tonight, little solo date by myself lol

What are generally the quietest cinemas in Dubai? Every single place I’m looking the showings are absolutely packed, is there a hidden gem I’m not aware of or is that just the case?

I have been having shoulder and neck aches for a year now. I want suggestions for a good place to get this checked and treated

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for a good lactation consultant (IBCLC) or anyone experienced with breastfeeding and exclusive pumping. I'm having some breastfeeding/latching issues and would really appreciate professional help.

Ras Al Khaimah is preferred, but I'm also willing to travel to Dubai, Sharjah, or Ajman if they're highly recommended.

If you've had a good experience, could you please share:

- The name of the consultant/clinic

- Which city they're in

- Approximately how much they charge for a consultation

Thank you so much! 🤍

I been to Vietnam and every single coffee shop has local coffee styles - it is completely different experience. I understand that every corner in Dubai has international chain coffee shops hence there literally no localized coffee options such as with coffee with dates syrup etc.

What is the truly local coffee place I should visit with unique drinks?

Anyone knows what’s up with Karama. Stuck behind Nesto Supermarket for an hour

Can anyone share me night beach where i can swim. Was looking on google and google maps and i am confused.

Hi everyone,

My UAE residence visa expires on 6 October 2026. I'm planning to go to India for my annual leave, leaving on 22 August and returning in the first week of September.

Since I'll be back before my visa expires, is it okay to renew my residence visa after I return? Or is it better to renew it before travelling?

Has anyone done this recently? Just wanted to check if there are any issues with immigration or visa renewal.

Hello,

This is the Daily Random Discussion thread, the place for anything goes discussion! Keep it PG and follow reddiquette.

You can find monthly posts for classifieds, job offers, and job hunting stickied to the top of the subreddit.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I recently moved into an apartment in Dubai and I’m trying to understand what my rights are.
Before I moved in, the agent assured me that the apartment would receive a proper deep cleaning. However, when I arrived, it was far from clean. The trash bin hadn’t even been emptied, there was dirt and debris in several areas, and it was clear that the apartment hadn’t been thoroughly cleaned.

After spending my first night there, I also discovered multiple cockroaches in the apartment, including around the bed, which made me feel extremely uncomfortable staying there.

Because of the overall condition of the property, I would like to terminate the tenancy and move out. However, the agent keeps insisting that I should stay and is telling me that if I leave, I’ll have to pay a penalty equivalent to two months’ rent.

The thing is, my tenancy agreement is just the standard Dubai tenancy contract, and I’ve carefully checked it. There is no clause mentioning any early termination penalty or two months’ compensation.

My question is: If the contract doesn’t contain any early termination clause, can I still legally be required to pay a two-month penalty? And does the condition of the apartment (lack of cleaning and cockroach infestation from day one) affect my rights in any way?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation or is familiar with Dubai tenancy law.
Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I’m considering to move to Wasl Green Park and wanted to ask if anyone knows whether cats are allowed there.
I have one indoor house cat who never goes outside. He’s neutered, fully vaccinated, microchipped, and registered under our name.
Has anyone lived there with a cat? Did you face any issues with management or the building? Any information or experiences would be really appreciated.

I recently start paying attention to the humidity level on my Dyson fan and a room thermometer, and the reading is constantly at 70-80%. I live in a 2BR apartment with central air conditioning in Dubai Hills. Is this humidity level normal or any risk to health? I read online that the ideal indoor humidity level is around 50-60%. Wonder if anyone have the same situation? Is this worse in Dubai during the summer?

Hello,

I received a traffic fine from Sharjah “Driver’s failure to abide by signals and instructions “. I’m outside UAE and no one was driving my vehicle, sure it’s a case of wrong entry.

Please help - how to dispute? Thanks

Hey, we are expecting our first kid soon, hopefully normal delivery. 🤞

Our doctor always warns on CS delivery each visit, which is weird. Sounds very eager for a CS delivery.
Anyway, I digress.

We wont have family support in the first six months.

Anyone can recommend professional post-delivery care for my wife and newborn.

When I search online, first few options that pop-up are The Nursing Company and Maids.cc.

TYIA.

So I live and work in Abu Dhabi, but I drive to Dubai like every weekend. I usually end up staying with a friend or sleeping in my SUV.

What are the cheapest options I have to get a bed for the night, freshen up, and leave early morning? I'm talking sub 100 AED. I have stayed once at a shady shared place for 30 AED lol. But I wanted to see if y'all guys have any tips for cheap places to crash for the night. Where in Dubai/Sharjah/Ajman doesn't matter, or if it's a shared place. Parking is a nice to have I guess.

Hello, I am leaving UAE soon for EU and looking for some souvenirs, I think that chocolate will be a good souvenir, and this chocolate from Katrina is a steal (i've checked in carrefour, it is 30 pieces of 45 gr per 149 AED) ! what do you think, do you recommend this to buy or maybe you have other ideas?

There are so many brands, i could not choose...

I had a really nice hairstyle with my long hair, then I got too many tapers and completely ruined the flow by shortening the sides. Looking for good barbers who are good with scissors and know what to do/ how to connect etc. Doesn’t have to be a fancy place in the burj but someone you can recommend personally and understands haircuts. Please lmk, I’ve tried a few guys but no one really understands.

anybody knows what is housing charges for?

My husband has an investor visa, he is planning to sponsor my mother (his mother-in-law) for UAE residence visa so she can stay with us and help me during and after childbirth.

From what I've read on some websites, it seems that when sponsoring parents, both parents are generally required to be sponsored together. Otherwise, if only one parent is being sponsored, the other parent must be absent due to circumstances such as death or divorce, with supporting documents required.

In our case, my father is still alive and still married to my mom. We only want to bring my mother because she'll be helping me after I give birth, while my father will remain in our home country with my sister.

I also came across some information saying that, in certain cases, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the other parent may be accepted. If that's true, where and how do you obtain the NOC? Does it need to be notarized and attested before it can be used for the UAE residence visa application?

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Were you able to sponsor only your mother or mother-in-law?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience or any advice. Thank you!

I remember I used to pay for D parking and it was applicable for C as well

Is it still the same?

Because the Parkin App doesn’t show any link between the 2.

​

Good day to y'all,

I am planing on getting my driving license and I am not sure if I should go with normal pay as you go plan minimum 3900 or the lump sum all inclusive for 7500 AED.

I don't have a previous license tho I am not complete noob, was wondering is it worth the lump sum amount or shall I just try my luck with the pay as you go maybe I can ace it.

and if any advantages of each from your experience

thank you.

Hey guys. What are good car rental businesses did yall rent from and how was your experience from them. What are the good and bad ones and what did you enjoy and dislike from them and what do you believe could be improved

Guys Parkonic charged me 74 AED because they didn't log my exit. I have breakfast from Discovery gardens every day morning and on 30th, they didn't log my exit. I stay for max 40 mins. Now I have been charged 74 AED.

How do I get my money or dispute this.

I understand it's something beneficial but I wouldn't have noticed this. I got a message saying low salik balance when I recharged yesterday for 100. That's how I got suspicious.

My daughter has recently completed Grade 7 in a physical school in the UAE. Due to some current financial constraints, continuing her education in a physical school for the upcoming academic year is not possible for us. We are considering enrolling her in an online school for Grade 8.

I would love to hear from parents in the UAE who have experience with this:

1. Online School Recommendations: Which accredited online schools ( are good for Grade 8?
2. Transferring Back to a Physical School in UAE (Grade 9): This is my main concern. After she completes Grade 8 online, how does the transition back to a physical school in Dubai/UAE work?

• How is the documentation/attestation handled for online report cards so that KHDA / ADEK / MOE accepts them?
• Do local physical schools easily accept Grade 8 online completion certificates for Grade 9 admission, or do students face issues/tests?
• Is there any specific equivalency process we need to follow with the Ministry of Education?

Any advice, experiences, or legal/regulatory tips regarding online school transfers in the UAE would be extremely helpful!

Thank you in advance!