Back in Oman on a business trip consulting. This time I set up a home here so I’ll be living here for 5 months. I must say, Muscat is a beautiful and soft-spoken haven. A place where you can get away and be totally in your own world. Omanis are virgin nice and have superior family values; it’s like they have seen no evil in their entire lives. Hospitality in Omani culture is unparalleled. After living in Oman for a total of 4 months, here is my review on the place…

The people are very innocent and detached from the outside world.Wherever you go, there is a small town feel to the place. The taxi drivers are very devout and peaceful and loving. You see, Omanis are not really stout, outspoken, arrogant, or lavish like other Gulf inhabitants may seem. Still, Omanis display their pride through the way they dress, the respect they show to their elders, and their village affinities.

Everyone speaks good English. People are really peaceful and open to Western ideas, but they do not rush to adopt them with blind passion as you may see in Beirut, for example. What I mean by ‘open’ is that they are not sold to misunderstood Islamic ideals that are very secular and unopen to the international world. That goes a long way for an Islamic state coming up quickly.

It is for this reason that I say that Oman has earns its gate to the international business world. Omanis language, food, tolerance, people, permitting government, natural resources, easy visa process, peaceful terrains, internet and 3G phone network infrastructure make it very inviting for foreign investments. Oman is rife with oil – Petroleum Development Oman practically builds the country, well for well. The place is growing by leaps and bounds. We tried to book a hotel and we had to go to nine hotels before finding a vacancy. Even the streets are packed – the city of Muscat can’t contain itself – it’s like the infrastructure is dated already compared to the growth the city is experiencing. A new airport is being built in addition to Seeb International. It’s funny to see a small town grow. The perversions that it will learn will be horrible. Oh, the innocence it will lose…if only it could remain.

Ok, positive note. It’s unbelievable that in one of the hottest countries of the world there are beautiful beaches that make for beautiful getaways. Diving in Oman is a fantastic thing to do on the weekends. Oh, and did I forget the seafood in Oman is the best I have ever had in my life. Do try the prawns, King Fish, and calamari…

My conclusion on Oman is that it has a unique position in the Gulf, as compared to the overtowering empires of the Emirates nearby. Oman remains the peaceful, serene, innocent getaway – a fast competitive advantage and key differentiator. On the contrary, Dubai is hustling and bustling and overflowing with hype, style, energy, and pushing the edge to create the next world’s biggest this or that. Oman is not that. Oman is a counter-balance and is here to stay and flourish slowly. Because that’s the way Oman does it. And rightfully so, it is an adorable place to escape to.