Muscat has guarded the entrance to the Persian Gulf since antiquity, held by Portuguese garrisons from 1507 until Imam Sultan bin Saif drove them out in 1650. The Portuguese forts of Mirani and Jalali still flank the old harbour, and the sprawling capital stays whitewashed and low-rise against the bare Hajar Mountains; its old merchant quarter held four Hindu temples by 1760. Summers are brutal, regularly over 40°C with heavy coastal humidity from May to September, but October to April is ideal. There is no remote-work visa: nomads use the 30-day tourist e-visa, and Omanisation quotas steer expat jobs into energy and hospitality. Alcohol is sold only in licensed hotels and restaurants.
Nights sit around 29°C and afternoons around 32°C, though some days reach 35°C.
The year in Muscat moves gently: summer afternoons sit around 34°C, winter ones around 25°C.
Some summer days reach 40°C, and some winter nights drop to 19°C.
Rain is hardly part of the picture: about 54 mm a year, with January the wettest month at just 10 mm. Dry, bright months are the norm.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: July averages an AQI of 101, while January clears to 68.
Days stretch to about 13.4 hours of light in June and shrink to 10.6 in December — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
For what you're after, the best months in Muscat are September – April. Expect fast internet (153 Mbps) and a moderate cost of living (about €1400 a month).
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