A Bengaluru couple rang in 2025 in Oman—for the price of a Goa trip

n international New Year holiday often sounds expensive, but Oman proves otherwise.

- Shipra Singh

With its turquoise wadis, cliff-side beaches, and dramatic mountains, the country looks luxurious yet is actually one of the easiest and most affordable international trips for Indians today. Smart planning can make it even more accessible: by using reward points, cashback offers, and off-season bookings, travellers can enjoy adventure and comfort without stretching their budgets.Pratham Mehta and Nancy Patodi from Bengaluru celebrated the New Year 2024-25 in Oman for about ₹2 lakh—roughly the same amount many people now spend on a New Year's trip to Goa.

“Oman is not just underrated, it’s surprisingly budget-friendly. We paid a bit more because it was New Year's peak season, but normally the country is even cheaper,” said Mehta, who works in the strategy team of a global remittance company.

As part of Mint’s travel series, Mehta shares details of their nine-day Oman holiday, showing how it’s possible to enjoy a full, hassle-free holiday without stretching the wallet.

Muscat

“This trip wasn’t quite planned by us—it was planned by Instagram. Oman kept appearing on our feeds through beautiful reels, showing its raw natural beauty of majestic wadis, dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches, and ancient forts. Unlike the usual Middle Eastern glamour, Oman looked authentic and untouched. We gave in and decided to ring in 2025 there. Planning began two months in advance, which helped us get decent hotel deals.”

“Getting the visas was simple. We applied through Niyo Global because I wanted to use the platform's cash back coins that I had earned for earlier travels. The visa cost around ₹8,000, of which we redeemed ₹4,000 through the Niyo coins. It took about a week for visas to be processed,” added Mehta.