Oman

Oman, a desert nation on the Arabian Peninsula, has the occasional riverbed oasis and long coastlines on the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Some of the United Arab Emirates divides Oman proper from the Musandam to the north. Bedouins inhabit the Wahiba Sands dune region. The port capital of Muscat is home to the massive, contemporary Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, and the old waterfront Muttrah quarter, with a labyrinthine souk and a busy fish market.

Everyone you meet in Oman speaks English, because the skilled jobs, including those in the tourist industry, are held by ex-pat Europeans or educated Palestinians; mainly Bangladeshi or Filipinos hold the unskilled jobs. The Omanis are generally rich -- and few and far between. They travel in their air-conditioned cars with blacked-out windows.

I certainly felt unthreatened traveling in Oman, yet there were those who wondered about the proximity of Yemen and Iran, though Dubai, Qatar and the UAE are close-by as well. If you feel more comfortable booking through a U.S. agent, www.diveadvice.com works in partnership with Amazing Adventures Travel, Mill Valley, CA. www.amazingadventurestravel.com