Salalah in February
Salalah in February: 25–28°C, Mughsail beach at its best. What is open, which car to drive, and cars from OMR 15/day at the airport.
February weather: air, sea, rain days
February is the heart of the dry season on the Dhofar coast. The air is clear, the wind is light and the long beaches west of town are as good as they get. It is a degree warmer than January and still well short of hot.
| Measure | Typical February value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | about 28°C | en.wikipedia.org |
| Average night low | about 20°C | en.wikipedia.org |
| Sea temperature | about 25°C | seatemperature.org |
| Rain days | 0 to 1 | en.wikipedia.org |
Desert nights are still cold, though less so than in January; low single figures are possible on the sand before dawn.
What is open and what is happening in February
Every beach, fort, museum and spring is open. The lake at Wadi Darbat is lower and the boats may have stopped by the end of the month, depending on how wet the previous khareef was. Mirbat harbour is busy with fishing boats and the dolphin trips run most mornings.
February is the busiest charter month of the winter. Flights from Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Milan and Zurich bring a week or two of guests at a time, almost all of them to the resorts at Hawana and along the Al Baleed beachfront. The UAE has a short mid-term school break in the middle of February, which adds a wave of Gulf families for a long weekend.
Ramadan starts around 8 February in 2027 and around 28 January in 2028. During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public are not permitted in daylight hours, most restaurants outside the resorts open only after sunset, and museums and offices work shorter days. The roads are quiet in the afternoon and busy in the hour before sunset; plan long drives for the morning.
Crowds and prices this month
Resorts are full on charter days but the sites are not crowded; a European charter is a few hundred people spread over a week. Expect company at Mughsail at weekends and empty beaches midweek.
February is on the winter rate with the 4-day minimum. If your car has to come down from Muscat for your dates, the positioning fee of OMR 50 per leg plus two days of the car's daily rate is shown on your quote, and we need 72 hours' notice. During Ramadan our Salalah handover hours may change: by appointment — we confirm the time on WhatsApp.
Which car for this month
- Beaches, the coast road, Wadi Darbat lake, the springs, the paved mountain roads: any car. Charter guests on a three- or four-day hire from the hotel usually take a sedan or the Mitsubishi ASX.
- Fazayah, the Samhan plateau tracks and the Empty Quarter: a 4x4 with low range plus Adventurer cover at OMR 15 per day, which sets the excess to zero. Off-road is permitted only in our 4WD cars.
- A last desert camping trip before the heat: the Land Cruiser, Prado, Tank 500 or a Wrangler, with a rooftop tent and awning added at request.
Day trips that work in this month
| Destination | From Salalah | Car |
|---|---|---|
| Mughsail beach, Marneef Cave and the cliff road west | about 50 km, 50 min | Any |
| Fazayah coves | about 80 km, 1 h 30 | 4x4 for the descent |
| Mirbat, Sumhuram and Taqah Castle | 35 to 75 km east, up to 1 h | Any |
| Wadi Darbat lake | 40 km east, 45 min | Any to the lake; 4x4 for the plateau |
| Jebel Samhan viewpoint | about 75 km, 1 h 30 | Any on the paved road |
| Shisr and the Empty Quarter | about 170 km, 2 h 15 | 4x4 with low range |
Mughsail is the reason to come in February: the sea is flat, the sand is wide and the cliff road towards Fazayah is clear to the horizon.
Neighbouring months
January is slightly cooler and quieter. March warms to about 30°C, brings Eid al-Fitr in 2027 and the last large charter rotations before the programme winds down in May.
FAQ
Yes. It is the most reliable beach month of the year: about 28°C by day, 20°C at night, a calm sea at 25°C and almost no rain. Everything is open and the desert is still cool enough for camping. In 2027 Ramadan begins in early February, which changes restaurant hours outside the hotels but does not close the sights.
About 28°C in the afternoon and 20°C at night on the coast, so warm days and mild evenings. Inland it is hotter by day and much colder at night: the dunes north of Shisr can drop to low single figures before sunrise. Pack for both if your plans include the desert.
Yes. The sea is about 25°C, calm and clear, and February is the best month for Mughsail's long beach. Al Haffa and Dahariz are minutes from the hotels. The Fazayah coves west of Mughsail need a 4x4 for the final track. Open beaches have no lifeguards; the resort beaches fly flags on the odd windy day.
No. The mountains are brown and dry from November until the monsoon returns in late June. What February offers is the opposite of khareef: clear air, flat sea and open desert. If you want the green, aim for late July to early September and read our khareef page before you book.
Two to three weeks ahead is usually fine, and a week is often enough midweek. The exceptions are the UAE mid-term break weekend and the days around the start of Ramadan, when Gulf families travel. A Salalah pickup outside khareef needs 72 hours' notice if your car has to come down from Muscat. Requesting is free and needs no card.