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A sandstone fort with twin towers glowing at sunset in the Liwa region
Experiences

Places worth the drive, across the Emirates

26 experiences, each with the time to allow, the months it is at its best, a realistic note on cost and where to go for the details.

Photo: Riaksharma, CC BY-SA 4.0
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10 of 26 experiences

Looking from beneath the dome of Louvre Abu Dhabi across the water towards the Gulf
Abu Dhabi
Heritage & Culture · Romance

Louvre Abu Dhabi: the museum under the dome

A universal museum beneath Jean Nouvel's dome, on the Saadiyat waterfront.

2 to 3 hours$$$$
The limestone flank of Jebel Hafeet above Al Ain with the switchback road below
Al Ain
Adventure · Romance

Jebel Hafeet: the mountain road above Al Ain

A switchback road to the top of the UAE's second-highest peak.

Half a day$$$$
The white watchtower of Qasr Al Hosn with the Abu Dhabi skyline behind it
Abu Dhabi
Heritage & Culture · Family

Qasr Al Hosn: Abu Dhabi's oldest building

The white fort the city grew around, with guided tours and a living craft house.

1.5 to 2 hours$$$$
A traditional mud-brick building among the date palms of Al Ain Oasis
Al Ain
Heritage & Culture · Slow & Wellness

Al Ain Oasis: a walk through the date palms

Shaded paths, ancient irrigation and a thousand years of farming.

1.5 to 2 hoursFree
Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain with its crenellated walls and round towers
Al Ain
Heritage & Culture · Family

Al Jahili Fort and the Thesiger collection

A 19th-century fort with a famous photographer's Arabia inside.

About 1 hour$$$$
Wooden abra water taxis lined up at a station on Dubai Creek
Dubai
Heritage & Culture · Food & Markets

Old Dubai: the Creek, abras and Al Fahidi

Wooden boats, spice stalls and the wind towers of the old town.

Half a day$$$$
Al Hisn Fort and the Heart of Sharjah at night
Sharjah
Heritage & Culture · Food & Markets

The Heart of Sharjah: forts, souks and museums

The most walkable heritage district in the UAE.

A full day$$$$
A circular Bronze Age tomb at Mleiha with the Hajar Mountains behind
Sharjah
Heritage & Culture · Desert & Dunes

Mleiha: archaeology and desert in Sharjah

Tombs, fossils and quiet desert, a short drive from Dubai.

Half a day to a day$$$$
Dhayah Fort on its hilltop in Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah
Heritage & Culture · Family

Ras Al Khaimah: Dhayah Fort and the old town

A hilltop fort, an abandoned pearling village and a museum in a ruler's fort.

Half a day$$$$
Al Bidyah Mosque, the oldest mosque in the UAE, near Fujairah
Fujairah
Heritage & Culture · Coast & Water

Al Bidyah Mosque and Fujairah Fort

The UAE's oldest mosque and one of its oldest forts, on the east coast.

Half a dayFree