Travel Guide to the United Arab Emirates
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Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
The modern United Arab Emirates (UAE) are more of a confederation than a country. Squeezed into an area roughly the size of Austria, the contrasts between the seven emirates that comprise the nation could hardly be greater, whether in terms of size, wealth, cultural outlook or general atmosphere.
Most foreign visitors head straight for the bright lights of
Visit only Dubai, however, and you will come away with a very lopsided impression of life in the modern United Arab Emirates. National political life is dominated by
Just down the coast from Dubai, conservative
North of Sharjah, the tiny emirate of Ajman is notable mainly for its fine fort and traditional boatbuilding yards, whilst Umm al Qaiwain appears to have been largely forgotten by the modern world, with its dusty town and mangrove-fringed coast. Further north, Ras al Khaimah sits in an attractive setting in the lee of the Hajar mountains, with a range of industrial and agricultural developments centred on the bustling RAK City.
Over on the east coast, sleepy Fujairah is the most physically attractive of the emirates, with a long sandy coast backed by the craggy ranges of the Hajar mountains – a beguiling natural contrast to the vibrant cities of one of Arabia’s most dynamic and multi-faceted countries.
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