Not until you leave it do you realize how unrepresentative Dubai is of the UAE as a whole, and a visit to any of the neighbouring emirates offers an interesting alternative perspective on life in the Gulf. The easiest day-trip is to the nearby city of Sharjah, now virtually a suburb of Dubai, which boasts a fine array of museums devoted to various aspects of the UAE’s traditional religion and culture. A two-hour drive south of Dubai, the “garden city” of Al Ain offers a pleasantly laidback contrast to life on the coast, with a string of traditional mud-brick forts, souks and a wonderful oasis. Heading across country from Dubai, the tranquil east coast of the UAE offers dramatic mountain scenery and a string of beautiful – and still largely deserted – beaches.
Rough Guides combines destination expertise with tailor-made travel planned by vetted United Arab Emirates local experts. You can use our city and regional guides as a starting point, then receive up to 3 personalized trip plans created from scratch around your preferred pace, experiences, and route through the country. The final itinerary is refined directly with the local travel agent instead of being selected from a fixed package.
written by
Andy Turner
