AJMAN (عجمان)

We made it to the smallest of the seven emirates. Most people come here for a beach break. But we parked next to the excellent museum in the fort from the late 18th century. The fort served as the ruler’s residence until 1970 and also saw a stint as the police station. Now, its rooms hold a higgledy-piggledy mix of exhibits on Ajman’s past and Emirati culture. We admired the mock-up of a traditional souq with its highly detailed, mannequin-filled dioramas. There are also rooms devoted to archaeological finds in the emirate, Ajman’s police force, the first radio station, and black-and-white photos of the fort in the early 20th century. Then, we wandered around the city towards the long, wide, sandy public beach strip. It trails along the Corniche Rd with its prettiest stretch, with soft white sand, south of the Ramada Beach Hotel. A camel or two usually hangs out for camel rides along the beach.

Parking location – Ajman: 25.412745N 55.446334E (🚻)