For most people, the United Arab Emirates means just one place: Dubai, the sci-fi-esque city of iconic skyscrapers, palm-shaped islands, city-sized malls, indoor ski slopes and palatial beach resorts. But beyond the glitter awaits a diverse mosaic of six more emirates, each with its own character and allure.
We drove through this tiny emirate of Umm Al Quwain, wrapped around an island-dotted lagoon, for a few hours with a stop in the museum (🎟️5 AED). It is, in many ways, the “anti-Dubai”. Its retro feel – without a flashy international resort or mega-mall to call its own – stands...
Just a few kilometers away from our service point and truck storage garage lies the abandoned village of Al Hamra. With roots in the 16th century, it is one of the UAE’s oldest and best-preserved coastal villages. Its people mainly subsisted on fishing and pearling until they picked...
Surrounded by the fierce Hajar Mountains, Ras Al Khaimah (or simply ‘RAK’) is the UAE’s northernmost emirate. We were around for some time doing our service of the truck. At the end of our stay, we finally made time to visit the town and take photos. We stopped next to...
It took us a while to find the correct gravel road leading to the Al Bithnah fort, strategically located on one of the old passes through the mountain range in Wadi Ham. The fort was constructed from stone, mudbrick, and palm-wood planking around 1745 due to the Wahhabi incursions...
The rough road brought us through a nice wadi to the small Al Hayl fort, built around 1830. This well-preserved fort is tucked deep into the jagged Hajar Mountains near the village of Al Hayl, about 13km southwest of Fujairah. It’s an excellent example of traditional architecture...
We spent a day under the bare, rugged foothills of the Hajar Mountains in Fujairah City. The city’s line of mid-rises and office blocks rises from the arid plain. Its busy main street, Hamad Bin Abdullah Rd, is a muddle of worn strip malls and semi-flashier glass and steel running...
We have parked at Khor Fakkan’s long corniche for our Xmas day, just a few steps from Khor Fakkan Amphitheater and Waterfall. The corniche, meandering for several kilometers, is flanked by well-tended gardens with mature palm trees providing shade. In the early evening, it’s...
We made a short stop at the mosque, considered the oldest in the UAE. This little mud-brick structure dates to 1446. The mosque is built on a low hillside along the coastal road just north of Badiyah (Bidyah and Bidiya) village and guarded by two ruined watchtowers. We were free to enter...
We passed by the Al Aqah Heritage Village and Cars Museum (🎟️25 AED, only cash). It was established in 2015 by a local citizen to present local culture and preserve automotive heritage. There are three little museums: one with coins and banknotes, another with ancient books, and the main...
It’s well worth climbing the zigzagging staircase (🎟️free) to this twin-towered hilltop fortress to enjoy the sweeping 360-degree vistas of the Rak area, a vast date-palm oasis, and the Hajar Mountains. Built in the early 19th century, the fort was the site of the last battle...