If you can't decide where to travel to – a European country or an Arab one, don’t hesitate to opt for the UAE. It’s a country that blends an oriental fairy tale full of mystery and bliss, and all the features of modern Europe with its rapid pace of life. So, the UAE is a great combination of characteristics of both civilizations.
As for the price of a trip, travelling to the UAE can be either bargain or super expensive. Anyway, in both cases you’ll be able to see all the best things and places because it’s the country which will make a tremendous impression on you.
A family holiday, romantic honeymoon, fun and lovely get-together with your friends, business trip with your colleagues, or important meeting with your partners – any kind of a trip with any kind of accommodation can be organised in the UAE.
Modern Dubai, luxury Abu Dhabi, picturesque Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, small and convenient Ajman, sophisticated Sharjah – the diversity of resorts in the UAE gives travellers an opportunity to make a perfect choice to satisfy all their needs and fulfil their wishes, since most of the things are available in the UAE.
The northernmost emirate of the UAE, which is located between the picturesque Hajar Mountains in the east and the Persian Gulf in the west. The rapid development of tourist areas, the construction of hotels and an operating international airport attract more and more tourists to the region.
The citizens of Ras Al Khaimah mostly involved in fishing, pearl hunting and agriculture. There is an amazing variety of seafood at the local fish market, and delicious dates in the shops. History and romance lovers will definitely be impressed by the tour to the Arab ghost city, the full name of which is Al Jazeera Al Hamra. This is a place where time seems to have stopped: the fortress, the market, mosques and many houses remain to be abandoned and undamaged. The value of the ghost city is in its authenticity, everything is real here and nothing has been reconstructed.
It’s a quiet, sparsely populated emirate with the capital of the same name, which is washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea. There you can see both mountain landscapes and magnificent views of green valleys. Those who like scuba diving, can go on a pleasant underwater journey to examine coral reefs. Spending a holiday there is comfortable, since the climate of Fujairah is milder than the one of Dubai and Abu Dhabi: the heat isn’t so burning, it rains more often.
There are also some fascinating sites, for example, an old fort which is now a museum and the Heritage Village, used to present customs and traditions of the UAE. Fujairah enjoys an international airport.
It’s a provincial emirate which is rather underestimated by tourists. It’s located between Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, about 35 kilometers away from Ajman. Umm Al Quwain is known for its large fishing port, wonderful opportunities for beach holidays and a huge waterpark Dreamland.
This emirate is the complete opposite of Dubai, a dynamic and huge, bustling metropolis, where the pace of life sometimes is super hectic. In Umm Al Quwain, life is quiet and slow. This place is commonly called an eco-emirate, as not far from its capital there is the Al Sinniyah Island, where migratory birds, including some rare species, stop for rest. There are many wilderness areas which are missed in big cities.
The smallest emirate of the UAE and the city of the same name with a ten-kilometer beach strip. A modest and quiet resort, from where Dubai is easily accessible.
However, there is something to see in Ajman, too. For example, there is a track designed for camel racing, which is used during the exciting festival of ships of the desert. The Fort of Ajman is also interesting to visit. It’s a museum containing fascinating archaeological finds, as well as a collection of wax figures dedicated to the traditional way of life of the peoples inhabiting these lands.
It’s also worth visiting the local fish market, where you can find almost all the inhabitants of the Persian Gulf, or arrange shopping of a different kind, in the shopping centers of the emirate's capital, which offer a wide range of goods to suit all tastes.
The resort and emirate with the capital of the same name, is located between Dubai and Ajman. There are many places to visit in Sharjah. The place is quite attractive for tourists because of affordable prices both in hotels and shops and cafes. It is also important for travelers to be accommodated not far away from the sightseeing routes and shopping centers of Dubai, the world-famous city of skyscrapers.
A lot of tourists arrive at Sharjah International Airport every year, some people go on a trip around the country from there, but a vacation in the emirate itself can be very interesting and impressive. There is a huge number of museums there: the Archaeological Museum, the Art Museum, the Calligraphy Museum, the Heritage Museum, the Maritime Museum, the Museum of Islamic Civilization, the Science Museum, the Sharjah Al-Hisn Fort, the Classic Cars Museum – and this is not the whole list. Sharjah is considered to be one of the main cultural centers of the UAE.
This emirate is the center of striking contrasts: the desert with its endless sand dunes is only a stone’s throw from dancing fountains, a symbol of the UAE's prosperity, embodied in sparkling streams of expensive water. The capital of the emirate is the largest city in the country, which is famous all over the world for its amazing skyscrapers.
In Dubai, you can admire the tallest building in the world, the magnificent Burj Khalifa Tower, or the romantic Burj el Arab, an architectural masterpiece, designed to resemble the sail of a ship, is often marked not even as a five-star, but as a seven-star hotel in some tourist guides. There you can always find something of “the most” kind, for example, amusement parks with unique attractions, the largest shopping centers with an astonishing variety of goods, fine restaurants and magnificent hotels of famous international chains. Life is in full swing there all year round, numerous exhibitions, festivals, conferences are held nonstop. The largest hub airport of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai International Airport, welcomes millions of guests per year.
Picturesque parks and fountains in the middle of a desert – this is Al Ain, an oasis city, whose name means "source" or "spring" in Arabic. And this place is really the source, a place on the map where the history of the UAE began, because Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of this amazing country, was born and grew up there.
Al Ain is one of the most important tourist centers of the Emirates and the center of the cultural heritage of the peoples living there. There are many attractions in Al Ain: luxurious palaces and archaeological parks, bustling Arab markets and magnificent blooming gardens. Located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, this place is listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Mankind.
The capital of the UAE and the richest region of the country. Billions of dollars have been spent on creating the infrastructure of this place, Abu Dhabi is the "Manhattan" of the Middle East, a garden city with palaces, restaurants and shops.
There is a huge number of attractions that are difficult to see during one trip, so many tourists come back here again and again, for example, to see with their own eyes the Capital Gate skyscraper, the "leaning tower of Abu Dhabi", which has a slope four times greater than that of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy; or admire the exceptionally beautiful Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, stroll along the Corniche Road, taste the most expensive dish in the world, which is served at the famous local Emirates Palace Hotel.
Traveling around Abu Dhabi is a vacation to feel like a king. Millions of tourists arrive at the international airport of the capital of this emirate every year.
You can admire the tallest building in the world, the magnificent Burj Khalifa Tower, or the romantic Burj Al Arab, an architectural masterpiece, designed to resemble the sail of a ship, which is often marked not even as a five-star, but as a seven-star hotel in some tourist guides. You can also visit Palm Jumeirah, which is an archipelago of artificial islands in the form of a palm tree, the “branches” of which are packed with luxury mansions and hotels.
All these and many other attractions are located in the United Arab Emirates where tourists can always find something of "the most" kind.
What about going shopping to the largest shopping centre in the world? If you like the idea, you should definitely go to Dubai Mall which is a giant shopping centre with a total area of 1.2 million sq. m. All world-known brands of jewellery and clothing, cosmetics and electronics are represented there. And when you get tired of shopping, you can go to the Aquarium, which is also one of the best of its kind. It contains 10 million litres of water and houses 33 thousand different species of fish, plus a marine zoo with penguins, crocodiles and other animals.
And what about sparkling dancing fountains in the city of skyscrapers? Fascinating special effects are created with the help of 6,650 searchlights, the rays of which are reflected in powerful streams of water, rising up to 150 m above the ground.
And don’t forget about fascinating historic sites and the beauty of nature. A trip to the UAE will be an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Both “modernists" and those who love immersing in history will like guided tours in the UAE. Moreover, travellers who prefer to commune with pristine nature to any other kinds of activity.
You can choose between jeep or ATV desert trips or riding camels. You can also go to Jebel Hafit Desert Park located at the foot of the highest mountain of Abu Dhabi Emirate. The territory of the park is listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Mankind, it’s a place with amazing landscapes and the air of antiquity. Moreover, there are museums, old forts, mosques, palaces, and oases in the UAE, so travellers just need to choose which places to visit.
The UAE is literally a paradise for shopaholics. Ultramodern gadgets, new collections of popular fashion designers, luxury cosmetics, amazing jewellery and accessories – you can leave the country with lots of things, so don’t forget about luggage maximum weight.
A huge range of goods is presented in the UAE stores, and although the prices of some items there may be higher than in Europe, new collections get there earlier than in other countries of the world. Of course, fakes can be found even there but even they can be of good quality.
It’s surprising but this hot country has become a popular destination for those who want to buy fur coats at bargain prices. For example, Greek coats are often cheaper in the UAE than in Greece itself. It seems to be absolute nonsense but the reason is more moderate tax rates.
There are many fur stores in the UAE with a wide range of models and designs to suit all tastes.
It’s enough to mention just one of the popular UAE locations – Dubai Gold Souk – and it’ll be clear that you should go there to buy jewellery. However, there are lots of jewellery shops with a variety of choices in other cities of the country.
Pieces of jewellery in Arabic style and models of European design, jewellery with pearls, diamonds, gold, and silver. Even the eyes of fashionistas will widen because of such a wide range of choice. By the way, local prices will also be a good surprise for shopping lovers.
Tasty souvenirs are also worth mentioning. The main local dessert is chocolate made on a base of camel milk. It can be bought in sets of bars made in the shape of camels and packed in gift boxes.
Baklava, varieties of layered halva, nut and fruit sherbets, nougat, Turkish delight – all of them with a fairly long shelf life. Such sweet surprises can please friends and relatives waiting for you to come back home.
In the United Arab Emirates travellers can choose between both, quite ordinary SPA centres and luxury ones, among which there are almost palaces where you will feel like royalties or VIPs like world famous celebrities.
Dubai SPA centres will surely make a tremendous impression on you, for instance, the centres in the hotels W Dubai The Palm 5* and One&Only The Palm 5*, which stands out with its exquisite interiors and the highest quality of service and remarkable skills of the specialists working there. Or the SPA at the Al Bait Sharjah Hotel in Sharjah, where guests are immersed in the atmosphere of the authentic Middle East with incense and music. It’s possible to enumerate hotels in the UAE, the SPA centres of which are worth visiting endlessly.
