United Arab Emirates: Culture and Excursions

The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to the country, the specific emirate is a useful first filter. The following examples offer different points of interest relating to history, museums, architecture, and activities on the water. This lets you narrow your search area based on the topic that matters most for your trip.

Abu Dhabi: History and Architecture

Some places in Abu Dhabi offer specific points of interest in history and architecture. The exhibitions at Qasr Al Hosn cover Abu Dhabi’s development from a pearl-fishing settlement. This offers a specific way to explore Abu Dhabi’s history. In the wider travel area, the dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is 180 meters wide and consists of 7,850 stars arranged in eight layers. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque took twelve years to build. These examples highlight different aspects: the dome represents a specific architectural design, while the twelve years refer to the historical construction period of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. When narrowing down your search area, you can distinguish between individual places in Abu Dhabi and examples from the wider travel area.

Sharjah: Museums and Archaeological Sites

Two museums in Sharjah and the archaeological site of Mleiha offer different historical and archaeological perspectives. The Sharjah Heritage Museum focuses on Sharjah’s heritage and the culture of Emiratis and Sharjah residents over recent decades. The Sharjah Archaeology Museum has an extensive collection of finds from important archaeological sites. Together, they offer different perspectives: cultural heritage and the culture of people in Sharjah on the one hand, and archaeological finds on the other. Mleiha is considered an important archaeological site in Arabia; at this particular location, you can explore the early history of the United Arab Emirates. These topics offer specific points of interest if you include museums and archaeology in your choice of destination.

Putting travel times in the wider area into perspective

Ras Al Khaimah is described as the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates. The journey from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah is said to take about two and a half hours; the route and conditions may affect travel time. Al Ain Oasis is listed as about a 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi City, although this drive time can also vary depending on the route and conditions. The travel times refer to different destinations and different starting points: Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi City. Use them as a rough guide when weighing up destinations in the country.

Compare activities on the water

The wider travel area also offers different ways to spend time on the water: you can cross Dubai Creek in a traditional abra boat. Another example in the wider travel area is Jubail Mangrove Park Abu Dhabi, where you can travel by rowboat through the water and the trees. The difference is relevant when choosing a destination: crossing the creek is the focus, while the park offers a rowboat ride. If you include excursions in your travel plans, you can choose between these two different kinds of experience on the water.

Discover more destinations: Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Bhutan

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