The United Arab Emirates are an interesting holiday destination with white-sand beaches and a lot of sunshine. This rich Arab country is home to big modern cities with luxury hotels, multitude of duty-free shopping opportunities and nightlife, as well as traditional Bedouin culture and vast deserts good for jeep safaris. Where else could you watch camel racing and try your skills of indoor skiing during one day only?
Rich Persian Gulf country located in the Arabian Peninsula on the coasts of Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven sovereign emirates, largest of which is Abu Dhabi. The most popular tourism destination in the country is Dubai. This relatively new oil-rich state is a unique combination of modern luxury and traditional Islamic culture. The population in the UAE is nowadays composed mainly of immigrants from South and Southeast Asia and other Arab countries, while only about 20% of the local population is originally from the Emirates. The UAE has an advanced infrastructure and public facilities, as well as shopping malls, bazaars and a wide range of tourist accommodation with especially many luxury hotels.
Shopping & entertainment. Another main attraction in the Emirates besides the beaches is the famous shopping. There are no sales taxes in the United Arab Emirates, and you can find modern shopping centers in every city. Dubai is the most famous shopping destination in the UAE, and hosts also many traditional bazaars called souqs. There is also an annual shopping festival in Dubai during the winter. Besides shopping, Dubai also has to offer plenty of beaches, excellent nightlife, fantastic luxury hotels, golf courses, museums, camel races, desert excursions and even the world’s largest indoor ski slope. More indoor ski slopes are being built in Abu Dhabi and Ras al Khaimah.
More UAE destinations. The biggest emirate and capital of the country, Abu Dhabi offers the same attractions as Dubai, with great shopping but less vibrant nightlife. Abu Dhabi has more traditional and Arabic feel to it and the prices of the luxury hotels are lower than in Dubai. There are also five other emirates in UAE to explore. Sharjah and the smallest emirate Ajman both have museums, beaches and parks. Umm al Quwain has the world's largest aquapark as well as an aquarium and good water sports opportunities.
Plenty of activities. You can find sites great for activities like golf, water sports, horse riding and birdwatching everywhere around the Emirates. Outside the major urban centers, there are vast deserts that offer dramatic views, huge sand dunes, oases, and some mountain areas, and can be visited by popular jeep safaris. There are also traditional markets, museums, historic attractions, camel races, coral reefs and mangrove swamps, Bedouin villages, falcon hunting and plenty of more to see in the UAE!
Rich Persian Gulf country located in the Arabian Peninsula on the coasts of Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven sovereign emirates, largest of which is Abu Dhabi. The most popular tourism destination in the country is Dubai. This relatively new oil-rich state is a unique combination of modern luxury and traditional Islamic culture. The population in the UAE is nowadays composed mainly of immigrants from South and Southeast Asia and other Arab countries, while only about 20% of the local population is originally from the Emirates. The UAE has an advanced infrastructure and public facilities, as well as shopping malls, bazaars and a wide range of tourist accommodation with especially many luxury hotels.
Sights and activities in the United Arab Emirates: beaches, shopping, golf courses and desert safaris
The United Arab Emirates have plenty of things to see and do. The long white sand beaches can be found everywhere in the coasts of the UAE, with warm and clean water that is great for swimming as well as for a diversity of water sports such as waterskiing, windsurfing and kayaking. Sailing is a popular thing to do in the Emirates, and there are also great opportunities for snorkeling and diving, especially along the east coast. Many hotels in the UAE offer private beaches where it is good also for women to wear bathing suits.Shopping & entertainment. Another main attraction in the Emirates besides the beaches is the famous shopping. There are no sales taxes in the United Arab Emirates, and you can find modern shopping centers in every city. Dubai is the most famous shopping destination in the UAE, and hosts also many traditional bazaars called souqs. There is also an annual shopping festival in Dubai during the winter. Besides shopping, Dubai also has to offer plenty of beaches, excellent nightlife, fantastic luxury hotels, golf courses, museums, camel races, desert excursions and even the world’s largest indoor ski slope. More indoor ski slopes are being built in Abu Dhabi and Ras al Khaimah.
More UAE destinations. The biggest emirate and capital of the country, Abu Dhabi offers the same attractions as Dubai, with great shopping but less vibrant nightlife. Abu Dhabi has more traditional and Arabic feel to it and the prices of the luxury hotels are lower than in Dubai. There are also five other emirates in UAE to explore. Sharjah and the smallest emirate Ajman both have museums, beaches and parks. Umm al Quwain has the world's largest aquapark as well as an aquarium and good water sports opportunities.
Plenty of activities. You can find sites great for activities like golf, water sports, horse riding and birdwatching everywhere around the Emirates. Outside the major urban centers, there are vast deserts that offer dramatic views, huge sand dunes, oases, and some mountain areas, and can be visited by popular jeep safaris. There are also traditional markets, museums, historic attractions, camel races, coral reefs and mangrove swamps, Bedouin villages, falcon hunting and plenty of more to see in the UAE!
United Arab Emirates travel information and practical tips
There are six international airports in the UAE, Dubai and Abu Dhabi being the most important ones. They receive daily flights to UAE from most large European and Middle Eastern cities, as well as from Asia, North Africa, the USA and Australia.
Photo: bryangeek, used under Creative Commons License (By SA 2.0)
There are no domestic flights in the United Arab Emirates as the size of the country is rather small. Instead, there are regular and fast bus services between the cities in the UAE, as well as from the neighboring Oman and Saudi Arabia, shared taxis between the UAE cities and boat services from Iran.
Public transport by buses is available also inside most Emirates cities. Taxis are both widely available and affordable. Car rental is also a good way to move around, as the roads in UAE are in excellent condition. The local traffic can, however, be chaotic and dangerous.
Climate. The United Arab Emirates have a dry desert climate with lots of sunshine and high temperatures especially during the summer, when it can be unbearably hot with temperatures commonly reaching 40°C / 105°F. The weather in the UAE is cooler between November and April. The east coast and mountain regions are a bit cooler than the rest of the Emirates.
Safety & regulations. The United Arab Emirates are a safe destination with a very low crime rate. The main risk for visitors here is the often very chaotic traffic. The local people are quite friendly and hospitable but yet often conservative, so it is good to remember that revealing clothes and rude gestures should be avoided. It is also good to know that the laws against drugs are very harsh, and even some painkillers sold commonly in Western countries are considered illegal in the United Arab Emirates. It is also strictly forbidden to eat, drink or smoke in public during the month of Ramadan. Most people in the UAE speak some English.
Short history of the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates was formed from tribally organized Arabian Peninsula sheikdoms along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The region was once known as the Pirate Coast. Some parts of the state were under the influence of the Turkish Ottoman Empire during the 16th Century, and both European and Arab navies patrolled the area between the 17th and 19th Century. British expeditions sent to protect the Indian trade from pirates led to raids into the port towns until a peace treaty was signed in 1853. The United Kingdom formed closer bonds with the Emirates in 1892 that granted Britain the control of their defense and foreign affairs.More recent events. Six of the Emirates formed an independent state 1971, that was joined by the seventh one (Ras al Khaymah) in 1972. Large deposits of oil were discovered in the area in the 1960s and the 1970s and oil export has led to the small UAE becoming one of the richest countries in the world.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Abu Dhabi
