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Sprawling oasis
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- What is Al Ain known for? Al Ain is known for its sprawling oasis which is watered via an ancient irrigation system called falaj. The system still runs to this day. Jebel Hafit, Abu Dhabi's tallest peak is also in Al Ain.
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Dec 22, 2023 · 14 Top Tourist Attractions & Places to Visit in Al Ain. Written by Jess Lee. Updated Dec 22, 2023. The oasis city of Al Ain has a dramatic setting, overlooked by the craggy mountain of Jebel Hafeet. The drive up to Jebel Hafeet's summit to take in the panoramic views is the number one thing to do while staying in town.
- Overview
- Before You Go
- What to See and Do
- Getting Here
- Where to Stay
This green oasis in the middle of the Rub al Khali desert is a 4,000 year old city and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In Al Ain city, the Al Ain Oasis has been opened as the UAE's first curated UNESCO World Heritage Site visitor experience.
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Life on the edge of the Rub al Khali, or Empty Quarter—the world’s largest continuous sand desert—has never been easy, yet the inland city of Al Ain has persisted here for some 4,000 years.
The reason can be found in its name, which means “the spring.” For generations, camel trekkers headed for its leafy oases to drink its freshwater and sample produce grown in the shade of its palms.
That draw is still felt today. Clearly less modernized than Abu Dhabi or Dubai, Al Ain is now home to over 600,000 people and is a popular weekend getaway for locals (and visitors from nearby Oman). By comparison with the other cities, it’s relaxing and the humidity is low. More importantly, no place in the United Arab Emirates offers better access to the region’s traditional ways of desert life.
The Al Ain Oasis is filled with palm plantations, many of which are still working farms.
Photographs by Matthieu Paley
There are two big names you should know before visiting Al Ain.
It’s said—with varying levels of confidence—that UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan was born here, under a tree, in 1918 (the museum at Qasr al Muwaiji gives background). By 1971, he willed a nation out of a rather motley collection of 180,000 tribal inhabitants. That the UAE sits on a sizable portion of the world’s oil reserves helped his case. Now there are over nine million residents in the UAE (88 percent are immigrants). And the likeness of Sheikh Zayed, who died in 2004, is found all over the country.
A great place to start a survey of the past is Al Ain’s Al Jahili Fort, a mud fort built in the 1890s and turned into a museum in 2008. The walls are made of mud, straw, and fibers from palm trees, and they must be restored every six months. There are a couple exhibits inside; the best features Thesiger’s stunning 1940s black-and-white photographs.
Visitors are free to explore the Al Jahili Fort at their leisure.
Photographs by Matthieu Paley
The Al Ain Oasis, the largest oasis in the city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a 1,200-hectare area home to hundreds of farms. At its entrance gate is an Eco Centre, a compact complex with panels and a video (with 3-D effects) that tells how the oasis works.
Nearby you can see a model of the falaj, an irrigation system that began 3,000 years ago. Then wander the leafy roads and paths past farms. (It’s best to visit on weekends, when events are often staged.)
Local wildlife like the Arabian oryx were nearly extinct at the time the UAE formed in 1971. Sheikh Zayed set up many projects to save them (such as Sir Bani Yas Island; see STORY). In 1968, he started the Al Ain Zoo here as a center for oryx conservation. Large outdoor areas are now home to many indigenous species, including the oryx. The zoo’s highlight though is its modern Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, which opened in 2016. Its interactive exhibits tell the story of the region’s people and wildlife, from the roots of pearls and palms to oil and Masdar City (a full “solar city”).
Al Ain is a hundred miles east of Abu Dhabi, via the E22 (Al Ain Road). Buses take a couple hours and leave several times a day from Abu Dhabi’s central bus terminal.
The Al Ain Rotana Hotel is a modern hotel with a big outdoor pool, a sprawling buffet restaurant, and Trader Vic’s bar. Plus, it’s a short walk from the Al Jahili Fort.
The Hilton Al Ain, southeast of the Al Ain Oasis, is another family-oriented hotel with plenty of activities including a pool, tennis court, and gym.
Drive 90-minutes inland from downtown Abu Dhabi and you'll discover Al Ain, a garden city, one of the world's oldest permanently inhabited settlements and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nov 10, 2021 · Al Ain is a part of UAE, and has vivid setting, consisting of mountains, oasis, and springs. An island oasis city in UAE, you will find a plenty of places to visit in Al Ain. Al Ain is also known by the name of Garden City, as there palm groves and natural springs in abundance.
- Lalit Yadav
Things to Do in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates: See Tripadvisor's 24,136 traveler reviews and photos of Al Ain tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in October. We have reviews of the best places to see in Al Ain. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
Home to the region's first man-made white water rafting facility, the longest kayaking channel in the world and the second tallest peak in the UAE, there's plenty in Al Ain to add to your bucket list of adventures. Cool off and experience the rush at Al Ain Adventure.
Apr 18, 2022 · History, nature, wildlife, culture - there's an Al Ain for everyone... Al Ain is the perfect destination to take a step back from the bustle of the city.
