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| Al Ain |
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Known as the garden city, Al Ain is filled with beautiful parks, and its avenues are decorated with trees. If you’re a fan of greenery, you’ll love the city, as it gives ample importance to the ‘natural look’, restricting the height of buildings to no more than four floors!
Al Ain is situated in Abu Dhabi and is considered the fourth largest city in the UAE. The city is filled with a population of expatriates who mostly come from Indian sub-continents rather than the west, making the atmosphere of the city more Arabic-oriented relative to the larger cosmopolitan cities of the Emirates. |
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Although the weather is extremely hot during the summer, the dry desert air of the city attracts many tourists who want to escape from the coastal humidity of the larger cities. Many families from Abu Dhabi spend their weekends in Al Ain. Between the months of October and April, the weather is ideal for taking walks and enjoying the city.
It is interesting to note that the first UAE president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was born in this city, and hence the Royal Family has played a big role in its advancement. This explains why the city was chosen as the location of both the United Arab Emirates University and the Al Ain Higher Colleges of Technology. |
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The abundance of water in this city has enabled the growth of a variety of trees and shrubs, transforming the desert land into a fertile garden. There are about 100 million trees and 18 million date palms, in addition to many farms that are rich with crops of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and many other vegetables.
There are several means of transportation you can use to get to Al Ain. If you are coming from Abu Dhabi, you can take a bus or a taxi along the beautiful road, and if you are visiting from Dubai, you can also get to Al Ain by taxi.
Once in Al Ain, you can get around either by taxis which are abundantly available throughout the day, or by public transportation like buses, which take you to various areas in the city at cheap prices. Signposts are provided on the road in both English and Arabic to ensure you don’t get lost! |
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If you wish to travel around in new cars with English speaking drivers, you can contact the Al Ghazal Taxi which will pick you up from the airport and take you to your destination, but it is more expensive. Cars for rent are also available at reasonable prices.
Finally, the Al Ain International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s second air gateway, is another means of reaching the city. It provides excellent service to its passengers. It is a two-storey building with a marvelous Islamic design. The airport has a bank, a currency exchange shop, an ATM, restaurants, a duty free complex, a children's garden playground, a medical center, wheel-chair access, and VIP lounges. |
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Once in Al Ain, make sure to visit the famous Jebel Hafeet, a 1340-meter high mountain considered the highest point in the city. A highway lit by yellow streetlamps leads you up the mountain, where you can view the mineral springs at its base, and even enjoy a hot, healthy bath in them. In addition, you can have picnics and gatherings, explore the caves, watch the breath-taking view of the sunset and observe the royal palace from the top of the mountain. Jebel Hafeet dates back to the end of the fourth millennium B.C.
For a cool get-away during summer, you can head to the Al Ain Oasis, another famous area in the city.
If you enjoy adventures, Beda’a Bint Saud is the place for you! Located in the desert, it is the ideal place to camp and explore the Arabian Desert. |
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Looking for a fun theme park where you can go on endless rides for just 3$? Then just head to the Hili Fun City, which is considered the Disneyland of the Middle East. Enjoy the fast roller coaster, the dynamic motion theater, the sky flyer and many others. If you are lucky, you can be there in time for the yearly festival held in Hili Fun City that celebrates the culture and history of the country.
Al Ain has two major shopping malls, Al Ain Mall and Jimi Mall, in addition to traditional souqs. These areas add to the pleasure of shopping by providing all the necessities and luxuries you could crave for.
In general, the souqs provide a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and livestock. You can also find some artifacts and inexpensive pots, pans, and other kitchen tools. The most famous souq is that of Buraimi. |
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If you need tools, an artisan or a care sale mechanic, you can find them in the Sanaiya industrial area.
The Al Ain mall not only contains shops like Salam, Paris Gallery, Life Style, Shoemart, and Jumbo Electronics, but also provides other modes of entertainment. In this mall, you can take drinks in cafes, enjoy meals in restaurants, watch a movie, and even enjoy the sport of ice skating. It is truly a great place to spend your leisure time! |
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| If you are an animal lover, head over to the Al Ain Zoo and Aquarium located about five miles away from the city center. The zoo has a huge collection of both common and rare animals from all over the world including lions, tigers, pumas, black and spotted leopards, and jaguars. The largest area in the zoo is reserved for Arabian antelope and deer. |
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| Up until today, people in Al Ain still practice some traditions like camel racing and breeding. Thus, you should expect to see many types of tracks being held during your visit. One of these is the traditional camel race, held in the Al Maqam Camel Race Track. Entrance is free, you can watch hundreds of camels competing, and if you participate you may end up winning prizes. Another type of race is the Dog Race Track held between the months of January and March. |
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| Being rich with underground water springs, Al Ain has attracted many people, and has been inhabited for over four thousand years, which is something that has provided the city with a rich cultural heritage. To find out more about that heritage and history, just pop by to the Al Ain Museum, built by Sheikh Zayed’s father almost 80 years ago. The museum is divided into ethnographical and archaeological sections. The ethnographical section contains items that reflect the traditions of the Bedouins’ daily lives such as garments, gold, and household utensils, whereas the archaeological section displays finds from all over the Emirates, dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. More and more finds are constantly enriching the museum with ancient and interesting displays. Some of those displays include artifacts from an Iron Age village discovered in Al Hili, as well as items from ancient burial sites near Jebel Hafeet. |
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| Other historical attractions in the city include a number of forts such as the Al Muwaiji Fort and the Al-Jaheli Fort, in addition to the monumental Al-Hili tomb built over 4000 years ago. |
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| You can time travel around 30 years back to see how village inhabitants used to live as well as get acquainted with their customs at the Al-Hili Traditional Village, located on the north east of the city center. |
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| There is a wide range of sports activities practiced in Al Ain such as tennis, racquetball, squash, Scuba diving, swimming, water-skiing, boating, horseback riding, rugby football and soccer. |
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| Finally, if you do not want to adhere to one type of entertainment, then the Ain Al-Faydhah Resort is the place for you, as it contains two swimming pools (one for men, one for women), a bowling center, a billiard center, a horse-riding arena, parks, chalets, hotels, and restaurants. |
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