Al Ain Travel Guide

Surrounded by rolling red sand dunes and an imposing mountain range, Al Ain (which means "water spring" in Arabic) is located within the Buraimi Oasis near the Oman border. Not long ago, it consisted of no more than a series of sparsely populated villages, but today it's an expanding garden city boasting seven natural oases. Wealthy Emiratis have long made it a summer getaway because of its temperate climate and drier air, while local students continue coming here to study at the U.A.E.'s main university. Visitors will also find this charming desert city a welcome change of pace from bustling Dubai.

Al Ain was the birthplace of the U.A.E.'s late ruler, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who, through a series of greening projects, transformed the landscape into something quite beautiful. Lush gardens, parks, date palm plantations, and tree-lined streets fill the city, set next to the Hajar Mountains and corrupted only by concrete construction and a few too many cars. Jebel Hafeet is the U.A.E.'s second-largest mountain, which can be visited along with the natural hot springs resort of Mubazzarah. Al Ain can easily be reached as a day or overnight trip, and travelers can also go to nearby Buraimi town on the Oman side without a visa. This is the only significant inland city in the U.A.E..