Normally referred to as the UAE, the United Arab Emirates has transformed in just a few decades from a collection of small desert communities into one of the most visited countries in the Middle East. Oil wealth played a major role in the country’s rapid development, but the UAE has also invested heavily in tourism, aviation, real estate, and other industries to diversify its economy. The result is a country filled with modern cities, enormous hotels, ambitious architecture, beaches, and attractions that sometimes seem designed simply to break records. At the same time, historic forts, traditional markets, desert landscapes, and older communities offer a look at what the region was like before its rapid transformation.
Explore Dubai
Dubai is easily the UAE’s most famous city and one of the world’s major tourist destinations. The city is known for its enormous skyscrapers, luxury hotels, beaches, shopping malls, and seemingly endless collection of unusual attractions. Visitors can spend their time sailing, scuba diving, exploring the desert, relaxing along the coast, or even skiing indoors. Dubai’s rapid development has created a city unlike almost anywhere else in the world.
Explore Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and has undergone an incredible transformation of its own. Although nearby Dubai receives more international attention, Abu Dhabi has impressive architecture, cultural attractions, beaches, luxury hotels, and some of the country’s most recognizable landmarks. As the national capital and largest emirate, Abu Dhabi also offers a somewhat different experience from the more tourism-focused atmosphere of Dubai.
Explore Al Ain
Located near the border with Oman, Al Ain offers a very different side of the UAE from the skyscrapers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The oasis city has been inhabited for thousands of years and is known for its forts, museums, archaeological sites, palm groves, and surrounding desert landscapes. Modern development has reached Al Ain as well, but the city remains one of the best places in the country to explore the history and traditional culture of the region.
