Al Ain is the city in which Sheikh Zayed lived, may God have mercy on him. It is distinguished by its beauty and greenery. It is known as the "garden city" in the Gulf. Distance away one hour from Dubai and 90 minutes from Abu Dhabi.
The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road has been ranked as one of the greatest driving roads in the world, and it’s not hard to see why. With about 12 km of perfect, winding tarmac and an almost lunar landscape, the smooth surface winds up the 1,249-metre-tall mountain on Al Ain’s border with Oman. The drive guarantees amazing views of the city and epic sunrise vista points. Pop into the Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet hotel located near the mountain peak, where you can enjoy a sundowner with the view, or even a game of mountaintop mini-golf.
Also in the shadow of Jebel Hafeet is Green Mubazzarah Park, a natural oasis in the city. Filled with rolling grassy hillsides, it's a great place to go with children, with plenty of outdoor space for running around or enjoying a picnic. There’s also a small lake and a mini-train for rides around the outskirts.
One of the Garden City’s biggest tourist attractions has to be Al Ain Zoo. Founded in 1968 by Sheikh Zayed, the 400-hectare zoo at the foothills of Jebel Hafeet is home to oryx, giraffe, Barbary sheep, rhinos, hippos, tigers, lions and more. Kids will enjoy the petting zoo, and there’s also a well-respected conservation and breeding programme.
Escape into nature at Al Batha Nature Reserve, located near Hili Archaeological Park. This recently renovated eco-tourism project showcases the UAE’s flora and fauna, and has ducks, birds, ghaf trees and a playground for the little ones. It is the perfect place to go for a picnic on the undulating golden dunes when that the weather is cooler and the best part is it’s free to enter.
Part of the Telal Resort in Al Ain’s Remah desert, the Zaman Lawal Heritage Village is worth a visit even if you’re not staying at the luxury boutique resort. Guests can tuck into Emirati food at "Khatta restaurant" or visit "The Local Souk", a traditional-looking market selling handicrafts, spices and more. Inside "The House of Good Fortune", there’s an exhibit detailing the importance of date palms, while "The House of Pearls" sheds light on the Garden City’s pearl-diving past, when men would travel to the coasts for months on end to harvest these gems from the depths of the ocean. There’s even an old pearl diving boat called "The Jalibut" on display.
For an in-depth exploration of the history of the UAE, head to Qasr Al Muwaiji, a Unesco-listed world heritage sites. Inside is a permanent exhibition filled with rare photographs and artefacts that celebrates the life of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, who was born here. Peek inside the north-west tower, which was previously used as a residential area for Sheikh Zayed and his family. Visitors to the palace can also take part in events such as poetry evenings, excavation and restoration sessions and a falconers' camp that regularly take place on-site.
which is a must-visit for history buffs. This place is the earliest-known evidence of an agricultural village in the UAE, and dates back to 3000 BCE. One of the most dramatic buildings is the unroofed Grand Tomb, which is more than 4,000 years old and about 12 metres in diameter. Beside this is Hili Site 1, where guests can see the remains of what was once a tower built from mud bricks. There’s also a large round building surrounded by a moat and the remains of several villages from the Iron Age, where you can see houses with well-preserved walls and one of the earliest examples of the falaj irrigation system.
One of the largest and oldest forts in the UAE, this is in the heart of the Garden City. Constructed out of mud-brick, straw and palm tree fibres, it dates back to the early 19th century when it was believed to have been built to protect the adjacent oasis and its date palms.Today, the building has been carefully restored and is a museum with various exhibits, including a black and white photography series from British adventurer "Sir Wilfred Thesiger" with images taken during his crossing of the Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert in the 1940s.
Al Ain Oasis was the first curated Unesco World Heritage Site in the UAE, and is a beautiful spot to while away a few hours under the shade of thousands of date palms. This 1,200-hectare estate is home to more than 147,000 palm trees of about 100 different varieties. Take a stroll or hop on a bicycle and two-wheel around the oasis, passing the hundreds of small farms within. Be sure to visit the welcome centre on arrival; here, you can see interactive exhibits on how the oasis works and what’s being done to ensure traditional farming methods can continue in the future. You can also see the traditional irrigation system in use throughout the oasis, a technique that dates back more than 3,000 years.
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Mosque:
The Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mosque is one of the most prominent architectural monuments of Islamic art, not only in the city of Al Ain, but also in the entire country in terms of the spirit of Islamic architecture, its unique artistic heritage, and the symbolic significance to the culture and heritage of the UAE. The Mosque is established on a total area of 256,680 square meters, with a built-up area of 15,684 square meters. It consists of the main prayers hall under dome with an area of 4,117 square meters and 60-meter-high 4 minarets in the corners of the dome. They are inspired by the minarets of the Great Mosque in Samarra with a modern appearance. There is also an arcade designed in the Umayyad-Andalusian style, connecting the various components of the mosque and rimming the yard with an areas of 7,660 square meters.