Deserts constitute around 80% of the UAE’s land area. Deserts consist of sand dunes, mountains, rocks, and sand flats or salt flats. One of the UAE’s most notable sand dunes is the 300 metres high Tal Moreeb in Liwa. The desert is a harsh environment for people, animals and plants because of the extreme heat, and little food and water. Despite the harsh environment, Emirati ancestors, called the Bedouin, were able to survive, making them among the most resilient people on earth. They moved from place to place across North Africa to the Middle East in search of grazing areas. The deserts get less than 25 cm of rain in a year, this us not enough to support vegetation. Yet some species of plants, animals and other organisms have evolved to survive the harsh conditions, scarce water and arid landscapes.
Adventure in UAE’s Desert Landscapes
Contrary to the belief that desert is deserted, there is an unbelievably diverse ecosystem consisting of plants, animals and other organisms that have evolved to survive the harsh conditions, scarce water and arid landscapes. Desert plants and animals have evolved to minimize water loss, and are very effective at absorbing, storing and managing the little water they do get, enabling them to survive long periods of drought. For example, the Ghaf tree has roots up to 30 metres long to access water deep underground.
Ghaf tree
The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, once said “I do love the desert. Whenever I feel a little tired, I go there to restore my strength,”
Adventure seekers will enjoy the 4WD trips across the desert dunes to camel trekking, sandboarding, and dune buggy trips. Popular desert day trips from Dubai or Abu Dhabi usually include dinner at a desert camp and offer time at camp for other activities such as sandboarding or short camel rides.
Other tours include wildlife spotting and specialized desert operations and also offer overnight camping amid the dunes.
There are a number of luxury desert resorts, where stays are all about soaking up the dune scenery and heading out on desert activities.
Old UAE
Water Resources in the UAE
There are two sources of water in UAE: Desalinated seawater and groundwater. Desalinated water contributed 24% of the water consumed in the country. Ground water contributed 71% of the water needs primarily for agriculture.
Abut 90% of groundwater in Abu Dhabi Emirate is saline, in some cases up to eight times as much as seawater. There are only two freshwater aquifers. Brackish groundwater is mostly used for the irrigation of date palms which are relatively salt-tolerant. Recharge dams have been built on wadis in order to prevent flood water to flow into the sea.
Dubai’s Al Fahidi Neighborhood is the last remaining fragment of Old Dubai. It is also known as Bastakia. This part of the city reminds the simpler, gentler past of the city before skyscrapers took over the skyline. The district holds memories of an era that pre-dates the federation of the emirates — before the union of the Emirati tribes in 1971 and a time when the pearl trade flourished in the region. The buildings here date back to the 1890s and were made with traditional materials such as coral, stone, mud and wood. The 18th-century Al Fahidi Fort is now home to Dubai Museum’s pearl-diving exhibits. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House is a former royal residence now displaying old photos and documents, while the Heritage and Diving Villages have replica mud huts with potters and jewelers at work. The Textile Souk offers colorful pashminas and handicrafts.
In the 1980s half of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood village was demolished to make way for the development of a new office complex. The remaining houses were mostly used as warehouses or accommodation for foreign laborers.
Rayner Otter, a British architect, bought a house and renovated it for his personal use. He started a campaign to preserve the area and wrote a letter to Prince Charles, who was scheduled to visit Dubai that year. During his visit the Prince suggested that Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood should be preserved and the demolition was canceled.
Bastakia Quarter
Now the narrow, winding lanes in the area are lined with carefully restored traditional buildings in typical Arabian architectural styles. Many of the buildings feature the wind towers, which kept houses cool before air-conditioning became common.
Many of the buildings now house small museums, art galleries, and craft shops, allowing you to see the typical Arabian interiors. The Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding is also based within the quarter.
Dubai Museum
Dubai Museum is located here. The structure, originally built in the 1700s, is the restored Al Fahidi Fort. The building served as a home to a former reigning monarch and even served as a prison before it was converted into a museum in 1971. In the museum one can see replicas of the traditional markets of old, ancient weapons, pottery and tombs. Notable exhibits include those which depict pearl diving, which was an important part of the old economy before the discovery of fossil fuel.
Dubai Museum
Culinary side of Emirati life
Visitors can enjoy Bedouin-style traditional meals in this area, to experience local culinary heritage. Depending on whether you come for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, you’ll get to taste such local dishes as balaleet (sweetened crunchy vermicelli), chabab (cardamom-spiced pancakes), saloona (a stew) or machboos (a rice and meat or fish dish).e local culinary heritage.
Al Fahidi Neighbourhood
Mawaheb
Mawaheb is an art studio. The purpose of the studio is to develop the artistic skills of people above or equal to the age of 16 and have special needs. Arabian Tea House Café serves traditional Arabic food. XVA Gallery specializes in contemporary art from the Arab world, Iran and the Subcontinent.The gallery also features an Art Hotel and Cafe, serving Middle Eastern vegetarian food.
Mawaheb
Shaikh Muhammad Center for Cultural Understanding
Shaikh Muhammad Center for Cultural Understanding, a non-profit organization, spreads cultural understanding among the people of Dubai. Guided by the motto ‘Open Doors, Open Minds’, this unique institution was founded in 1995 by Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, to build bridges between cultures and to help visitors and expats understand the traditions and customs of the UAE.
Sheikh Mohammed Centre For Cultural Understanding Al Bastakiya
Coffee Museum
On the ground floor of the Coffee Museum, visitors can buy coffee of their choice and on the second floor there are books relating to coffee. Coffee plays a big part in Emirati culture along with the wider Middle East, and here you can learn all about the cultural significance of this drink. You can discover the history of coffee, and get an insight into production processes and the many varieties of beans, along with different coffee cultures throughout the world.
Coin Museum
Coin Museum
The museum showcases nearly 500 coins mainly from the Arab world from different time periods and geographical locations. The display allows you to inspect each coin closely and gives you details of the minting date, shape and material. Housed in a traditional coral, stone, and sandalwood building, the collections are displayed in eight rooms.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is an art museum located on Saadiyat Island, or “Island of Happiness.” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This island is connected by a bridge to the mainland. This site will eventually be a “cultural district” bristling with hotels, condos, malls and other museums, including an Abu Dhabi Guggenheim.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Agreement Between The UAE And France
It is operated under an agreement between the UAE and France. The agreement signed in March 2007 allows the use of the Louvre brand name till 2037 for a reported $520 million. Under the agreement France would loan artworks and provide management expertise for 30.5 years. This time period will give the museum time to assemble a permanent collection — the acquisition process is well underway — and create its own version of a global art history. The deal would also see wider cultural exchange and high-profile collaborations between the two countries.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum
The museum is approximately 24,000 square metres in size, with 8,000 square metres of galleries. The galleries are set in 55 detached buildings. The centerpiece of museum architecture is a huge silvery dome that appears to float above the museum-city. Despite its apparent weightlessness, the dome weighs around 7,500 tons. That’s about the same weight as the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The museum showcases artworks around the world, bridging the gap between the Eastern and Western art. By 2019, the Louvre Abu Dhabi had already attracted 2 million visitors, making it the most visited museum in the Arab world.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Louvre Abu Dhabi Silvery Dome
The centerpiece of museum architecture is a huge silvery dome that appears to float above the museum-city. Despite its apparent weightlessness, the dome weighs around 7,500 tons. That’s about the same weight as the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The domed roof of the museum features nearly 8,000 metal stars set in a geometric pattern, which allows shards of sunlight to enter, casting shimmering rays throughout the interior.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Exhibits
Louvre Abu Dhabi Exhibits
Many exhibits come from its sister gallery in Paris, while others are resolutely Arabian. The story of humanity is told in 12 chapters, starting with ancient Egyptian and Cypriot antiquities and ending with contemporary showstoppers such as Ai WeiWei’s Fountain of Light.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Exhibits
Leonardo da Vinci’s La Belle Ferronnière, one of only 15 known paintings by him, is there. There are also Vincent Van Gogh’s 1887 self-portrait, Claude Monet’s The Saint-Lazare Station and Jacques-Louis David’s huge Napoleon Crossing the Alps. There are also modern artwork by art heavyweights such as Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly.
Aside from permanent collections, each year the Louvre Abu Dhabi hosts four temporary exhibitions co-organised with its French partners, meaning an ever-changing showcase of international talent. Sound is as important here as vision, so music and multicultural performances underpin the creative output from the museum’s auditorium.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Louvre Abu Dhabi Collecting Photography
In 2012, the Louvre Abu Dhabi started collecting photography, making its first acquisitions in the field, including works by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey, Roger Fenton and George Wilson Bridges. The museum also acquired a sculpture of a Bactrian princess dating from the third millennium BC, a pavement and fountain set from the early Ottoman period, as well as the paintings Breton Boys Wrestling (1888) by Paul Gauguin and The Subjugated Reader (1928) by René Magritte.
Traditional Dubai cuisine along with dishes originating from Iran, Lebanon, and Arabia are found in Dubai. Western food as well as popular fast food are found here. From vegetarians to non-vegetarians, Dubai offers food to suit every person’s taste.
Here are some of the popular dishes in Dubai.
Manousheh
Manousheh is a kind of local pizza, a staple Lebanese breakfast. It is made by filling stretched dough or flatbread with toppings like salty Akkawi cheese, zaatar herbs, acrid labneh and sweet stick, eggs, minced sheep and olive oil. It is popular with both tourists and locals.
Manousheh
Iranian Sangak
Typical Barbari or Persian bread, Iranian Sangak is very popular in Dubai. Nan-e sangak is a whole wheat leavened flatbread, either triangular or rectangular, which is topped with poppy and sesame seeds. The name sangak refers to the old method of baking the bread in a dome-shaped oven with a surface full of pebbles and stones. In Iran, the bread is often consumed with lamb kebabs, and it is a typical accompaniment to kale pache, a dish made with sheep’s head and feet.
It is usually eaten with some strained yogurt or Greek yogurt and some cheese or labneh. Simply delicious.
Iranian Sangak
Chelow kabab
Chelow kabab is of Iranian origin, consisting of steamed rice and one of the many varieties of Iranian kebabs. Chelow kebab is served with accompaniments such as butter, sumac powder, basil, onions, and grilled tomatoes. Kebabs are made of cut up or ground meat sometimes with vegetables, and various other accompaniments. Kebabs are typically cooked on a skewer over a fire, some kebab dishes are baked in a pan in an oven or prepared as a stew such as tas kebab. The traditional meat for kebabs is most often mutton or lamb, but regional recipes may include other meats.
Chelow kabab
Al Harees
Al Harees is one of the most traditional foods in Dubai. This popular local dish is a combination of wheat, meat and just a pinch of salt, prepared to a porridge-like consistency. It is generally served Ramadan, Eid, wedding and special occasions.
Al Harees
Al Machboos
Al Machboos consists of some chicken, basmati rice, spices, and some sauce.It is a cross between biryani and risotto, where the rice is cooked in the spiced broth of the meat or chicken, melding the spices and ingredients. This dish is popular not only in Dubai but also in the Middle East and in some African countries.
Al Machboos
Mandi
Mandi is quite similar to other rice-based Asian dishes such as Biryani and Pilaf. It is basically a layered dish of meat and rice. The meat is cooked in the tandoor covered with clay and buried inside the ground. It tastes like biryani. It is one of the main dishes prepared during festivals like Ramadan and Eid.
Mandi
Kabsa
Kabsa is considered the national dish of the Emirates. It is a fragrant mixture of basmati rice, lamb or chicken, mixed vegetables, cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg and bay leaves cooked in one pot and often served in a huge mound at the centre of the table. Kabsa has has the same rice-meat combination as Mandi but is differently flavoured due to different spices.
Kabsa
Oozie
Oozie is one of the best-known dishes from the Gulf region. It is made with rice and sometimes stuffed into delicate pastry pockets. It is usually served with chicken. Sometimes, it’s also served with salad and yoghurt, or garnished with a mixture of fried or roasted nuts. You will usually see this in weddings and Ramadan.
Oozie
Margoogat
This chicken or lamb stew is tomato based and is cooked with turmeric, cumin and bezar (a local garam masala-like spice mixture). Baby marrow and potato are also added to this stew. Different variations can be found across the city. This dish is often prepared and enjoyed at Iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan.
Margoogat
Khubz
Khubz means bread in Standard Arabic. Khubz tannur is made in a tandoor oven. It is either leavened or unleavened flatbread made with all-purpose flour. This bread has pocket like pita. You can fill the pocket with whatever you wish or even make a sandwich. Khubz can be enjoyed as a delicious wrapper or dipper for other foods.
Khubz
Chebab
These delicious Emirati-style pancakes are normally served at breakfast time. Saffron and cardamom are two key ingredients of this pancake. The pancake is topped with sour cheese, cream cheese, butter and sweet date syrup. The sweet and sour elements of the ingredients combine well and give it a unique flavour. This bread is also called jabab.
Chebab
Shawarma
Shawarma is made from slow-roasted and spiced chicken or lamb and served in the form of a Middle Eastern sandwich. Shawarma is served in an Arabic roti, along with vegetables, fries, tomatoes, pickles, and garlic sauce.
Shawarma
Esh Hasarya
Esh Hasarya or Asaraya is a rich and sweet cake served as dessert. It is in a class by itself and is described as “the bread of the harem”. Its texture resembles cheesecake, and it has a cream frosting. it’s one of the most popular desserts in all of Dubai.
Esh asaraya is made with sweet pieces of bread that is then topped with cream, and pistachio nuts which adds a nice crunch to the cake.
Esh Hasarya
Luqaimat
Luqaimat is the most famous dessert in the UAE. It is served at weddings and tea parties, and it is eaten for breakfast along with tea. It is also one of the special dishes offered to guests (Fuwala). It is a a popular Emirati dessert, especially during Ramadan. These doughnut balls are drizzled with honey and topped with sesame seeds.
Luqaimat
Balaleet
Balaleet is a traditional dish consisting of vermicelli sweetened with sugar, cardamom, rose water, and saffron, served with an omelet on top. It is sometimes served with sautéed onions or potatoes. It is usually a breakfast dish, but it is also served as a dessert during Ramadan, or as a light dinner.
Balaleet
Manakish
It’s a flat bread filled with cheese and baked in an oven on a pizza stone. It can also be served with cheese on top and thyme, or thyme and olive oil, meat and hot sauce. It’s a delightful breakfast dish and goes well with cardamom infused tea(karak).
Manakish
Thereed
Thereed / Tharid is a very slowly cooked stew consisting of chicken, beef, lamb, or goat, and roasted vegetables and potatoes. Some kinds of beans are also added to the stew to enhance the taste like chickpea, small peas, green peas, kidney beans etc.
It is served on top of an Emirati salted bread called Rigag.
Thereed
Saloona
Saloona is a classic Arabian stew prepared with chicken, turmeric, olive oil, ginger, garlic, onion, chili, and many other spices. It is served with rice on the side. Other types of meat such as beef or lamb, and fish can also be used as the main ingredient. It is a Friday lunch favourite.
Saloona
Samboosa
This is a famous Indian snack. It consists of layers of thin pastry filled with different type of meat, vegetables, and exotic spices. A very popular street food. Sambusa is filled with a meat and onion mixture while the Indian version samosa is usually vegetarian consisting of potatoes and peas.
Samboosa
Falafel
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern “fast food” made of a mixture of chickpeas (or fava beans), fresh herbs, and spices that are formed into small patties or balls. It is commonly served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as taboon. The falafel balls are usually topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served in a tray as part of an assortment of appetizers.
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the sixth-largest city in UAE. Its name in English means “the tent point,” reputedly after a large tent erected as an aid to navigation by an early chief. The city, a port from ancient times, developed into a modern port only in the 20th century. It has a land area of 2,486 km2 and a coast line of 64 km. Ras al-Khaimah joined the UAE in 1972.
A creek divides the city into two parts: old town in the west and Al Nakheel in the east. Ras Al Khaimah is one of the oldest civilisations in the world. It has been the site of continuous human habitation for 7,000 years.
Ras Al Khaimah Economy
Ras al-Khaimah emirate is among the principal producers of the country’s crops. The crops include cabbages, onions, tomatoes, dates, tobacco, and fruits, especially bananas and citrus fruits. Thg3ese produces are grown along the coast around Ras al-Khaimah city for local consumption and for export to other states of the federation, mainly Dubai. The emirate has received aid from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as well as from its sister states Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Industries in Ras al-Khaimah include the production of ceramics, pharmaceuticals, cement, lime, and a variety of construction materials. RAK Ceramics, a global ceramics manufacturer, headquartered in the city, produces 123 million square meters of tiles and 5 million pieces of sanitary ware annually. It employs 12,000 employees and its turnover is estimated at $1 billion a year.
Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries is a pharmaceutical manufacturer operating in the MENA region and headquartered in the city of Ras Al Khaimah.[31] The company, also known under the name of Julphar, employs 5,000 people and distributes its products to 50 countries.
Ras al-Khaimah Education
Other than Arabic government-funded schools, the city has Ras Al Khaimah Academy and Wellspring School, and other Indian schools. It also has Higher Colleges of Technology campus, Ras Al Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University, American University of Ras Al Khaimah, Al-Ittiḥād University and many other colleges.
Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah
Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah Jebel Jais is a towering mountain featuring sweeping views, camping, wadis & a popular 2.8km-long zip line. It is one of the important tourist attractions in the UAE.The height of the mountain is 1,934 m above sea level. Temperatures at the mountain are around ten degrees cooler than sea level. You get a fantastic view of the city from Jebel Jais.
Jebel Jais
The summit is accessible by hiking, a short distance after Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi’s palace, which is situated near the UAE’s highest point.
Jebel Jais ZipLine 2,832 m long, is the world’s longest zip line. It was opened on the mountain in February 2018. The users can travel at speeds of up to 150 km/h.
Ski Dubai, the indoor ski centre is located inside the Mall of the Emirates. It has a floor area of 4,500 sq m. The ski centre provides all necessary equipment and clothing to guests, so you don’t need to worry about bringing all of your winter gear to Dubai. There are five ski runs, the longest being over 1,300ft with some 6000 tons of ice. There is also a zone for freestyle snowboarding and an area for snowball fights and tobogganing. There is a cafe at the ski centre where you can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.
Penguins Show
There are four shows of Penguin March every day at 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm, and 8 pm. It is good to watch at least one show. You can get up close and personal with these incredible creatures to discover more about how the species survive in some of the coldest conditions on Earth.
Ski school
Ski School
There is a Ski School at the centre. The lessons are available for all skill levels (beginners, intermediate and advanced). The objective of the school is to get you to master the slopes quickly.
The ski centre offers several packages to suit your requirements. The slope packages will enable you to enjoy the slopes. To enjoy the slope package you should select one of the Ski Dubai Experience Packages that offer Slope access and you must have the minimum skills of intermediate level 2 to access our slopes.
School package
Snow Park Packages
Snow Park Packages allow engaging in snow sports. With the Penguin package, you can enjoy the penguins in the park. School packages provide for school excursions. The corporate package allows businesses to hold corporate events in the park. The attractions available are the giant zorbing ball, ice cave, Mountain Thriller ride and more. When you hit the slopes you will discover why this snow-filler attraction is one of Dubai’s must-visit destinations.
Corporate package
Ski Dubai is open every day. From Sunday to Wednesday, it is opened from 10 am to 11 pm. On Thursday, it is open from 10 am to midnight. Friday and Saturday, the hours are 9 am to 11 pm. You would spend 2 to 3 hours in Ski Dubai.
Burj Park by Emaar is a 5km (3.1m) stretch of land through Downtown Dubai, located in the middle of Burj Lake. This is a suitable place for a picnic. It was designed for a high-end range of corporate events and exhibitions including banquets, weddings, concerts and product launches.The events include such as Dubai Light show, Auto Show and The Market OTB, a pop-up market celebrating the Dubai Shopping Festival. Burj Park by Emaar is at walking distance from Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa, the tallest building.
Dining options at Burj park
Yeldizlar is a restaurant located at the Burj Park in Dubai. The restaurant serves authentic Lebanese cuisine in the Downtown area. The Vida Food Truck is a popular take-out option located near Burj Park. The burgers are a must-try item from the menu.
Dubai Fountain
It is a good place to watch Dubai Fountain at night when the park lights up with specially fabricated cube-shaped lights. The Dubai Fountain is the world’s tallest performing fountain and it’s located in Burj Park Dubai. The massive fountain stretches over 275 metres in length. The Dubai Fountain performs to a wide range of songs, right from contemporary pop songs to classic hits. Its powerful water nozzles shoot over 22,000 gallons water up to heights, equivalent to that of a 50-storey building. The luminescent colour projections create a visual treat for crowds making it a popular attraction with both visitors and residents.
Burj Park
The three fingers statue at Burj Khalifa Park in Dubai
Three Fingers Statue
The Three Fingers Statue is found here. It is a “Win, Victory, Love” sign. The statue depicts a three-finger salute, which High Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum created to be a logo for the UAE. The statue could be seen in front the Khalifa tower, with an explanation of it beneath the statue itself to help the viewers to understand the story behind the whole statue and the story of its installation and more.
There are dedicated bicycle stands allowing visitors to hire a bike and cycle across this beautiful park.
Wings of Mexico
Wings of Mexico
The Wings of Mexico is a sculpture specifically designed for the park by Mexican artist Jorge Marin. The Wings of Mexico celebrates human potential, dreams and victories. The Wings of Mexico are on permanent display in several cities including Dubai, Los Angeles, Singapore, Nagoya, Madrid and Berlin. It celebrates human potential, their dreams and victories. This sculpture is a representation of the human desire to take flight and explore the world, experiencing the woes and joys of the adventures.
Burj Park
There are a few restaurants and cafes nearby the park. There are more restaurants and cafes at Emaar Boulevard.
Burj Dubai Park permits free entry. It is open 24 hours and does not have fencing. Sometimes the park is used for events, shows and concerts. During this time the access to that area may be restricted. There is underground car parking nearby off Emaar Boulevard
