Hatta is located nearly 130 km from central Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. It is located high in the Hajar Mountains. Formerly an Omani territory, its ownership was transferred to Dubai in or around 1850. Hatta’s craggy mountain cliffs, scattered springs and lush valleys offer a stark contrast to the glassy facades of the city. Hike up the Hajar mountains and you will get to see breathtaking views of the historical village. The area was once called Al Hajerin, or Al Hajeran, in reference to the two mountain peaks guarding its north and south borders.
Old village of Hatta
The old village of Hatta includes two prominent military towers from the 1880s, a fort from 1896 and the Juma mosque, which was built in 1780 and is the oldest building in Hatta. The traditional water supply was through the falaj system, which also has been restored.
Hatta Heritage Village
The restored, centuries-old Hatta Heritage Village features a defensive tower, stone houses with palm-frond roofs, and falaj, the traditional water system. Other exhibits include traditional weapons, furniture and crockery. At the nearby Hatta Dam, the Hatta Reservoir Visitor Point overlooks the pools of striking green water.
Since Hatta is located in the mountains, it was the summer habitation of Dubai-based families escaping the heat and humidity of the coast and trying new outdoor activities.
The Hatta Dam
The Hatta Dam was constructed in the late 1990s. Hatta Dam is now one of the main attractions in the area, with the bright, turquoise water set against the earthy rock for a picturesque vista. Visitors can drive along the dam and stop at viewpoints for photographs, or trek across it and down the hilly terrain or kayak across the quiet lake formed by the dam.
Hatta Fort
Hatta Fort
Hatta Fort, built in 1896, is one of the most significant architectural monuments in the UAE. The structure served as a residence and defence facility with a large internal courtyard and an 11m-high watchtower. The building was restored in 1995. The two round watchtowers overlooking the mountain village were built in the 1880s. They are located 2.5m above ground level with a small door and semi-circular staircase leading to the roof. Guards would use ropes to scale the towers and enter through the doors.
Hatta Hill Park
Hatta Hill Park was built in 2004. The nearly 64sqkm area is popular for picnics and barbecues, as well as a tower, which makes for an excellent vantage point.
Hatta Heritage Village
Hatta Heritage Village
Hatta Heritage Village in the central town is a restored museum. It comprises 30 buildings, including huts and houses, reconstructed as they were hundreds of years ago. The Village also houses relics and documents of past life, where you’ll learn about Dubai’s Arabian heritage from food to folklore. There are two watchtowers and a fort, as well as a mosque from olden times. The museum also hosts several events during UAE holidays such as National Day (2 December).
Hatta Wadi Hub
Hatta Wadi Hub is the town’s home of action and adventure, open in winter. Here you can try your hand at archery and axe throwing. You can go twin ziplining with a friend. You can opt to paraglide with the Bird Eye Parachuting Club that will take you soaring into the air 500 feet off the ground. The 52 km of mountain biking trails provide cross-country bike paths of varying difficulty levels, encouraging novices and professionals to enjoy the picturesque alleys.
If you want to stay overnight, book at the Hatta Damani Lodges or Hatta Sedr Trailers, both providing chic accommodation nestled in the mountains. Hatta Dome Park will give you the ultimate glamping experience. Hatta Caravan Park is the first luxury caravan park in the region.
The JA Hatta Fort Hotel is great if you’re looking for a resort-style stay. The hotel has its own restaurants, spa, mini golf and petting zoo, while every room and suite comes with mountainside views.
Larger groups visiting Hatta can choose from one of several farm house rentals, including The Reef and Happiness Farm, each complete with facilities such as BBQ areas and a pool for the kids to splash around in.
Al-Hajar Mountains are in the eastern United Arab Emirates (UAE) cutting through the northern interior of the UAE. The rocky and rugged terrain provides a serious challenge for hiking enthusiasts. For nature lovers, the wadis (dry riverbeds or valleys) hidden within this region are prime territory for hiking, climbing, and bird-watching. Specialised adventure tour operators in Dubai and Ras Al-Khaimah offer wadi tours focused on these activities.
Hajar Mountains road trips
The Hajar Mountains are also great for road trips. Al Hajar Mountains extend for 700 kilometres (430 miles) through the UAE and Oman. The mountains are rich in plant life compared to the rest of Arabia. The lower elevations are covered with shrub land while at higher elevation between 3,630 and 8,250 ft there are wild olive and fig trees. There are also mammals and birds thriving in this mountain.
Some of the small Hajar Mountain villages in Ras Al-Khaimah and Fujairah are scattered with historic watchtowers and small forts, which make good stopovers along the way.
In recent years Hatta has become one of the most popular Hajar Mountain bases providing kayaking on Hatta Lake and mountain biking in the surrounding area.
Hajar Mountains
Day trip to Hajar mountains
Only a part of the Hajar Mountains is in the UAE, but most of its territory is located in Oman. Before visiting the mountains, make sure that you have proper visa and travel authorisation for Oman as well. It is good to pack well before a hiking trip to the Hajar Mountains as you may find yourself away from most of the population. There are a few villages nearby, but it’s unlikely that hikers will be able to purchase food or water. If you wish to camp out in the beautiful mountain range, you should also bring along your camping equipment. You should also have warm clothing as temperature may drop to below 0 degrees Celsius during winter, and it will be chilly during the traditionally hot summers.
Camping on Hajar mountains
Visitors are free to camp anywhere other than the cultivated areas, but should look for higher spots to set up camp and avoid wadis as the wadis quite often flood unexpectedly. You should bring your own camping gear for cooking and sleeping as these things will not be available in the range.
The Hajar Mountains are also full of historical spots, such as the archaeological sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn. These ruins tell the story of the people and their simple life long before skyscrapers and luxurious hotels.
Jebel Hafeet (variously transcribed Jabal, Jabel or Jebal and Hafit or Hafeet) literally means “empty mountain”. This is the only mountain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and one of the highest mountains in the UAE. An extensive natural cave system winds through Jabal Hafeet. The mountain is part of a national desert park, called “Jebel Hafeet National Park”. The park includes the Hafit Graves, Mezyad Fort, and related oases.
Jebel Hafeet offers a breathtaking view of the Rub’ al-Khali, the largest sand desert in the world, and the city of Al Ain, an oasis included in the UNESCO World Heritage lists.
When to visit and where to eat
It is best to visit the Jebel Hafeet in the summer months, that is, from April to September. Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet hotel is located atop the mountain. It offers 3 restaurants and 3 swimming pools with water slides. A blend of French, Moroccan and Italian food is served at Le Belvedere and oriental food can be tasted at the Orient Café.
History from Jebel Hafeet
In UAE history, the period from 3200 to 2600 BCE (Bronze Age), is called Hafit Period, named after this mountain. A cluster of important Bronze Age beehive tombs were discovered at the foothills of this mountain. This mountain region was incorporated into the Sheikh Zayed Network of Protected Areas in 2018. The excavations found evidence for ceramic vessels and copper artifacts in these tombs. Other objects found in the tombs include ceramics from Mesopotamia, and artifacts from ancient Iran and the Indus Valley of present-day India and Pakistan, indicating the trading relationships in antiquity. Most of the archaeological finds from this area can be seen in the museums of Al Ain.
Jebel Hafeet tombs
At the foot of Jebel Hafeet lies a tourist attraction with hot springs and a lake. To the northeast is the mountain’s largest wadi(valley), Wadi Tarabat.
Hafeet Mountain Road
The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road, built in 1980, is 11.7 km long and leads to the top of the mountain. It has 60 turns and three lanes (two climbing and one descending). Abu Dhabi Tour, an annual road cycling competition is held on this road. You will get the entire view of the Al Ain city sprawling beneath it from the top of the mountain. On top of the mountain there is a vast parking lot. Since 2018, barbecuing in the mountain area has been banned, but there are dedicated spots for barbecuing in Jebel Hafeet Park for campers.
Jebel Hafeet mountain road
Jebel Hafeet Tombs Al Ain
On the eastern side of the mountain there are several ancient burial sites of the people who are believed to have been inhabited the oasis. These tombs were built 5000 years ago at the beginning of the bronze age. The artifacts dug out from here prove the trade links with Mesopotamia and India.
The tombs found here are called ‘beehive tombs’ because of their unique hexagonal shape. A team of danish archeologists first discovered these tombs, thereafter, many more experts came to study the site from different parts of the world. Today, Jebel Hafeet tombs are one of the most visited tourist places in Al Ain.
The Sharjah Art Museum is one of the leading art institutions in the Persian Gulf region. The museum has a collection of modern and contemporary art by artists from the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries. It also organises and hosts temporary exhibitions and educational events. Some of the temporary exhibitions are created in collaboration with other prominent museums such as Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amsterdam, TATE Britain in London, Barjeel Art Foundation in the UAE, and The Gibran Museum in Lebanon.
Sharjah Art Museum
Sharjah Art Museum Building
The new building of the Sharjah Art Museum was established on April 7, 1997, under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, the Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah during the 3rd Sharjah International Arts Biennial. It has a total floor area of 111,000 m² with galleries over two floors and an underground car park beneath it. The building consists of two wings, interconnected by two passageways over an inner street. Sixty-eight halls of various sizes cover the total area. The current building with its wind tower architecture, is one of the main landmarks in Arts Square.
Sharjah Art Museum Building is regularly used as one of the exhibition venues of the Sharjah Biennial, organized by the Sharjah Art Foundation.
Inside Sharjah Art Museum
Exhibits at Sharjah Art Museum
The Barjeel Collection Wing houses contemporary Arab art from the 20th century to the present as well as art from the 18th and 19th century created by both Arab artists and the European artists who focused on the Middle East in their work.
Beyond the welcome hall, the Museum Collection is sorted into themes such as Abstract art, Resistance art, ‘Hurufiyya’ (the art of the letter), Beaux-arts, the Utopian Village, Modernities, Symbolism and Folklore. Beirut born Saloua Raouda Choucair’s masterpiece Poem, a wooden sculpture that dates back to circa 1960 is without doubt one of the highlights of the collection.
Inside Sharjah Art Museum
The Fine Art Library located at Sharjah Art Museum consists of over 4000 titles written in Arabic, English, and other languages, besides an archive of visual and audio materials.
Permanent collections include paintings and sculptures by renowned artists in the Middle East, including: Abdulqader Al Rais, Ahmed Al Ansari, Louay Kayali, Bashir Sinwar, Faiq Hassan, Mohammed Yusuf and Ismail Fatah Al-Turk.
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.
