If you really know well what you’ll see and experience in Al Ain, you will definitely want to make a trip to this garden city, which is about an hour’s drive to the east of Abu Dhabi. Children will love the old forts, Al Ain Zoo, and Wadi Adventure, a man-made park with white-water rafting and kayaking. There is much to see and do in Al Ain and Yalla lists everything you need to know!
Al Ain Culture & Heritage Itineraries
Though Al Ain is a relatively sleepy city in the desert, visitors may be surprised to discover that it has surfing, safari parks, luxurious hotels and shopping malls, as well as an increasingly fine dining scene. Don’t leave the UAE without spending a few days in the Oasis City.
About Al Ain
The garden city of Al Ain is set between the desert and the mountains that provide the springs for its extensive oasis. As the old centre of government, many of the emirate’s traditional forts are found in Al Ain.
Al Ain Oasis
If you are looking to get out of the city and explore the emirate of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain should be at the top of the list with UNESCO Heritage site, Al Ain Oasis, your very first stop.
Weekends at The Oasis
‘Weekends at the Oasis’ treats visitors to a market showcasing locally grown farm products, traditional oasis-inspired handicrafts, Emirati cooking demonstrations, fun games, horse riding and bicycle tours, an educational workshop on Falaj, and arts & crafts workshops for all ages!
Al Jahili Fort
If Al Jahili Fort’s ancient walls could talk, they’re bound to reveal much drama. Learn, discover and enjoy edutainment activities at one of the UAE’s largest forts.
Qasr Al Muwaiji
If you are keen to explore Al Ain, no trip is complete without a visit to Qasr Al Muwaji. Beyond the ancient fortress, there’s a wealth of programming on. Yalla breaks offer an Al Ain must list.
Al Qattara Arts Centre
The Al Qattara Arts Centre is a first of its kind in Al Ain, providing the city’s 400,000 residents a long-overdue opportunity to explore a variety of artistic avenues. It is not only a place for people to see art, but also a place to create it. The centre’s art gallery displays art by expatriate and Emirati artists. There also is a permanent venue for archaeological and heritage exhibits and studios for art classes.
Al Ain Palace Museum
Qasr al-Ain or ‘Al Ain Palace’, is one of the best-reinstated forts in the Abu Dhabi emirate. The museum showcases the everyday life in a ruler’s fort when the late Sheikh Zayed and his family resided in the palace prior to 1966. The Bedouin style architecture dates back to 1937 and was converted into a museum in 1998 as a main cultural and tourist attraction.
