Centre
First-timersHotels close to Al Ain Oasis, the Palace Museum and Al Jahili Fort, all within a short taxi ride of each other.
Al Ain city guide
Things To Do In Al Ain
The garden city of the UAE, an inland oasis of date palms and ancient falaj water channels, with mud-brick forts, a camel market and a mountain road up Jebel Hafeet.
2011
Joins UNESCO
1,249 m
Jebel Hafeet
Falaj
Ancient water channels
The oasis city
Al Ain is an oasis city in the east of Abu Dhabi emirate, on the border with Oman, and the birthplace of Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's founding president. People have farmed here for thousands of years, and its date-palm oases, watered by ancient falaj irrigation channels, and its Bronze Age tombs are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is green, low-rise and relaxed, the opposite of Dubai's towers, and its nickname is the Garden City. Most of its best sights, from the oasis to the forts and the archaeological park, are free.
One or two days is right, with sunset from the top of Jebel Hafeet, the mountain on the edge of town.
Where to stay
Stay in the centre, near the oasis.
Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Al Ain
Walk through Al Ain Oasis, a shady maze of more than 147,000 date palms with working falaj channels running between them. It's free, and cooler under the palms than in the streets outside.
Visit Al Jahili Fort, a late nineteenth-century fort with round towers and an exhibition on the explorer Wilfred Thesiger, and the Al Ain Palace Museum, the former family home of Sheikh Zayed. Qasr Al Muwaiji, another restored fort, is where the late President Sheikh Khalifa was born.
At Hili Archaeological Park, see the Hili Grand Tomb, a round stone tomb from around 2000 BCE. Go to the camel market early in the morning, when traders are busiest.
Drive up the winding road to the top of Jebel Hafeet, about 1,240 metres high, for sunset over the desert, then soak your feet in the hot springs at Green Mubazzarah park at the bottom.
Free things
Free things to do in Al Ain
Al Ain is one of the best-value places in the UAE because so much of it is free. Al Ain Oasis, Al Jahili Fort, Qasr Al Muwaiji, Hili Archaeological Park and the Al Qattara Arts Centre all have no entry fee.
The hot springs at Green Mubazzarah, at the foot of Jebel Hafeet, are free to soak your feet in, and the park is popular for picnics.
The camel market and the drive up Jebel Hafeet cost nothing either, though you need a car or a taxi to get there.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Al Ain
Al Ain is famous for its dates, grown in the oases; buy them fresh at the date market. Cheap Indian, Pakistani and Arab cafeterias serve biryani, shawarma and grills, and the city's malls have plenty of chains.
Try Emirati dishes such as machboos, spiced rice with meat, and harees, slow-cooked wheat and meat, especially during Ramadan.
A meal costs €4 to €10 (AED 15 to 40).
Nightlife
Going out in Al Ain
Al Ain is quiet and conservative at night. Alcohol is limited to a few licensed hotel bars.
Evenings are for the sunset on Jebel Hafeet, a walk in the parks, and late dinners when the heat drops.
Getting around
Getting around Al Ain
Intercity buses reach Abu Dhabi and Dubai in about one and a half to two hours and are cheap. Etihad Rail doesn't serve Al Ain yet.
In town, taxis are cheap and easy. A car is best for Jebel Hafeet, the camel market and Green Mubazzarah, which are spread out on the edge of the city.
The Oman border is right next to the city, but crossing needs the right visa and documents, so check before you try.
Costs
What Al Ain costs
Al Ain is cheaper than Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Budget rooms start around €30 and a careful day costs €40 to €60.
Most of the sights are free, so your main costs are your room, food and taxis.
The currency is the dirham (AED), pegged to the US dollar, at about 4.3 to the euro. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere.
Safety
Staying safe in Al Ain
Al Ain is very safe and conservative. UAE law applies: drinking in public is illegal, drugs carry severe penalties (even traces in your blood), and swearing, rude gestures and photographing people without permission can lead to fines or arrest. Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
Al Ain is one of the hottest places in the UAE, often near 45°C in summer. Visit the oasis and forts in the morning, and carry water.
Emergency: 999 police, 998 ambulance.
Day trips from Al Ain
The mountain on the edge of town.
Jebel Hafeet
A 1,240-metre mountain on the Oman border, with a winding road to the top, sunset views over the desert and hot springs at its foot.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The date harvest fills the oasis in summer.
Summer
Date season
Al Ain Oasis
The harvest.
November to March
Winter
Al Ain
Best weather.
When to go
November to March, with warm days and cool nights. From May to September it is one of the hottest places in the country.
Jan
Peak season
Feb
Excellent
Mar
Good
Apr
Warming
May
Hot
Jun
Extreme heat
Jul
Extreme heat
Aug
Extreme heat
Sep
Hot
Oct
Good
Nov
Excellent
Dec
Peak season
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in dirhams locally; these are euro equivalents.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Al Ain travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Al Ain worth visiting?
Yes, for the UNESCO-listed oasis, the forts and Bronze Age tombs, and sunset on Jebel Hafeet. Most of it is free.
How do I get there?
By intercity bus from Abu Dhabi or Dubai, about 1.5 to 2 hours. Etihad Rail doesn't serve Al Ain yet.
What is a falaj?
An ancient irrigation channel that carries water from underground springs to the oasis.
Is Al Ain Oasis free?
Yes, and so are Al Jahili Fort, Qasr Al Muwaiji and Hili Archaeological Park.
When is the camel market best?
Early in the morning, when traders are busiest.
How many days do you need?
One or two.
Is it hot?
Very. It is one of the hottest places in the UAE, often near 45°C in summer.
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