Most people going to this country from Baku start by saying Dubai and finish by saying Dubai. And yet the United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven separate emirates, and Dubai is only one of them. Next door there is a conservative emirate where alcohol is banned altogether, a mountain approaching two thousand metres, a completely different sea looking out on the Gulf of Oman, and the dunes of the Empty Quarter. In this article I have gathered in one place what each of the seven emirates promises, the distances between them, the rules and the budget.
The United Arab Emirates in brief
| Structure | A federation of seven emirates, founded in 1971 |
| Capital | Abu Dhabi; most of the territory belongs to this emirate too |
| Currency | The dirham (AED), pegged to the dollar; cards work everywhere |
| Language | Arabic is official, in practice English is everywhere |
| Days off | Saturday and Sunday |
| Best time | November–March; June–September means 45 degrees and humidity |
| Flight | Direct from Baku, about 3 hours |
The entry regime is convenient for citizens of Azerbaijan and there is no need to obtain a visa separately; I have explained the conditions in detail in the article on the entry rules. The passport’s validity and the return ticket, though, are checked at the border.
The seven emirates: what each one promises
Dubai means entertainment, shopping and tall buildings; it is the country’s shop window. Abu Dhabi is quieter and is the cultural centre of gravity: the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Louvre’s desert branch, the Formula 1 circuit and the Liwa desert are all there. There are a hundred and forty kilometres between the two, so a day trip is entirely possible.
Sharjah counts as the cultural capital, its museums are serious and its old city has been restored. It has one important difference: alcohol is banned here completely, even in the hotels. A tourist who does not know that is left baffled at the restaurant in the evening. Ajman and Umm Al Quwain are small, cheap, quiet coastal emirates, the sort of place locals escape to for the weekend.
Ras Al Khaimah is the mountain emirate. Jebel Jais is the country’s highest peak and the world’s longest zip line runs there; even in summer the air at the top is ten degrees cooler than below. Fujairah is the one emirate whose coast looks out on the Gulf of Oman, which means a completely different sea, and it is also the best place for diving. The country’s oldest mosque is in that emirate too.
Transport and distances in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates is a small country and everywhere is at most two or three hours from everywhere else. Buses and cars are the main means of travel between cities, while the passenger rail network is opening in stages, so check the current state of it before you set off. Dubai has its own metro and it is enough for getting around the city.
| Dubai – Sharjah | 30 minutes, but over an hour at peak times |
| Dubai – Abu Dhabi | About 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Dubai – Ras Al Khaimah | About 1 hour |
| Dubai – Fujairah | About 2 hours, through the mountains |
| Abu Dhabi – Al Ain | About 1 hour 30 minutes |
If you are going to see several emirates, renting a car is the most sensible option. Get your international driving licence ready in advance; the electronic toll system on the roads is charged to your account by the rental company. Inside the cities taxis are cheap, and a fixed-price transfer from the airport to the hotel is a comfortable solution for anyone arriving at night.
The desert, the mountains and the Al Ain oasis
The desert tours around Dubai are built for tourists and take a few hours. If you want to see the real desert you have to go to the Liwa oasis; that is the edge of the Empty Quarter and the dunes rise to three hundred metres. You feel the difference on the spot, because there is not a building on the horizon.
Al Ain lies inside the emirate of Abu Dhabi and is the country’s green face. Its date palm oases are on the UNESCO list, and water channels built thousands of years ago still work today. The road climbing Jebel Hafeet is one of the best routes for a sunset. On these trips, taking a guided day tour in advance is easier than hunting for a car.
Rules, food and budget
A measure is expected in dress: keep shoulders and knees covered in public places, and women put on a headscarf when entering a mosque. Alcohol is sold in licensed hotels and restaurants, drinking in the street is forbidden and carries a fine, and in Sharjah there is none at all. During Ramadan you have to refrain from eating and smoking in public during the day, and the rules differ slightly from emirate to emirate.
As for food, local dishes are not much in evidence, because most restaurants are international. Machboos, the spiced rice-and-meat dish, and the sweet luqaimat are worth seeking out. The budget depends entirely on your own choices: a night in a three-star hotel in the centre is about 60–110 euros, while in the resort zone that figure doubles or triples, and filtering the hotel options by district shows the difference straight away.
The season in the United Arab Emirates
November–March is the only comfortable period: 22–28 degrees during the day and cool evenings on the coast. April and October are transitional months, the heat is already noticeable but the sea season carries on. In June–September the temperature passes forty-five and the humidity makes it heavier still; in that period all of life happens in air-conditioned spaces. In exchange, hotel prices drop sharply in those months, and for a family trip that is a real way to save.
Frequently asked questions
How many days are enough in the United Arab Emirates?
For a first trip five or six days is a good measure. Three days in Dubai, one in Abu Dhabi and one in a mountain or coastal emirate. If you are going only for the shopping, three days will do.
Which emirate is the better value to stay in?
Sharjah and Ajman are cheaper than Dubai and the distance is short, but at peak times the journey drags. If you are staying several days, being on the metro line often gains you more in travel time.
Is it comfortable to travel with a child?
Yes, especially in the winter months. The aquariums, theme parks and beach areas are built for children and the infrastructure is very convenient. In the summer months the programme moves entirely to indoor places.
In closing
Treating this country as nothing but Dubai is the most widespread mistake, when an hour on the road opens up a desert, a mountain and another sea. Go in winter, combine several emirates, and know the Sharjah rule in advance. For ready-made programmes covering several emirates you can look at the offers for Gulf tours, and it pays to watch the price of Baku–Dubai flights in advance. The entry rules are gathered on the country page, and to build the route together fill in the application form. Official state information is published on the u.ae portal.
Note: the prices and rules here are as of the publication date; check them from an official source before your trip.
