United Arab Emirates Travel and Destination Guide
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Highlights
- Liwa Oasis
- Deira Gold Souk, Dubai
From Bedouin roots to the Duty free heaven of Dubai, the UAE has had quite a ride. In the few short decades since the discovery of oil, the seven sheikhdoms that make up the United Arab Emirates have been transformed: a culture once characterized by desert tent camps is now known for gleaming skyscrapers that rise from the dunes. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are also the best known and most modern from souks to shopping malls, Dubai has always been a trading centre, while the federation's capital Abu Dhabi is all about oil. The desert always looms on the periphery, though, and outside the high-tech cities the artificial grid of streets quickly gives way to sand. This miraculous graft of Western consumerism on a traditional desert culture makes the Emirates what they are, where one can go from camel racing to clubbing or from a Bedouin tent to the most opulent hotel in the world in the blink of an eye.
Featured Trips in UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
7 days | From N/A Arabian Seatrek (AOAS)
North Africa / Middle East > United Arab Emirates
Highlights
Dubai, Sharjah, Dhow cruise, Habliyan Bay, Kumzar, Hiyut Beach, Telegraph ...
Trip Style: Classic
Service Level: Standard
Physical Grading: 2
This short adventure takes us to the astonishing Musandam Peninsula, Oman's rugged and arid northern tip, for an up close and personal look at one of Arabia's best kept secrets. Using a traditional dhow, we explore the fjords and islands of this barren land, swimming in azure waters and stopping overnight at remote coves.
