Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EAST OF ABU DHABI
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Al Ain
03 / POP 614,000
With markets, forts, museums and a famous date-palm oasis, Al Ain is a breath of fresh air
after the frantic pace of Dubai and even Abu Dhabi, both about a two-hour drive away. On
the border with Oman, the birthplace of Sheikh Zayed has greatly benefited from his pat-
ronage and passion for greening the desert, even garnering the moniker 'Garden City'. But
the desert is never far away: simply drive the winding road up Jebel Hafeet for sweeping
views of the arid splendour that is the Empty Quarter. Al Ain itself is an increasingly dy-
namic place with a couple of excellent museums, an archaeological park, a superb zoo and
a relative abundance of greenery.
Al Ain rubs up against the town of Buraimi across the Omani border. Those who are not
citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) must use the
Hili border crossing
in northern
Al Ain and take a short taxi ride to the centre from there. GCC citizens can use the more
central
Al Mudeef crossing
.
