DUBAI Day Trips: UAE East Coast & Mountains

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What a different vista of this fascinating region!

A day trip from Dubai to the beautiful UAE East Coast and the Emirate of Fujairah via stunning mountain scenery!

Here is a video of the whole trip:

A Day Trip through 4 Emirates:

Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah and Fujairah – the latter being the only emirate on the East Coast. All others are on the West Coast.

This is the route we took….

After a brief drive through Sharjah, we entered the desert highway towards the mountains.

Friday Market in Masafi

First stop was Friday Market in Masafi – a typical tourist stop…

Not sure if it’s still used by locals, but fruit and veggies looked fresh and there were also carpets and locally crafted ceramics on display.

Friday Market lies outside the city limits of Masafi which is best known for its drinking water desalination plant. Most water bottles in the UAE will be “Masafi Water” and we passed the big water plant along the way.

Heading into the Mountains

Then we headed deeper into the mountains – and they were stunning!

Rugged, barren and beautiful!

It is also from these mountains that rocks were harvested to provide solid foundations for Palm Jumeirah and the World Islands.

A beautiful mountain highway:

And finally the northernmost town of Dibba with a beautiful mosque near the town’s square.

Five minutes later we saw the ocean – always my favorite site – in this case, the Gulf of Oman, part of the Indian Ocean.

A dip in the Indian Ocean

We drove along the coast for a while and then stopped for a lunch at this lovely beach resort:

Enough time to take a dip in the ocean and just enjoy the beauty around…

The UAE East Coast has experienced a boom in recent years with beach resorts springing up everywhere and many UAE residents (including the many expats) choosing a “staycation” here rather than flying home.

It is beautiful and quiet out here. Quite a contrast to the busy West Coast.

If you plan on staying here, it’s best to book during the week as the weekends get a lot more crowded (weekends in the UAE are Friday and Saturday – not Sunday).

The oldest and smallest mosque in the UAE

Pleasantly replenished and rested, we continued down the coast to the oldest and smallest mosque in the UAE – Al Bidiya Mosque. This little gem….

The views from atop the hill were amazing.

Then we continued down the coast, past a large number of oil storage facilities to the city of Fujairah.

Most of the oil produce in the UAE is transported here to be loaded onto ships to Asia. The East Coast is much safer and easier to reach than the West Coast which requires passage through a narrow strait into the Persian Gulf.

We briefly stopped at a gas station, and I couldn’t resist taking a pic of an Arabian McDonald’s …:)

The Capital of Fujairah

The city of Fujairah, the emirate’s capital, rounded off this fascinating day with two beautiful landmarks:

Fujairah Fort, probably the oldest fort in the UAE with a rich history…..

….and, Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the second largest mosque in the UAE after the Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi:

Another magnificent example of Arab architecture and exquisite style.

This concluded our wonderful excursion to a very different world within the UAE, and we returned via another desert highway back to Dubai.

A lovely day, well organized once again by Arabian Adventures, and well worth your time if you get the chance.

For more information or to book a trip with Arabian Adventures, please visit their website at www.Arabian-Adventures.com – this is the direct link to their East Coast Tour

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More Fun Activities in Dubai:

DESERT SAFARI – A must do! – and another well organized tour with Arabian Adventures. Unforgettable dune ride in a 4-wheel drive, falcon show, spectacular sunset and Bedouin Dinner.

DUBAI YACHT CRUISE – one of the most fun activities of my entire stay. Do not leave without doing a Yacht Cruise around Palm Jumeirah Island and the Marina Canal. I was fabulous!

DHOW DINNER CRUISE – its nightly counterpart – the fantastic light show of the nightly Marina from the comfort of a historic Dhow Boat

DUBAI DAY TRIPS: ABU DHABI – the other major city in the UAE, with a very different vibe….

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