Al Ain, on the eastern edge of the United Arab Emirates, is an oasis town surrounded by high mountains. It has been continuously settled since 3000 BC and was once an important staging post on the caravan route to Oman. Today it is important for date growing and increasingly for tourism with its many oases and gardens and its long archaeological heritage. Visitors may also enjoy the traditional camel market which takes place every morning.
Museums and archaeology
A good place to start is the National Museum, which is divided into two sections covering archaeology and ethnography. The archaeology section includes articles from ancient tombs excavated in the town and surrounding area. It also has a display showing the working of the falaj, an ancient system of irrigation that is still in use in the town's oases today. The ethnographic section includes Bedouin jewellery, musical instruments and weapons as well as a series of photographs showing the country as it was 50 years ago, a surprising contrast with the oil funded high rise cities of today.
Outside the museum is the Eastern Fort, one of 18 forts in the city. Properly known as the Fort of Sheik Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan it was for many years the home of the former ruler of Abu Dhabi. The National Museum is open every day except for Monday and there is a small entry charge.
The Hili Archaeological Park is situated a little way from the centre of the town, on the remains of a Bronze Age settlement. The site has been excavated and landscaped and there is an adjoining public garden. Artefacts from the site can be seen in the National Museum.
Oases
Al Ain literally means 'the spring' and the town has seven oases, fed by natural springs from the surrounding mountains. The Al Ain Oasis, next to the National Museum, is a good place to escape the crowds (and the sun!) and there are many cool and shady places for a picnic. Mud brick walls divide the oasis into separate plots full of date palms and you can see the traditional falaj in use.
Dates are the biggest agricultural crop in the UAE and much of their production is concentrated in Al Ain. The autumn harvest is a tradition that goes back for thousands of years and involves whole families in picking dates, removing stalks and leaving the fruit to dry.
Jebel Hafeet
Nearby Jebel Hafeet is the second highest mountain in the UAE and reaches up to 1240m. A winding road up the barren limestone hillside takes you to a car park near the top and a footpath allows you to climb higher if you wish. The reward is views into neighbouring Oman and across the endless sandy desert of the UAE that is known as The Empty Quarter. The mountain is rich in fossils and ancient tombs have been excavated here.
At the base of the mountain is Green Mubazzarah, a landscaped park with grassy hillsides and streams. There are picnic areas in the park, and camping and holiday chalets are available.
Practical information
Al Ain is approximately 120 km from Dubai and 150 km from Abu Dhabi. There are good roads through the desert from both cities and regular air-conditioned buses run on these routes. Within the town taxis are easy to find. However, whether you drive or travel by public transport make sure that you have a good map before you set off: the roads can be confusing and taxi drivers often have a limited knowledge of English.
International food can be found in the large hotels. The Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet, halfway up the mountain, serves an extensive lunchtime buffet. Alternatively, you can simply take pot luck in one of the many Arabic cafés in the town centre where you will be given a warm welcome by the locals as they play backgammon or smoke hookahs.
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