Day Trips from Dubai: 12 Routes by Drive Time

The best day trips from Dubai are Abu Dhabi for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the Louvre, Hatta for kayaking and mountain trails, Jebel Jais for the UAE’s highest peak, Al Ain for its UNESCO-listed oasis, and Khor Fakkan for the east coast mountains and beaches. Under an hour away, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain suit half days of museums, souks and mangroves. Two hours or more takes you to the Musandam fjords and the dunes of Liwa. Go between October and April, leave early, and drive yourself or book a tour, as most routes are easiest by car.

On this page

1. All 12 routes compared
2. Under 1 hour from Dubai
3. 1 to 2 hours from Dubai
4. Over 2 hours from Dubai
5. Half days without leaving Dubai
6. How to plan a day trip
7. Day trips by season
8. Day trips from Dubai FAQs

All 12 routes compared

Under 1 hour from Dubai

1. Sharjah: museums, souks and the waterfront

The UAE’s cultural capital is next door, and most of its sights are indoors, which makes it a good choice in any season. A good order:

• Morning: the Heart of Sharjah heritage area, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization and the Sharjah Arts Museum, then the Central Souk, known as the Blue Souk for its blue-tiled facade.
• Afternoon: Al Noor Island and its Butterfly House (entry about AED 35 to 50), or the Sharjah Aquarium (about AED 25 for adults).
• Evening: Al Majaz Waterfront for its fountain show and Al Qasba’s canal-side cafés, with the Ottoman-style Al Noor Mosque lit up across Khalid Lagoon.

Art lovers should add the Maraya Art Centre and the Sharjah Art Foundation. Sharjah is an alcohol-free emirate with a modest dress code in public: cover shoulders and knees. Avoid the Dubai to Sharjah roads between 7am and 9:30am and 5pm and 8pm on weekdays. More in places to visit in Sharjah.

2. Ajman: corniche, flamingos and fish market

• Ajman Museum in the 18th-century fort, for local history.
• Al Zorah Nature Reserve: mangroves, flamingos in winter, and guided kayak tours.
• Ajman Corniche: a calm public beach with cafés, best at sunset.
• Fish market and dhow yard, where wooden dhows are still built by hand.
• For kids: Ajman Festival Land and the indoor Tarfih Karting at Al Zorah.

See things to do in Ajman.

3. Umm Al Quwain: mangroves and empty beaches

• Mangrove Beach: about AED 20 per car, with kayaks from about AED 75; paddle at high tide.
• Umm Al Quwain Zoo at Kabir, with giraffe feeding.
• Umm Al Quwain Fort and Museum in the old town, and boat trips to Al Sinniyah Island for birdlife.
• In summer: Dreamland Aqua Park.

1 to 2 hours from Dubai

4. Mleiha and the Sharjah desert: fossils, archaeology and stars

Inland Sharjah has evidence of people living here more than 100,000 years ago, and some of the darkest skies near Dubai. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre has a museum (from about AED 15) and guided tours of Bronze Age and Iron Age tombs, fossil beds and the Faya Palaeolandscape, from about AED 175 to 190 for adults. See Fossil Rock and Camel Rock on one of the centre’s guided dune tours (private vehicles are not allowed into Mleiha National Park), then stay for stargazing. On the way, Buhais Geology Park explains the rocks, Sharjah Safari at Al Dhaid has African-style safari tours, and the Sharjah Desert Park has Arabian wildlife.

5. Abu Dhabi: the Grand Mosque, the museums and Yas Island

A first-timer’s day: the Grand Mosque at 9am, then the Saadiyat museums (see the Saadiyat Cultural District), lunch, Qasr Al Watan or Qasr Al Hosn, and sunset on the Corniche. From 30 October 2026 to 14 March 2027, end at the Sheikh Zayed Festival at Al Wathba. More in places to visit in Abu Dhabi.

6. Al Ain: the Garden City

• Al Ain Oasis: shaded walks through date palms watered by ancient falaj channels, part of the UNESCO-listed Cultural Sites of Al Ain; free.
• Al Jahili Fort, built in 1891, and the Al Ain Palace Museum, Sheikh Zayed’s former home.
• Al Ain Zoo: about AED 31.50 for adults; it was due back from its summer closure on 5 September 2026.
• Camel Souk: the UAE’s biggest camel market, busiest in the morning.
• Jebel Hafeet: a mountain road climbing to more than 1,200 metres, best at sunset, with the Green Mubazzarah hot springs park at its foot.

See the full Al Ain day trip.

7. Hatta: kayaks, trails and heritage

Dubai’s mountain enclave in the Hajar mountains, about 130 km away. Leave Dubai by 6:30am to kayak on Hatta Dam while the water is calm, then spend the day at Hatta Wadi Hub (ziplines, an aerial adventure park, archery and mountain bikes), the Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls, the free Hatta Heritage Village and the hiking trails. Hatta’s resorts and Wadi Hub opened their new season on 28 September 2026. Plan the day with things to do in Hatta.

8. Ras Al Khaimah and Jebel Jais: the highest peak

Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest mountain, is usually about 10 degrees cooler than the coast, which makes it the one day trip that works in summer. The road winds up past the Jais Viewing Deck Park at 1,250 metres. At the top:

• Jais Flight, one of the world’s longest ziplines, from about AED 350; riders need to weigh 40 to 120 kg.
• Jais Sledder, a mountain toboggan, from about AED 45 to 50 a ride.
• Hiking trails, viewpoints and mountain restaurants.

Down in the city, visit the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah in the old fort, Dhayah Fort on its hill above the date farms, and the abandoned pearling village at Al Jazirah Al Hamra. Finish on a RAK beach. More in the Ras Al Khaimah day trip.

9. Khor Fakkan and Kalba: the east coast in Sharjah

• Shees Park: a mountain park with a 25-metre waterfall, and the old village of Wadi Shees.
• Al Rafisah Dam: kayaks and pedal boats on a mountain lake.
• Al Suhub Rest Area: a café viewpoint high above Khor Fakkan bay.
• Khor Fakkan: the beach, the waterfront and the Al Rabi trail; see things to do in Khor Fakkan.
• Kalba, further south: kayaking in the Khor Kalba mangroves, home to the rare white-collared kingfisher, and new lakeside parks. The Kalba Bird of Prey Centre has run falcon and owl flying displays; check it is open before you go.

10. Fujairah: forts, mosques and mountains

• Fujairah Fort, one of the oldest in the UAE, with the Fujairah Museum next door; entry is free or a few dirhams.
• Sheikh Zayed Mosque Fujairah, the UAE’s second-largest mosque.
• The “Friday Market” on the road through Masafi, open every day, for pottery, carpets and fruit.
• Wadi Wurayah: a protected area with a year-round waterfall; check the permit rules first.
• Al Hayl Fort in the mountains, and the Fujairah Corniche at sunset.

See the Fujairah day trip.

Over 2 hours from Dubai

11. Dibba, Al Aqah and Musandam: snorkelling and fjords

The northern east coast, on the Gulf of Oman, has the UAE’s best snorkelling. Wade out to Snoopy Island off Al Aqah, visit Al Bidyah Mosque, thought to be the oldest mosque in the UAE, and relax on Fujairah’s beaches. From Dibba, dhow cruises sail into the fjords of Musandam in Oman, with swimming and snorkelling stops; trips from Khasab, about three hours from Dubai, have the most dramatic scenery and often stop at Telegraph Island.

12. Liwa and the Empty Quarter: the biggest dunes

Liwa, on the edge of the Rub’ Al Khali, is about 3.5 hours from Dubai, so it works best with a night in the desert. Drive to Moreeb Dune, one of the tallest dunes in the region, explore the Liwa oasis villages and their forts, and stay at a desert resort such as Qasr Al Sarab. In winter, the Liwa Festival at Moreeb brings dune racing and a big camping scene.

Half days without leaving Dubai

• Al Qudra Lakes and Love Lake: desert lakes, birds and sunsets.
• Al Marmoom Desert Reserve: dunes, oasis and wildlife.
• The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where only a few licensed operators run low-impact safaris, with Arabian oryx and gazelles, Emirati-style camps and falconry displays.
• A desert safari or a night camping.
• Ras Al Khor flamingos and Mushrif Park‘s trails.

How to plan a day trip

• Leave early: by 7am for most routes, and by 6:30am for Hatta or the east coast, to reach the outdoor sights before the heat.
• Drive or book a tour: a car gives the most freedom: the E11 runs to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah, the E44 to Hatta, and the E66 to Al Ain. Tours suit Musandam, Liwa and Jebel Jais if you would rather not drive mountain or desert roads.
• Mountain roads: the roads to Jebel Jais, Jebel Hafeet and the east coast are well built but steep and winding; use low gears on the way down.
• Wadis and weather: never enter a wadi or cross a flooded road when rain is forecast. Check the National Center of Meteorology before you go.
• Dress: modest clothes for mosques, heritage sites and all of Sharjah; a warm layer for Jebel Jais in winter.
• Combine routes: Hatta with the east coast, Ras Al Khaimah with Umm Al Quwain on the way home, or Al Ain with Abu Dhabi on a two-day trip.

Day trips by season

Day trips from Dubai FAQs