Al Ain is the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With a population of 614,180), Al Ain is dubbed the Garden City of the UAE. It is located in Abu Dhabi, directly adjacent to the border with Oman. Al Ain is a fertile oasis city located approximately 160 kilometres east of the Abu Dhabi capital. Its name derives from its originally plentiful supply of fresh water, which makes its way underground across most of the plain lying before the Omani mountains. It is surrounded by magnificent red sand dunes and overlooked by an impressive mountain range. The topography of Al Ain unique and varies as you travel to the east. Jebel Hafeet (Hafeet mountain) is considered one of the monuments of Al Ain and lie just to the southeast and rises up to 1,300 meters in elevation. Sand dunes that vary in texture and are tinged red with iron oxide lie to the north and east of Al Ain. Al Ain is one of the agricultural centers of the Emirates and also a university town and the birthplace of the President of the U.A.E.
Tourism & Recreation
Al Ain is developing as a tourist destination. It regularly records the highest summer temperatures in the country, but the dry desert air makes it a welcome retreat from the coastal humidity of the larger cities. Its attractions include the Al Ain National Museum, the Al Ain Palace Museum, several restored forts and the Hili archaeological site, dating back to the Bronze Age. Jebel Hafeet, a 1340 metre high mountain dominates the surrounding area. A visit to the mineral springs at the base and a drive to the top of this mountain for sunset is popular. Other attractions include the Al Ain Oasis in the city centre and other oases dotted around the area, cool retreats in the middle of the summer heat, a zoo, amusement park named "Fun City", many well maintained parks, most popular with families in the summer evenings, and a heritage village. Another tourist attraction is Central Garden, it a major tourist attraction.
Visit the archaeological digs at Hili, which date back some 5,000 years. Drive onwards to the oasis town of Buraimi. You can visit the Al Ain Palace Museum, the residence of the late ruler Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan from 1927 until the early 70s. The Al Ain Museum has displays of artifacts from an Iron Age village discovered in Al Hili, items from ancient burial sites near Jebel Hafeet and other items unearthed in Qattara.
Al Ain also provides a great base from which you can explore the desert, with desert 'safaris', 4WD expeditions and camel trips through the desert all available in the area. Visitors can even hop across the border into Oman without the need for a visa and visit the shops in Al Ain's sister city Al Buraimi. Driving around the city you will also find at every road junction fascinating roundabouts, each of which contain themed sculptures, statues, gardens and fountains.
Shopping in Al Ain is a sheer joy with all the small souks located throughout the city where you can find anything from local produce to traditional artifacts. If that is not enough for you, the city also has two large shopping malls, namely: the Al Jimi Mall and the Al Ain Mall.
For your day to day needs, there is a branch of the French hypermarket Carrefour in the Al Jimi Mall, and you can also go to the Abu Dhabi Co-op in the Al Ain Mall.
Al Ain Zoo houses the Middle East largest and most varied wildlife collection. In addition to the exotica from other countries, the zoo has a well presented series of displays on Arabia's indigenous wildlife. It also keeps a good range of different species of gazelles, including the world largest herd of Arabian gazelles. Oryx and other rare Arabian mammals can also be seen.
