Standing at a geographical crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa, the UAE has a world of travel opportunities on its doorstep. Swap the suburbs for cultural discovery, the boardroom for beaches, and the commute for adrenaline-fuelled adventure in less than five hours with our top 10 essential destination guide. Most of the UAE's airlines serve these locations, but we've picked a selection of the flight options available. All prices include taxes.
Bahrain
The first Gulf state to discover oil, Bahrain was the original expat hub. Wander among the Qal’at Al Bahrain ruins, a Unesco World Heritage Site dating back to 2,300 BC, mosey through the striking postmodernist Bahrain National Museum, or pop into the 19th-century former home of Sheikh Isa bin Al Ali Khalifa for some local culture. Family pursuits come in the form of the Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park, while Al Areen Wildlife Park & Reserve is home to more than 500 animals including oryx and zebra.
Top tip: Spend some quality time with Arabia's most iconic animal at the Royal Camel Farm, which is open to the public.
When to go: November to March; Bahrain Grand Prix, April 3.
Getting there: FlyDubai has daily flights from Dubai from Dh500 return.
Beirut
Modern-day Beirut blends hedonism and history with an addictive vibe. From the high-end boutiques of downtown to the authentically local flavour of the Hamra neighbourhood and scenic Corniche promenade, it’s a mixed bag of experiences. Rent a bicycle or tour the city by foot from Pigeon Rocks down to Martyrs’ Square, pick up some goodies at the weekend Souk El Tayeb farmers’ market, check out the Beirut Art Center, and soak up the after-dark party scene in and around Rue Gouraud.
Top tip: Drive out to Baalbek with its impressive Roman ruins, or visit the ancient Phoenician port of Byblos for a seafood lunch.
When to go: April to mid-June, and September/October.
Getting there: Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Beirut, from Dh1,200 return, including taxes.
Goa, India
India in slow motion, Goa offers a gentler alternative to other tourist hotspots, with scenic beaches backed by lush tropical vegetation, mountain waterfalls and fragrant spice plantations. R&R is usually the order of the day, but active travellers can kayak through meandering backwaters, putter across the state by motorbike or haggle with vendors at Anjuna Flea Market. Sundowners and a fish supper on the beach is a must-do, or take a cooking class to learn about Goa’s distinctive cuisine.
Top tip: The three-day Goa Carnival takes place every February, with colourful parades and celebrations across the state.
When to go: Mid-November to mid-February.
Getting there: Jet Airways flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Goa, from Dh1,199 return.
Istanbul, Turkey
At the crossroads of East and West, Istanbul is a visual medley of architectural gems and jaw-dropping vistas. The Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque (and now museum), vies for top attraction status with Topkapi Palace, which was home to a procession of sultans and their harems; closely followed by the famed 17th-century Blue Mosque, with its sextet of minarets. Children and adults will be intrigued by the underground Basilica Cistern, and an afternoon spent trawling the 3,000 shops in the Grand Bazaar is an adventure in itself. Keep an eye on travel advisories in light of recent terror attacks.
Top tip: Head to the Galata Tower or Taksim areas for the best sunset views over the Bosphorus.
When to go: April to mid-June and mid-September to end October.
Getting there: Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul, from Dh1,335 return.
Jordan
The Hashemite kingdom deserves more than a brief weekend sojourn. Leading the charge is the ancient Nabataean city of Petra. Hidden from sight for centuries, and rediscovered in the 1800s, a walk through its gorges and rock formations will give you goosebumps. North of the capital, Amman, a walk through Jerash’s colonnaded streets is a stroll through Greco-Roman history. Add an overnight camp experience in Wadi Rum to rub shoulders with local nomadic Bedouins, or slather yourself in mineral-rich mud and bob around at the Dead Sea.
Top tip: For a glimpse of rural life, take a trip along the King's Highway, which follows an ancient north-south trade route.
When to go: Jordan enjoys a full four seasons, but March to May is glorious.
Getting there: Air Arabia flies from Sharjah to Amman, from Dh1,010 return.
Maldives
If you have ever had a castaway complex, but can’t envision a week in a beach hut, the Maldives’ 1,192 coral atolls are the perfect upscale alternative, with picture-postcard beaches, azure waters, world-class snorkelling and diving, and even surfing. A honeymoon bucket-list destination, the islands are geared for romantic rendezvous, but solo travellers and families are also catered for. Trips to meet local communities and cooking lessons are one option, while Padi scuba diving courses and watersports activities are standard at most resorts.
Top tip: Witness nature at its best in the north, where luminous sparkling blue waves, the result of bioluminescence, can be seen at night.
When to go: November to April.
Getting there: Emirates flies from Dubai to Malé, from Dh3,305 return.
Musandam, Oman
A trip to the Musandam Peninsula is a great way to decompress. Start in the market town of Khasab, and step aboard a traditional dhow for a cruise into Arabia’s equivalent of Norway’s grand fjords. The imposing geography features dramatic fissures and sheer striated rock faces reflected in crystal-clear waters. There are more than 25 official dive sites, and a teeming marine community with whale sharks, manta rays, turtles and tropical fish as well as dolphins.
Top tip: Keep an eye out for pods of playful humpback dolphins.
When to go: November to March.
Getting there: Oman Air flies to Khasab daily from Abu Dhabi, via Muscat, with prices starting from Dh1,100 return. Driving from Dubai takes around 2.5 to 3 hours and includes a border crossing in Ras Al Khaimah, so don't forget your passport.
Nepal
Whether climbing to Everest Base Camp, trekking in the Himalayan foothills or immersing yourself in the country’s spiritual heartland, Nepal is a sensory assault. Kathmandu and nearby Bhaktapur, Unesco World Heritage sites, were severely damaged in last year’s earthquake, but visitors can still wander through the central squares, ancient temples and narrow streets. Farther afield, Chitwan National Park is a haven for wildlife, including elephants, while Langtang National Park is a popular hiking destination.
Top tip: Join thousands of pilgrims at Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest of its kind in the world, dating from about AD 600.
When to go: October to April.
Getting there: Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu, from Dh1,555 return.
Salalah, Oman
A summer sojourn in Salalah is like a cool flannel on a fevered brow thanks to the south-west monsoon winds, which bring a drop in temperature and persistent, cooling drizzle. The khareef season, as it’s known, helps sustain a verdant landscape dotted with banana, papaya and sugar cane plantations, and primed for outdoor exploration from coconut palm-fringed beaches to a 2,000-year-old baobab forest and the hanging valley of Wadi Darbat, with its waterfalls, caves and wildlife.
Top tip: The home of the frankincense tree, a museum dedicated to this important trading commodity forms part of the Al Baleed historical district.
When to go: Early June until mid-September.
Getting there: FlyDubai has four weekly flights from Dubai to Salalah, from Dh950 return.
Sri Lanka
From tip to toe, Sri Lanka is awash with scenic highlights, ancient sites, abundant wildlife and a lingering whiff of colonial influence. Brave the 180-metre climb (about 1,200 steps) to the top of the old ruined capital of Sigiriya (Lion’s Rock), near Dambulla, before exploring Kandy’s hill country, with its tea plantations and busy street markets. Just below Kandy is Nuwara Eliya, also known as Little England thanks to the residential architectural style favoured by British tea planters. Wrap up your visit in another time-warp town, Galle, with its Dutch-era villas and churches.
Top tip: Sri Lanka's stunning coastline offers some fantastic beaches, from Bentota to Tangalle.
When to go: December to March, although expect monsoon conditions in some parts of the country during that time.
Getting there: Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Colombo, from Dh1,305 return.
5 new apps to try
Booking.com
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TripIt: Trip Planner
Add flight details, hotel bookings and other travel essentials manually, email them to TripIt for a detailed itinerary, or auto-import from your inbox.
XE Currency
Take the guesswork out of currency conversions with up-to-the-minute rates.
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
AUSTRALIA SQUADS
ODI squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Twenty20 squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Education reform in Abu Dhabi
The emirate’s public education system has been in a constant state of change since the New School Model was launched in 2010 by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. The NSM, which is also known as the Abu Dhabi School Model, transformed the public school curriculum by introducing bilingual education starting with students from grades one to five. Under this new curriculum, the children spend half the day learning in Arabic and half in English – being taught maths, science and English language by mostly Western educated, native English speakers. The NSM curriculum also moved away from rote learning and required teachers to develop a “child-centered learning environment” that promoted critical thinking and independent learning. The NSM expanded by one grade each year and by the 2017-2018 academic year, it will have reached the high school level. Major reforms to the high school curriculum were announced in 2015. The two-stream curriculum, which allowed pupils to elect to follow a science or humanities course of study, was eliminated. In its place was a singular curriculum in which stem -- science, technology, engineering and maths – accounted for at least 50 per cent of all subjects. In 2016, Adec announced additional changes, including the introduction of two levels of maths and physics – advanced or general – to pupils in Grade 10, and a new core subject, career guidance, for grades 10 to 12; and a digital technology and innovation course for Grade 9. Next year, the focus will be on launching a new moral education subject to teach pupils from grades 1 to 9 character and morality, civic studies, cultural studies and the individual and the community.
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
The Farewell
Director: Lulu Wang
Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma
Four stars
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Mobile phone packages comparison
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms
