Its lush valleys, leafy winding lanes and quaint architecture have long offered a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Change has been slow in coming to Al Ain, the garden city of the UAE and the birthplace of the late Sheikh Zayed, with its population of just over 600,000.
But the Urban Planning Council (UPC) and international experts who helped design Abu Dhabi's 2030 development strategy have ambitious plans to revamp the sleepy retreat. They also have their sights on a similar facelift for Al Gharbia.
Many people in Al Ain are delighted by the prospect of modern development bringing their city into the 21st century, but some fear it may prove a double-edged sword for the historic site and its heritage.
Although many residents of Al Ain have not heard of the plans afoot to dictate the future development of the city, they are keenly aware of subtle indications that presage big changes to come, and some are concerned about them.
Details of the development plan have yet to be disclosed, but there are already emerging symptoms of growth, such as a recent spike in prices caused partly by an influx of people from other cities in the UAE who have come to Al Ain for its lower living costs.
Residents have noticed a lot more vehicles in car parks recently, although double parking has not yet begun clogging side streets.
Congestion at roundabouts has increased, even if it is more manageable than Abu Dhabi traffic, and pedestrians are spending more time waiting at pedestrian crossings than before. But they do so patiently as more cars with Dubai licence plates crowd the boulevards of the oasis city.
A major push to develop the city "could be good and bad," said Mahmoud Ibrahim, 28, a salesperson for a mobile phone company, when asked what he thought about the development plans.
Mr Ibrahim's revenues have tripled in recent months thanks to an influx of Western tourists and new residents from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, both about 150km away. He said more development and tourism would be a financial plus, especially if managed in an orderly way.
But he expressed anxiety about what else development might bring and feared that growing numbers of people and cars on the narrow streets could invite the same headaches that have plagued other cities in the UAE - including traffic jams, road construction and noise.
"It takes me five or 10 minutes to get anywhere from inside the city," Mr Ibrahim said.
"To get to Dubai from Sharjah, though, it can take up two hours."
The UPC plans are coinciding with a multitude of projects that will break new ground in the city and surrounding areas and should bring crowds of tourists.
Al Ain Zoo will undergo a major expansion from 45 hectares to 900 that will transform the base of Jebel Hafeet into a large wildlife park and residential area.
The iconic mountain, which towers over the city's horizon, may also host new indoor ski slopes that would line its escarpment with nearly 337,000 square metres of air-conditioned snow and ski jumps.
If approved, the unusual ski destination could be flanked by hotels, a theme park, a golf course and shopping mall on the pristine mountain.
For Abdullah, 25, an owner of Al Raisi, a small boutique that sells traditional Gulf clothing for men, the prospect of more people and business coming to Al Ain is welcome.
But he also fears a rapid influx of people could choke the city centre and destroy its relaxed atmosphere.
"We need more hotels, of course, but they should be built outside the city," Abdullah said. His main concern is that the municipality should build housing for labourers outside the city's residential areas as they were already starting to crowd living spaces.
"This is a big problem," Abdullah said. "This city has been a calm, peaceful city. There is space to walk here and Inshallah, we hope it will stay that way."
Soi, a 38-year-old Filipino working at Al Ain's Intercontinental Hotel, said the city was special because it was different. "Dubai is a lot like Manila, full of traffic and very expensive. People like this place, and the reason I like it here is because it's green and because it's not like Dubai and Abu Dhabi."
It is still unclear, however, whether the UPC plans entail a dramatic facelift for the quaint city centre where streets are lined with boutiques selling homemade perfumes, traditional Gulf clothing and wide assortments of Arabic sweets and spices.
Nathan Alexander, an Australian director of UPC, seemed to suggest in an article that development would create a more densely populated city.
Part of the thinking behind the Al Ain development plan that is being drafted was about "avoiding more sprawl and instead creating greater density in the existing city area", he said.
Al Ain is bidding to be included on the list of Unesco's world heritage sites, which residents hope will preserve the region's charm, and efforts are already under way to preserve the city and its surrounding areas.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, issued a decree in 2005 ordering the preservation of the city's oases from developers. Meanwhile Al Ain Municipality stated its intention in its strategic plan launched in May to retain the city's Arab architecture.
"When people come to Al Ain, we know they want to see the real authentic Arabic city that has its own flavour and its own aroma," said Awad al Darmaki, the municipality general manager.
@Email:hnaylor@thenational.ae
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Europe’s rearming plan
Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Weekend schedule for Austrian Grand Prix - all timings UAE
Friday
Noon-1.30pm First practice
4-5.30pm Second practice
Saturday
1-2pm Final practice
4pm Qualifying
Sunday
4pm Austrian Grand Prix (71 laps)
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
Scoreline
Switzerland 5
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Score
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
New Zealand lead three-match ODI series 1-0
Next match: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Friday
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
GroupA: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more