With a name translating to ‘the spring’, the sprawling desert oasis of Al Ain is just a 90-minute drive east from Abu Dhabi City, but it offers a lot more than abundant date palms. 

The UAE’s only Unesco-designated heritage sites are found here, meaning cultural tourists can explore the remains of Neolithic, Iron and Bronze Age civilizations uncovered in archaeological digs.

This garden city has family-friendly attractions besides, including an adrenalin-inducing adventure park at the foot of a desert mountain. By contrast, Al Ain’s shady greenery, hot springs and salt cave invite wellbeing seekers to enjoy rejuvenation in nature.

Uncover Al Ain's heritage  

Al Ain is one of the world’s oldest permanently inhabited settlements. It’s mindboggling to consider Al Ain Oasis, boasting 150,000 palm trees, exists thanks to an Unesco-listed falaj irrigation system of underground channels built by Bedouins 3,000 years ago. Your clients can stroll, cycle or take an electric buggy ride in the welcome shade here, then learn more about the Oasis’s significance for sustainability in the Eco Centre.  

Also Unesco listed, Hili Archeological Park includes the earliest known evidence of an agricultural village in the United Arab Emirates, plus remains of later villages and forts and a large, circular burial chamber. Meanwhile, on an ancient caravan route, Bidaa Bint Saud shows off 5,000-year-old Bronze Age tombs and unearthed jewellery and tools. 

In more recent history, the fort of Qasr Al Muwaiji was built for ruling sheikhs over a century ago. Until the mid 1960s it was an important place for government decision-making and hospitality, now it is open free to visitors. Al Jahili Fort, one of the largest in the UAE, is another notable landmark, traditionally built from sun-dried mud bricks. 

Further craftsmanship is on display in Al Qattara Arts Centre which combines a public garden with an onsite gallery of UAE-created works. For culture they can take home, clients should browse Al Ain’s souks for authentic Emirati crafts, carpets, spices and perfumes. 

An oasis filled with adventure

Set at the foot of a craggy mountain, nine-kilometre-long Jebel Hafit Desert Park is home to Unesco-listed neolithic sites and 5,000-year-old tombs, but it also offers multiple opportunities for modern day adventure. Your clients can take a buggy for a spin with a guide or hike or bike the craggy terrain, making the park perfect for active families. 

Surprisingly, this desert location also boasts the region's first man-made white water rafting facility and the longest kayaking channel in the world, both at Al Ain Adventure Park. There are chances for beginners upwards to also surf, raft and wakeboard. In addition, visitors can test their skill and nerve on a floating obstacle course, a climbing wall and ziplines.

By night, in the wider park, your clients could linger to glamp under the stars in an air-conditioned bubble tent or camp in more traditional Bedouin style. 

Elsewhere in the city, families can learn more about desert nature at Al Ain Zoo, which has over 4,000 animals and undertakes research projects to help the region’s endangered species.

A world of wellbeing

Besides the lush and extensive Al Ain Oasis, the lawns of Green Mubazzarah Park, near Jebel Hafit Mountain are another popular spot for soothing shade. It’s a place where Abu Dhabi families gather for picnics and barbecues, and your clients can relax here themselves, dipping their feet in the relaxing natural hot spring-fed waters which wind through the park. Chalets can be rented for those who wish to linger longer soaking their aches away in the segregated thermal swimming pools that are also part of the site.

Nearby, Al Ain has harnessed another natural element into a health-focused attraction. Rose Hafeet Salt Cave is the UAE’s largest, featuring 16 tons of the crystalline substance. This relaxing sanctuary specialises in halotherapy, through which breathing in tiny salt particles is said to help respiratory conditions. Your clients could even try a salt massage or guided meditation.