Record-breaking skylines, desert dunes and grand mosques
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Gulf, best known for Dubai's skyscrapers and Abu Dhabi's grand mosque and museums. Visitors come for luxury hotels, shopping, beaches and desert safaris, with mountains and oases in the east. It is a major air hub, so many people stop over. It suits city lovers, families and winter sun seekers, though the 2026 regional conflict has raised security concerns.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
The tallest building in the world, with observation decks high above Downtown Dubai. The Dubai Fountain performs at its base.
A vast white marble mosque with 82 domes and one of the largest carpets in the world. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times.
A museum of world art under a huge latticed dome that scatters light like palm leaves. It sits on Saadiyat Island.
Trips into the red dunes for dune driving, camel rides and dinner at a camp. Conservation areas offer calmer options.
The historic quarter of wind-tower houses, the creek with abra boats and the gold and spice souks. It shows Dubai before the skyscrapers.
A torus-shaped building covered in Arabic calligraphy, with immersive exhibits about future technology. The building is an icon.
A working presidential palace open to visitors, with grand halls and a library. An evening light show runs outside.
A garden city with palm oases, forts and ancient tombs, and a mountain road up Jebel Hafeet. The cultural sites are UNESCO-listed.
A palm-shaped artificial island and a canal-side district of towers and promenades. The View at the Palm offers views.
The highest peak in the UAE, with mountain roads, viewpoints and a very long zipline. It is cooler than the coast.
A mountain enclave of Dubai with a dam lake for kayaking, bike trails and a heritage village. It is a weekend escape.
Sharjah has the best museums of Islamic and local heritage, in a restored old town. It is more conservative than Dubai.
One of the largest malls in the world, with an aquarium and ice rink, beside the dancing fountain. It is free to wander.
Giant dunes at the edge of the Empty Quarter, with Moreeb Dune among the tallest. It is far from the cities.
Beaches, snorkelling and the old Al Bidya mosque on the Gulf of Oman coast, under rugged mountains. It is quieter than Dubai.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
Skyline, malls and beaches.
city, shopping · Open the city guideMosque, museums and palaces.
culture · Open the city guideOases and history.
history · Guide comingMountains and beach resorts.
nature · Guide comingMuseums and heritage.
culture · Guide comingEast coast beaches.
beach · Guide comingFuturistic city of towers and malls.
Burj Khalifa, Old Dubai, Palm Jumeirah
Capital of mosques, museums and desert.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Liwa
Mountains and heritage.
Sharjah, Jebel Jais
Gulf of Oman beaches.
Fujairah, Hatta
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: November to March. Warm, sunny days and pleasant evenings for the outdoors.
Summers from June to September are extremely hot and humid everywhere; the Hajar mountains are slightly cooler.
January. Busy season. Higher prices, bigger crowds.
73°F daily high, 68°F average, 0.7 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
The US State Department rates the UAE Level 3, Reconsider Travel, due to terrorism and the threat of drone and missile attacks linked to the 2026 United States and Iran hostilities, with significant flight disruptions at times.
Dubai has a metro and good taxis, and roads between emirates are fast, though most places are built for cars.
Hotels and attractions are expensive, though there are deals in summer.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Check visa and entry rules on the Visa and Emirates ID page of the official UAE government portal (u.ae), and check with your airline about flight disruptions. |
| Plugs | Type D, G; 230 V 50 Hz |
| Tap water | varies |
| Tipping | Tip about 10 percent in restaurants if service is not included. |
| Payments | Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere. |
| Emergency | 999 police and ambulance |
| Etiquette | Laws on public behaviour, drugs, and photography of people and official sites are strict. Avoid public displays of affection. Do not eat or drink in public in daylight during Ramadan. |
| What to wear | Cover shoulders and knees in public areas outside resorts; women need a headscarf at mosques. |
| Driving | On the right |
| Between cities | Intercity buses link Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates, and Dubai has a metro and tram. Taxis are cheap. A hire car is easiest for mountains and the east coast. |
| Main airports | DXB, AUH, DWC, SHJ |
| Ride apps | Careem, Uber |
The coast was home to pearling and trading towns, and Al Ain's oases show thousands of years of settlement. In the 19th century the sheikhdoms signed treaties with Britain and became known as the Trucial States. The UAE formed in 1971 under Sheikh Zayed, and Ras Al Khaimah joined in 1972. Oil wealth, and later trade and tourism, transformed Dubai and Abu Dhabi into global cities.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.