6 Offbeat Things To Do In Umm-Al-Quwain, UAE

Umm al Qawain is a quieter emirate and a bit underrated cities of UAE. But the truth is, Umm al Quwain attractions keep you occupied for a couple of days and adds authentic experience to your travel in UAE. 

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Umm Al-Quwain, an unexplored paradise

If you have to list down the best cities in UAE, without a second thought, Dubai and Abu Dhabi dominates the list.

It’s understandable, because those are the most visited cities in UAE where tourist population turns out to be much higher.

The truth is, there are other emirate cities much beautiful than Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and deserves a place in the tourist map. 

We were on a mission to explore all the emirate cities of UAE. And we were super thrilled to visit Umm Al-Quwain and see what it has to offer us. 

Umm Al-Quwain, an experience

We left Dubai early in the morning, driving through Sharjah and entered into the almost dry part of land almost 2.5 hours later. It was  bit scruffy, with potholed roads and no fancy skyscrapers.

It felt like being in a different country altogether – a bit underdeveloped, if I may say. At one point we even doubted if this place can satiate our travel thirst!

Just when we concluded there’s nothing there to see, we saw a blue patch on the far left end. A few more minutes of drive and we saw a lovely shimmering coastline.

And further away, we saw a flamboyance of flamingoes take off from waters and plummeting into the sky. It was as if we have found our share of treasure after a long exhausting hunt. 

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It’s very unlikely to see any skyscapper, or opulent resorts here. 

It’s an idiosyncratic and quirkiest city in UAE, an unexplored gem, best kept secret and sadly, one that’s abandoned by tourists.

It may not receive the attention as its other emirate cities, but it is certainly worth visiting Umm-Al-Quwain. 

Reasons to visit Umm Al-Quwain

Umm Al Quwain is a paradise – of birds, flamingoes and nature! Far away from the dazzling lights and cacophony of Dubai and Abu Dhabi lies this gentle land of Umm Al-Quwain tucked between the odds of Ajman and the deserts of Ras Al Khaimmah.  

1. Lush Green Mangroove Forests

2. Cluster of tranquil islands

3. Gorgeous coastline

4. Bird watching haven

5. Not as crowded as Dubai or Abu Dhabi

6. Quiet and laid back vibe

Facts about Umm Al-Quwain

Umm Al-Quwain means “Mother of two powers”. Located between Ras-Al-Khaimah and Ajman, and along the west coast of UAE is this humble and smallest emirate Umm-Al-Quwain.

With a land area of about 800 sq kms, this is also the least populated emirate. But for a size this small, and competing giants like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Umm-Al-Quwain emerges as a offbeat destination with it’s own unique things under it’s sleeve. 

Top things to do in Umm Al-Quwain

1. Visit the pristine Umm Al-Quwain Beach

This emirate is blessed with an enviable coastline that it is absolutely unfair not to visit the beaches in Umm Al Quwain

For a lovely stretch of sandy beach, head to the local’s favourite Umm-Al Quwain beach.  

Perfect sandy beach for enjoying the sound of waves, or swimming and there is a designated area if you fancy a barbecue.

Along the promenade there are seats available and there is a free car parking here. The beach is clean and not crowded at all. Although, please note that there are no public toilets, shower / changing rooms available here.  

2. Indulge in water sports

As said earlier, its worth spending the time in Umm Al Quwain than in Dubai or Abu Dhabi if you want to indulge in adventures or waterspouts, in particular.  

UAQ Marine Club offers wide range of water sports and activities that include wakeboarding, waterskiing,  canoeing, kayaking, SUP, banana boat, knee boarding and wind surfing. 

3. Spend a day at Dreamland Aqua Park

Travelling in UAE and not visiting a water park? Dreamland Aqua Park is one of the largest water theme park in UAE.

With plenty of palm trees and greenery, the theme park has about 30 thrilling rides and adventures that suit all ages, so it’s a perfect outing for family entertainment.  There are also restaurants and many kid friendly activities inside the theme park. 

4. Bird Watching

The most undiscovered part of this emirate is that it is one of the best places to do bird watching.  

Thanks to the copious marine and wildlife and lush lagoons and mud beds that create a perfect habitat for feeding and nesting. 

Some of the best places to do bird watching are Khor Al Beidah and Al Sinnayah Island, a marine sanctuary covering 90 square kilometres. Best season to see them is between November to March.

5. Take a Dhow building yard tour

Dhow building is still one of the major industries in Umm-Al-Quwain.  Visit the traditional Dhow Building Yard for an alternate experience and see how skilled craftsmen still continue to assemble the traditional dhow boats.

The yard is in the old town overlooking the harbour. The guided tour takes you through the entire construction process. In the above picture, you can see 2 dhow boats that are getting assembled. 

6. Kayaking in the Mangrove Islands

Near to Al Sinnayah are about 7 other islands that are seperated by a series of creeks.  They lie to the east of the peninsula enclosed by the lush thick mangrove forests.

The names of these islands are Al Keabe, Jazirat Al Ghalla, Al Sow, Al Harmala, Al Qaram, Al Chewria, and Al Humaidi. Hire a kayak or join a kayak tour and navigate through the pristine waters and rich mangrove forests. Check out Kite Beach Centre in Umm Al Quwain that runs paddling and kayaking tours. 

How To Get to Umm Al-Quwain

FROM DUBAI

Driving distance from Umm Al Quwain to Dubai is 67kms, and it takes roughly 45 minutes to drive. If you want to use public transport, take bus line E601, which departs from Etihad Bus Station in Deira.

The bus journey is 45 minutes and it stops at the Union roundabout in Umm Al Quwain. The bus fare costs around AED 10. From here, you may need to take a taxi to get around Umm Al Quwain.

FROM ABU DHABI

Abu Dhabi is further away from Dubai, hence the driving distance is 198kms. And it takes about 2 hours if you drive by car. There is no direct bus that connects Abu Dhabi to this emirate. All the buses are connected via Dubai. Therefore, the bus anyways starts from Dubai (as above).

Check out our short video of Umm Al Quwain

Book Your Stay

Umm Al Quwain is not as developed as rest of its emirate neighbours. However, the tourism is slowly picking, and investors are seeing an opportunity to promote Umm-Al-Quwain as a family friendly emirate.

With lovely outdoor activities to do here, we recommend staying a minimum of two days.  However, if you are tight with your time, you can also visit Umm-Al-Quwain as a day trip from Dubai. Check out our top recommended hotels for both Dubai and Umm-Al-Quwain. 

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