Oman’s wadis and Dubai’s towers

Who it is for

For travellers who want the Emirates and, before them, a Gulf capital of low buildings, forts and mountains, with the wadis a short drive away.

Not for anyone travelling in summer: from May to September average highs sit between 35 °C and 40 °C in Muscat and go above 39 °C in Abu Dhabi, and from June to September they pass 40 °C in Dubai.

The strategy

Muscat comes first, with three days: the Grand Mosque, the opera house and Qurum beach; the Mutrah fish market, Old Muscat and the National Museum; and the coast road to Wadi Shab, about 1h30 from the capital, stopping at Bimmah Sinkhole on the way back. The mosque does not admit visitors on Fridays: if one of your days falls on a Friday, make it the Wadi Shab day. For the wadis, a rental car is the most flexible option. Mwasalat runs buses from Muscat to Abu Dhabi, changing in Al Ain, the oasis city whose cultural sites were the country’s first World Heritage listing. Abu Dhabi gets two or three days: Qasr Al Hosn, Qasr Al Watan and the Grand Mosque on the 17:00 guided cultural tour; Saadiyat, with the Louvre at 10:00; and, with a third day, the Mina Zayed fish market, the Jubail mangroves and Yas Island. Etihad Rail links Mohamed bin Zayed City station, far from central Abu Dhabi, with Al Yalayis station in Dubai; buy your ticket ahead on the website or the app. Dubai closes the trip with two days, the Creek and the souks on one, Downtown on the other, and the flight home leaves from Dubai airport, about 5 km from the Creek. From November to March all three cities are in their best season. Entry rules for Oman and the Emirates depend on your passport.

What you will see

• Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat. The country's largest mosque was inaugurated in 2001 and holds up to 20,000 worshippers.
• Qasr Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi. The oldest building in the city: the watchtower that guarded the well, from about 1790, became the Inner Fort in 1795, and the Outer Palace was added between 1939 and 1945.
• Burj Khalifa, Dubai. A 828 m tower with 163 habitable floors, inaugurated on January 4, 2010, designed by Adrian Smith at SOM with a Y-shaped structure inspired by the Hymenocallis flower.

Day by day

Muscat

1. 1
   Day 1: The Grand Mosque, the opera house, and the sea at Qurum

   
2. 2
   Day 2: Mutrah early, Old Muscat, and the corniche at dusk

   1. 8Bait Al ZubairOne to two hoursWorth a visit
   2. Riyam ParkOne to two hoursIf there is time
3. 3
   Day 3: Bimmah Sinkhole and Wadi Shab (day trip) · if you have more time

Abu Dhabi

1. 4
   Day 4: The fort, the presidential palace and the Grand Mosque at dusk

   1. 3Qasr Al HosnOne to two hoursEssential
   2. Q7Qasr Al WatanOne to two hoursWorth a visit
2. 5
   Day 5: Saadiyat: the Louvre, the national museum and the waterfront in late afternoon

   1. Z4Zayed National MuseumHalf a day or moreWorth a visit
   2. L2Louvre Abu DhabiHalf a day or moreEssential
   3. A8Abrahamic Family HouseUp to half an hourWorth a visit
3. 6
   Day 6: Port, mangrove and Yas Island · if you have more time

   1. Jubail Mangrove ParkOne to two hoursWorth a visit

Dubai

1. 7
   Day 7: The Creek and the old city

   
2. 8
   Day 8: Downtown and the skyline

   1. 1Burj KhalifaEssential
   2. Museum of the FutureUp to half an hourYou can skip it
   3. 6Dubai FrameUp to half an hourWorth a visit
3. 9
   Day 9: The coast, the art, and the desert · if you have more time

   1. 5Jumeirah MosqueWorth a visit
   2. 8Burj Al Arab and Madinat JumeirahIf there is time