Roadbook: Dubai to Abu Dhabi

Around 3.5 million people from all over the world live here, where the everyday language is English. The irony is that we don’t see many people out on the streets when we begin our tour. But that’s to be expected in the summer months, when temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius and humidity is extraordinarily high. The best time to visit is the winter months, with high temperatures ranging from 24 to 27 degrees Celsius. But whether it’s summer or winter, a drive through Dubai’s skyscraper canyons is a sightseeing tour in and of itself, with a new highlight around just about every corner, from the Burj Khalifa, which at 828 meters is the tallest building in the world, and Dubai Mall, which is the world’s largest shopping center, to the largest indoor toboggan run and the largest ski hall. Here in the desert country, you’ll discover one superlative after the other.

It’s like starting with a blank slate, which offers endless opportunity, but occasionally also results in some curiosities. For instance, neighborhoods such as Internet City, Studio City, and Healthcare City are pragmatically named after the industries that have settled there. And where there’s no natural history, a helping hand can make all the difference. Take the area of Al Seef, which with its bazaars and souks was only developed in 2017, but feels much like a piece of history. We’ll discover unique and exciting things like this time and again throughout our journey.

Our 677-kilometer tour through the seven emirates begins with a drive from the megacity to the Emirate of Sharjah, which borders Dubai to the north.

It doesn’t take long for the surroundings to change entirely, from endless rows of fascinating skyscrapers to a flat, vast landscape. Visible on both sides of the road are the occasional settlement with light-colored houses, plenty of mosques, lots of sand and stones, a range of colors from yellowish to red – and endless expanses all around. UAE owes its unparalleled economic growth to its reserves of natural gas and petroleum. But as a progressive country, it has also invested heavily in solar energy in recent years. And thanks to innovative irrigation technologies and desalination plants, the populated regions are surprisingly lush despite the dry climate and can grow a variety of fruits and vegetables.

We continue our journey and head for the heart of the country. Ahead of us is Jebel Jais mountain, whose summit at 1,934 meters forms the highest point in the country. On our way there, the landscape grows more mountainous. Although it makes perfect sense, we’d never have thought it possible after such an endless expanse. Before you know it, you’re surrounded by an imposing panorama of mountain ridges and peaks. The silhouette is extraordinary, especially with the sky hazy as it is now. The area looks like a brownish-grey lunar landscape of layered cliffs. But that doesn’t have any impact on the driving fun, as the four-lane road is in excellent condition here, too – and largely void of any other cars.

From the last vantage point just below the peak, we take in the breathtaking view. The border to Oman must be back there somewhere – and a little further down is our next destination, Khor Fakkan on the eastern coast, which is known for its beaches, snorkeling, and watersport activities. The city is surrounded by the Emirate of Fujairah, but is an exclave of Sharjah.

The region along the eastern coast has long been shaped by its relationship with the water. Pearl trade was the primary source of income for centuries, and many families made a living with pearl diving. While the introduction of cultured pearls in the 1930s drastically reduced trade with natural pearls, the tradition and history of pearl diving are deeply rooted in the culture of the UAE. And pearl divers still exist to this day – like Mohamad, who works for a farming company. Opening oysters is still a very special moment for him. “Farming takes two years, and then we have a 60% chance of success. It used to be one in a thousand!”

We spend a wonderfully relaxing day at the beach in Khor Fakkan, with the Gulf of Oman in front of us and the Hajar Mountains behind us. Built directly on the beach promenade, the imposing amphitheater is designed to look ancient like the souks in Dubai and features an artificial waterfall, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. The country offers more than enough historical locations, though they are often less conspicuous. Take for example Al Bidya Mosque, just a 10-minute drive from Khor Fakkan. Built in the 15th century, this small mud building is the second-oldest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and of significant historical value.

Abu Dhabi is not only the wealthiest of the seven emirates, but also the largest, as it accounts for 87% of the country’s total land area. Positioned directly on the shores of the Persian Gulf, Emirates Palace is much like a manifestation of this wealth in stone form. The luxury hotel opened its doors in 2005 and features 302 rooms, 92 suites, 10 restaurants, and a connected resort. “It took four years to build, and a team of 20,000 workers,” explains Aariff Nazeem, Operations Manager at Emirates Palace. “Zayed, the sheikh at that time, was seen as the father of the nation. He wanted to build a palace where guests could feel like queens and kings for a day.” The largest suites are almost 700 square meters in size. Emirates Palace is also a publicly accessible tourist attraction.

Like Dubai, Abu Dhabi is located directly by the sea and boasts an impressive skyline. And like Dubai, the city is rich in culture and diversity and home to iconic attractions like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi art museum, and the Corniche, a beach promenade offering a whole host of recreational activities. While Abu Dhabi is a city full of striking impressions, our journey comes to an end in nature.

Two and a half hours later, we find ourselves in the majestic middle of nowhere. The Rubʿ al-Khali desert measures about 680,000 square kilometers in size, making it the world’s largest continuous sand desert, and extends into four countries: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen. We stop at the sand dunes of Liwa, some of which are nearly 300 meters tall, along the border to Saudi Arabia and watch as the sunset bathes them in a deep red. A herd of camels can be seen off in the distance. A moment of joy and the end to a journey that begs for a sequel, for example in November, when Dubai’s Icons of Porsche festival takes place. The festival itself is a celebration of the interplay between tradition and modernity and brings nearly 30,000 fans of classic Porsche cars, art, and culture together in the metropolitan city. That’s more than enough reason to return to the country of exciting contrasts. After all, there’s still so much we haven’t seen.