There is an extensive cave network in the Hajar Mountains, just beyond Buraimi and also near Al Ain in the Jebel Hafit area. Gaining entrance can be extremely difficult and it is definitely not recommended for inexperienced sightseers. To date, there are no guided tours to the caves.
A wadi is a dry river bed, often the location of rock pools and unexpected vegetation, especially higher in the mountains. Wadi bashing trips run by local tour operators involve driving helter skelter over rocks and streams, marvellous fun, but not necessarily environmentally friendly! Exploring the wadis at a gentler pace is a great way to discover plant and animal life. In any event be extremely careful, wadis can be subject to flash floods in heavy rainfall.
If palaeontology is your speciality, you will be interested to know that, according to scientists from the Natural History Museum in London, who have been conducting research in the area for some time, the UAE has the finest locations for discovering Middle East Cretaceous marine invertebrates and late Miocene Arabian continental vertebrate fossils. The three areas of importance are the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, the slopes of Jebel Hafit and the eastern mountains.
Abu Dhabi Corniche
In winter, it is always very pleasant to walk along the waterfronts (Corniches) or parks, especially in the cool of the evening when these areas are a hive of activity. It is also fun to walk or indeed hike off-road. But this requires more careful planning and for short-term visitors it would be better to take a local guide unless you are experienced in orienteering.
There are at least 20 parks in Abu Dhabi alone. As well as being green and shady places to spend some time, most also have a wide range of facilities, including children’s playgrounds and refreshment areas. The new 430,000 square metre Khalifa Park, which is situated close to a conservation area where mangrove stands flourish, will have a museum, public garden and a huge open theatre.
Mushrif Park in Dubai
The Wild Wadi Waterpark (Jumeirah, Dubai) is designed around a tale from Arabian Folklore featuring Juha and his seafaring friend, Sinbad. The design and attention to detail, including characters to support the theme recently led to our World Waterpark Association Industry Innovation Awards for Outstanding Accommplishment design and Theming.
