In Abu Dhabi emirate, 150km inland. The UAE's only significant inland city, built around oases inhabited for 5,000 years. UNESCO World Heritage site. Camel racing. The falaj irrigation system still running. Jebel Hafeet climbs to 1,200m with noticeably cooler air.

The oasis gardens are the most genuinely peaceful public spaces in the country — green, shaded, and quiet in a way coastal UAE never achieves. Worth visiting in winter.