Dubai is well placed for day trips both within the UAE and into Oman's Musandam and Hatta territories.
Abu Dhabi is 90–120 minutes south along the E11. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque alone justifies the journey, and Saadiyat Island's cultural district (Louvre Abu Dhabi, coming Guggenheim and Zayed National Museum sites) adds substance.
Al Ain, the UAE's fourth city, is 90 minutes east through the desert and offers the most complete picture of pre-oil Gulf life: ancient falaj irrigation systems, Bronze Age archaeological sites, an old camel souk, and Al Ain Palace Museum in the former residence of Sheikh Zayed.
Fujairah on the east coast is 1.5 hours across the Hajar mountains, on the Indian Ocean rather than the Gulf — different water, different landscape, and some of the better snorkelling and diving in the region.
Hatta, Dubai Emirate's mountain enclave 130 km east, is reachable in 90 minutes and offers mountain biking through the Hajar foothills, kayaking on Hatta Dam Lake, and the Hatta Heritage Village. The road passes through Oman, so carry your passport.
