Tailor-made UAE holidays shaped around your passions

In the UAE, you can unwind on sandy beaches, peruse lavish shopping malls, wander traditional bazaars, go on a desert adventure, plus visit historic forts, palaces and mosques, as well as sample cuisines from across the globe. It’s a country of extremes, where you can combine hiking in remote mountain ranges with summitting the tallest skyscraper in the world, or camel trekking across the vast desert with relaxing on pristine, powder-white beaches.

For a more traditional take on the country, you could take a walking tour through Old Dubai to see its gold and spice souqs, wander down narrow lanes lined with mosques and minarets, and see the original fishing village that blossomed into the glittering modern city. You can also get an introduction to Middle Eastern culinary traditions on a guided food tour, or venture into the sea of dunes on a desert safari.

The UAE offers a huge range of places to stay, from five-star properties alongside the Gulf to family-friendly resorts, intimate guesthouses, desert camps, and hotels in restored historic buildings. You might like to stay in a Moorish-style retreat with opulent suites and a Michelin-starred chef, an adults-only escape with a private golf course, or a beachfront resort with direct access to the expansive sands of Saadiyat Island just outside downtown Abu Dhabi.

Alternatively, you could leave the bustle of the city behind and stay in a Bedouin-inspired safari tent nestled in the desert. To get some ideas, browse our collection of places to stay in the UAE.

Most people head to the glamorous and alluring emirates of Dubai or Abu Dhabi for their first UAE trip, but it’s worth spending some time exploring the towering dunes of the remote desert and considering the quieter, lesser-known regions too.

Ras Al Khaimah is synonymous with outdoor adventure, mostly due to its mountain hiking trails and vertiginous ziplines around Jebel Jais, the UAE’s tallest mountain. It’s also home to tranquil beaches, natural hot springs, and a landscape of untouched desert.

Fujairah immerses you in the country’s rich heritage. The 15th-century Al Bidyah Mosque and carefully preserved sandstone Fujairah Fort are lures for history enthusiasts, while naturalists might like to head for the translucent waters of the Gulf of Oman or the waterfalls, freshwater pools, and wildlife of the Wadi Wurayah National Park.

It takes around seven to eight hours to fly to the UAE from the UK. There are direct flights from various UK cities, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Glasgow.

The time zone in the UAE is GMT+4. The clocks don’t change during the year.

The best way of getting around the UAE depends on where you are. You’ll find taxis everywhere in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They can be booked in advance using the Careem or Uber apps or hailed on the street. Taxis with a pink roof are driven by women and take female passengers or families only.

In Dubai, the public transport is clean, efficient, and easy to use. You can take the metro or tram to most places of interest, while the monorail takes you to Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis hotel, and the Dubai Ferry runs along the coast.

Outside of the main cities, renting a car is easy across the UAE, providing you with access to the remoter corners of the country. Roads are of good quality, with clear signs and relatively cheap fuel prices. You’ll need a valid driving license and possibly an International Driving Permit. Alternatively, your specialist can prebook a private driver to take you between hotels and cultural sites across the whole of the UAE.

Use our travel tool to find up-to-date visa and passport requirements for the UAE. Enter where you’re travelling to and from (including any stopover destinations en route or flight layovers), along with your intended travel dates and passport details, for a full list of requirements.

• Entry requirements travel tool

Your doctor can provide you with vaccine advice for the UAE, but you should also ensure you’re up to date with the recommended vaccinations for your home country. You can also check the suggested vaccinations on the Travel Health Pro website.

You can take medication into the UAE, but some require a permit. You should check with your doctor before you travel to see if your medication requires one. If it doesn’t, you’ll just need to carry your prescription with you. However, if your medication is on the controlled list, you’ll need to apply in advance for a permit to import medicines for personal use. Applications are normally processed within five working days.

In the UAE, you should wear long, loose clothing that covers your shoulders and knees in public areas, including shopping malls. Cotton or linen clothing is most comfortable in hot weather.

If you’re visiting a mosque, or another religious or state site, you should wear full-length sleeves and trousers or an ankle-length skirt. Women will also need to bring a scarf to cover their heads within religious buildings. It’s a good idea to carry an extra layer in case you need to cover up or just feel cold in the air-conditioned shopping malls.

On the beach and at hotels, you can wear regular swimwear, including bikinis, but you should always cover up when leaving the beach.

You can travel to the UAE during Ramadan and shouldn’t encounter any significant changes to your experience. Non-Muslims are not required to fast and there are no specific restrictions for visitors during Ramadan. Most restaurants, including those in hotels, operate as normal during the day, but you may find there are different opening hours at some dining options outside of hotels. If you’re exploring beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi and into Fujairah or Ras al Khaimah, restrictions around Ramadan may be stricter as these emirates uphold more traditional customs.

It’s strictly prohibited to take photographs of military or government buildings, ports, aircraft, or in any airport in the UAE. You must also ask for permission before taking a picture with anyone else in it, and you should never take photos of women or families in public areas.

The UAE is an Islamic country, so the customs and traditions may be very different from your home country. For example, it’s illegal to drink alcohol or be drunk in a public place, though you can still drink alcohol in a licensed hotel, and its restaurants or dedicated lounges.

Excessive public displays of affection are prohibited, and swearing, fighting, or using rude gestures in public can land you in a lot of trouble.