Author: Igor
We have been here 4 times and affected all popular resorts in the UAE. A couple of times in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah and sightseeing trips to Abu Dhabi. In this text I will try to tell as informatively as possible about which resorts in the UAE to choose and where it is better to relax on the sea.
In addition to articles, I made several videos on our youtube channel: about prices in Dubai, beaches and tips for relaxation - so all the videos in the text are ours :)
The UAE is now open to Russian tourists.
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Where is the best place to relax in the UAE?
Resorts in the UAE, where it is best to have a rest at the sea:
- Dubai
- Sharjah
- Ajman
- Ras al-Khaimah
- Fujairah
- Abu Dhabi
There is also the emirate of Umm al-Qaiwain, also on the coast, but tourists do not get there, and there are few hotels there. Which emirate to choose for a vacation in the UAE? Yes, most will stay in Dubai, but you can delve a little more into the description and features of the UAE resorts. Perhaps an excursion will be enough for the capital of Arab luxury? Is it better to spend your vacation where prices are lower and the beaches are quieter?
In general, it is more profitable to travel to the UAE resorts through a tour operator (we are waiting for charter flights to be allowed in 2021!), This has been verified by ourselves and by numerous reviews of tourists and friends. I always advise you to first look at the prices for tours in the UAE, and then count on an independent vacation. Here are 3 major tour search services:
- Travelata
- Onlinetours
- Level.Travel
Today in Dubai you can relax with a tour. But the tours themselves have risen in price due to regular flights.
What are the entry rules in 2021?
- It is necessary to present a negative PCR test on paper - in English and not older than 72 hours, the time is counted from the moment of taking the analysis. Children under 12 years of age are exempt from testing.
- Upon arrival in Dubai at the airport to pass another test - already free of charge. Wait for the results in your hotel - as a rule, it takes 1-3 days.
- Plus, you need insurance with covid coverage for each person (there are such ones on Cherekhapa) and the Covid19 DXB Smart App mobile application.
Dubai
Both beaches and attractions are good in Dubai
So, Dubai. The most famous city and emirate in the UAE, is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. It is here that the "best" places are hidden. We were here twice - once on our own, the second time on tour.
This is definitely the best resort in terms of the ratio of beaches and attractions. And about the first, and about the second, you can read the articles on our website:
- The best beaches in Dubai
- 11 main attractions
- Which area should a tourist choose?
If you choose where to stay in Dubai, then I would advise you to look for hotels near metro stations, not beaches - we have a separate text about this, the third in the list above. The elevated train (here is an elevated metro) runs through almost all the main attractions, so there will be no problems with movement. But in any case, you will have to take a taxi somewhere - it is not cheap here. As well as everything in general.
Despite the fact that Dubai itself is expensive, tours can be found here at an adequate price. True, you will have to sacrifice the distance to the beach, but it is easily and free of charge overcome by bus from the hotel.
If you want to spend time actively, go on various interesting excursions, but at the same time wallow on the beaches, Dubai will be the perfect choice. Even for families with children - but it is better for them to live in the Dubai Marina area (here you can find out why).
There is also great shopping here. I will not say that the prices are straight ah as lower than in Russia, but many things, for example, Apple equipment, can be bought cheaper.
We shot a video on the last trip, and it broke all the records for views (so many useful things) 🙂
About hotels.
There are a million hotels in Dubai, if not more. They are easier to navigate either by recommendations or by budget and rating.
- 4 * DoubleTree By Hilton Hotel and Residences - in 2019 we bought a tour with accommodation in this hotel for 5 nights for 58,000 rubles for two, a decent hotel.
- 5 * Lapita Hotel is a children's hotel at an amusement park.
- Al Bustan Center & Residence is a popular budget aparthotel.
- 5 * Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa is a beach hotel.
Bottom line.
+ The most coveted city that you can imagine in the UAE.
+ Sandy, well-groomed beaches (except for Jumeirah).
+ All the assets of Dubai cannot be reviewed in a week.
+ Convenient transport system.
+ You don't have to suffer from the heat on the street, but spend whole days walking in shopping centers - here these are separate worlds.
+ Hotels can be located 10 km from the beach, but always organize a free shuttle to the sea.
- Expensive. To what extent it is expensive - you can find out in our article about prices in Dubai.
- Beach holidays in Dubai are good, but there are better beaches in the UAE.
- Noisy and nowhere to walk on the street. The most unfriendly place for pedestrians.
- No good coffee. But if decent coffee houses have appeared, and you know about them, share with us in the comments :)
Sharjah and Ajman
The beaches in Sharjah are the same sandy and wide
The Emirate of Sharjah should not be underestimated. Firstly, it is cheaper here: tours, hotels, food. For "inexpensive vacation in the UAE" - here. Secondly, it is calmer and simpler, more "oriental".
Despite the budget, there are many quality hotels in Sharjah (I will tell you about one of them below). Most hotels that are far from the beach provide a free shuttle to the sea. Therefore, you can save money and not pay for the "1 line" mark. Yes, you will have to travel by bus for 15-30 minutes, but the saved rubles are worth it in this case.
The beaches in Sharjah are public - wide and sandy, like in Dubai, but they are not monitored as closely and they are less equipped in terms of infrastructure. The most popular sandy beach is al-Khan Beach and the neighboring city beach, just here transfers from the hotel are brought.
What makes the resort different is that alcohol is prohibited here. At all. Alcoholic drinks cannot be found either in public catering, or in hotels, or in stores. It is also impossible to drink your "stored" in plain sight. If the presence of alcohol is important to you, shop at the duty-free (and more profitable in the United Arab Emirates, not in Russia) or in the neighboring emirate of Ajman.
Organizational moments.
How to get to Dubai on your own:
- Public bus (followed by metro in Dubai) - 30 dirham one way.
- Taxi (from the city beach to Burj Khalifa) - 80-90 dirhams.
There is a 20 dirham tax to cross the Sharjah-Dubai border by taxi. You can choose a hotel on the border of the emirates (it is pedestrian and passes through the Sahara Center Mall), and then you will not have to pay a "tax" on a taxi. So I’ll call a 4 * apart-hotel (good for families with children) Golden Sands Hotel - friends stayed there.
Is there anything to do in Sharjah? At least, according to the tradition of Dubai, people walk around the malls here: Sharjah City Center and Sahara Center Mall. Attention can be paid to the al-Majaz promenade, the local mosque al-Nur, the oceanarium (15 dirhams for a child under 12 years old, 25 dirhams for an adult) and the Museum of Islamic Civilization (10 dirhams).
The hotel where we bought a tour to Sharjah (the pool is heated, and this is a huge plus for a cool time!)
About hotels.
We rested in Sharjah at the 3 * Centro Sharjah by Rotana business hotel - and this is downright a godsend. Inexpensive, modern, from the popular Rotana hotel chain and on a par with the Dubai Quartet. The only drawback comes down to poor transport links: the hotel is located near Sharjah airport "in an open field" - you had to take a taxi or rely on free transfers to the beach and Dubai Mall (they are cleverly organized, you can't combine both the beach and Dubai). But what can you not endure when a tour costs 33,000 rubles for two with a departure from the region? .. By the way, choosing Dubai or Sharjah for the tested hotels, I would return to Rotana, Cheaper, but the quality is the same.
All inclusive beach hotels (good reviews from tourists are attached):
- 4 * Coral Beach Resort
- 5 * Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort
If you are traveling on your own, without a tour, see hotel prices on RoomGuru.
About Ajman.
Sharjah is a small emirate, and next to it is the even smaller Ajman.I have not been there, but I know one thing for sure: there are ten times fewer hotels here than in Sharjah, but you can get the same quality more profitably. If in Sharjah a popular all-inclusive hotel costs from 120,000 rubles for two, then in Ajman - from 100,000 rubles.
Choose Ajman if you are only interested in a beach holiday (beaches and hotels are just the same). In general, it is not much different from Sharjah, a little more boring. Although how to say, alcohol can be found here in specialized stores :) Probably Ajman will become more touristy when prices for holidays in Sharjah become equal to those in Dubai.
Organizational moments.
How to travel to Dubai:
- Transfer from the hotel.
- Bus - 15 dirham (315 rubles) one way, 1 hour on the way.
- Taxi - 85-100 dirham (1800-2100 rubles).
- It is easier to rent a car right at the Dubai airport - for this there is a Russian-language service Myrentacar, the cost of rental per day is from $ 20 (1500 rubles).
Cultural entertainment in Ajman is available - the Sheikh Zayed Mosque (just the same name), the Ajman Museum (5 dirham), the City Center Ajman and Lulu Hypermarket shopping centers.
About hotels.
There are not many of them, on 1 line and "all inclusive" (but you can choose the option and just breakfasts), I will note:
- 5 * Bahi Ajman Palace
- 5 * Ajman
- 5 * Fairmont Ajman
If you are traveling on your own, without a tour, see hotel prices on RoomGuru.
Bottom line.
+ Close to Dubai, and tours and hotels are orders of magnitude cheaper. Where it is better to relax in the UAE on a limited budget is here.
+ Inexpensive cafes right on the beaches.
+ Quiet, there are no these Dubai race tracks, which cannot be crossed by a pedestrian.
+ Sandy beaches.
+ You can get hold of alcohol (in Ajman).
- Less well maintained beaches.
- Dirty, typical Middle Eastern cities.
- Strict relationship with alcohol (in Sharjah).
- There is no direct connection to Dubai except by bus or taxi.
Ras al-Khaimah
Reviews say that in the UAE on the sea it is better to relax in Ras al Khaimah ... I have something to say on this score! My first trip to the United Arab Emirates was just to the resort of Ras al-Khaimah - due to the low price of the tour.
Why is this emirate chosen at all, if it is 100 km away from Dubai?
Firstly, the most inexpensive tours often lead to Ras al-Khaimah. And if you want, first of all, to have a budget vacation by the sea - without shopping and luxury restaurants - the resort is no longer important. The main thing is that there are sandy beaches and excellent weather.
Secondly, the money for which you can get a vacation in a luxurious resort hotel in Ras al-Khaimah (conditionally 150,000 rubles) in Dubai will be enough for a standard "five" without frills.
Thirdly, the most peaceful deserted beaches are here. Affected by the remoteness from Dubai and the emirates close to it. Nevertheless, the infrastructure is developed, everything you need for resort life is there. Even alcohol is on sale :)
Fourthly, there are more all-inclusive hotels here than in other emirates. Well, except for Dubai. But there is also a price tag. It would be possible to write PAX (this is how the name is abbreviated) in resorts for families with children, but for this status there is not enough entertainment.
In general, if you are looking for an inexpensive beach destination, Ras al-Khaimah is a good option. But if you find an offer in Sharjah, especially on the border with Dubai, it is better to take there.
Important information.
Staying at Ras Al Khaimah? On our website there is a detailed article about the resort and the local beach holiday - go to >>
Organizational moments.
- There is a bus to Dubai - 25 dirham (520 rubles) one way.
- Taxi - 200-250 dirham (4200-5200 rubles).
- View Dubai with a guided tour - see the assortment on the Russian-speaking Tripster.
- Another option is to rent a car (immediately at the airport or later), book in advance on Myrentacar, the cost is from $ 20 per day (1500 rubles).
From "walk-see" in Ras al-Khaimah there is: a museum, the old fort Dayah and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque (another of the same name). At 60 kilometers from the city - the iconic attraction is Mount Jebel Jais with hiking trails, zip lines and observation platforms.
About hotels.
In Ras al-Khaimah, I went on a tour to the 4 * BM Acacia Hotel and Apartments - an inexpensive hotel, it is actually "in the middle of nothing" and far from the sea, but this was a plus: from here they take 5 stars to the private beach of the hotel for free ( from a fellow on the network), where you could use the entire infrastructure. I only chose breakfast, but there is also an all-inclusive option.
More options in PAX with a higher class:
- 5 * Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is the most luxurious resort hotel.
- 5 * Marjan Island Resort & Spa is a popular option at all with good value for money.
If you are traveling on your own, without a tour, see hotel prices on RoomGuru.
Bottom line.
+ "Own" airport, short transfer (note that sometimes charters arrive at the Dubai airport, and then the journey takes an hour and a half).
+ Calm down.
+ Resort with sandy beaches.
+ Hotels are cheaper.
+ Most of them are all inclusive.
+ Not far from PAX, there is a beautiful natural location - Mount Jebel Jais.
+ Alcohol can be bought in specialized stores, but still!
- Boring.
- Hotels do not provide free shuttle service to Dubai, far away.
- Where it is cheaper in the UAE, there are other expenses “from above” - for example, on transport to Dubai.
Abu Dhabi
Al Cornish Quay and Sheikh Zayed Mosque
It is interesting that in the struggle "which resort to choose in the UAE for a beach holiday", Abu Dhabi
loses to many.
In the capital, of course, there are a lot of advantages - those that are not even in Dubai:
- It is the richest, greenest and most pedestrian-friendly city. In this regard, this is the best resort in the UAE. There are many promenade spaces buried in vegetation.
Abu Dhabi is as modern as Dubai - with skyscrapers and developed infrastructure. And there are not enough fingers to list all the coolest local entertainment for adults and children. It is located 100 kilometers from Dubai, only in the other direction, unlike Sharjah or Ras al-Khaimah.
But the "devil" lies in the beach vacation itself: there are not a lot of beaches here. More precisely, it is problematic. Firstly, the whole of Abu Dhabi is islands and islets, there is no open water. Secondly, mangroves have spread on the coast, and they cannot be cut down - they are protected by law. Nice public beach on the main island of Abu Dhabi, Cornish Beach, long and well maintained. There are excellent beaches at hotels on Saadiyat Island - snow-white, there is an open sea and blue water. Saadiyat Public Beach is paid for 35 dirhams (730 rubles) per person. That's all.
Therefore, reviews of tourists about holidays in the UAE in Abu Dhabi are mostly limited to sightseeing experiences or a trip for 2-3 days - to have fun on the slides, see the mosque. We went to the capital several times with excursions from Dubai, both daytime and evening - see all available in Russian on Tripster.
Organizational moments.
From Abu Dhabi, tourists get to Dubai in several ways - I will rank them from the most popular to the least:
- With a rented car - from $ 20 (1500 rubles) per day, book on Myrentacar.
- By bus - 25 dirham (520 rubles) one way.
Entertaining advantages of Abu Dhabi: Louvre, Sheikh Zayed Mosque (finally real), Ferrari amusement park, Legoland amusement park, WaterWolrd water park and more, and more, and more ... Plus, a long beautiful Corniche promenade, where you can walk in the evenings.
About hotels.
There are very few hotels in Abu Dhabi that are definitely suitable for a beach holiday, but not standing like an airplane wing. For example, 5 * Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan.
The choice of city hotels is much wider (they are also cheaper):
- 3 * Grand Continental Flamingo
- 5 * Corniche Abu Dhabi
If you are traveling on your own, without a tour, see hotel prices on RoomGuru.
Bottom line.
+ A great variety of entertainment and attractions, do not get bored.
+ Skyscrapers, restaurants, shopping centers.
+ An atypical green city for the UAE.
+ Many locations for walking.
+ The airport is close.
- If the charter arrives at the Dubai airport (it happens), then "nag" 1.5-2 hours.
- All activities for money and they are expensive.
- Strained with a beach holiday, there are almost no classic beaches.
Fujairah
Atypical landscapes for the UAE, huh? :)
Fujairah is a local uniqueness. All resorts of the UAE for sea holidays are located in the Persian Gulf, and she is in Oman. It is worth choosing it if you do not want to go anywhere and you are more interested in a beach holiday. The beaches are luxurious, the water is blue, and somewhere you can snorkel.
A big plus of Fujairah is associated with the Gulf of Oman: it is warmer. Even in February - the coldest month - the water temperature does not drop below +23! So in winter (and in March) there is beauty here.
In Fujairah, they rest not in Fujairah (sorry for the tautology, but how else to explain) - but in the neighboring sub-resorts: Horfakkan, al-Aq or Dibba. The disadvantage of Fujairah hotels is that the best of them are located in an open field, far from civilization.
Organizational moments.
Getting to Dubai is dreary:
- By bus - from 75 dirham (1500 rubles) one way and 2.5 hours on the way.
- Or rent a car in advance - the same $ 20 (1500 rubles) per day.
What to see in Fujairah: mosque, fort, museum and malls. Not much.
About hotels.
Some hotels directly resemble Turkey: with a large territory, greenery and a wide beach.
- 5 * Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort is just a local hit, there is an all-inclusive option.
- 5 * Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa
- 4 * Royal Beach Hotel & Resort
- 4 * Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa - according to a friend's opinion, this is the only hotel within reach of Fujairah that is not devastating for the wallet (every day there is a free shuttle to the mall, from where you can wave to the city). Once again a week there is a free shuttle service to Dubai Mall.
Bottom line.
+ Great beaches. Excellent. This is where in the UAE the sea is the best place to relax.
+ "All inclusive" there are many places.
Fujairah is a kind of "beach dacha" for indigenous (wealthy) Arabs, and they certainly know a lot about it.
+ The Gulf of Oman is warmer, it is comfortable to fly here in winter.
+ You can go snorkeling.
+ There are alcohol shops.
- Far from all other resorts in the UAE.
- Long transfer from the airport (1.5-2 hours).
- There is no infrastructure around popular hotels.
- Boring.
- Transfer from the hotel to Dubai, if there is, is paid (about 50 dirham (1000 rubles) per person).
What excursions did we visit in 4 trips to the UAE?
For all the times in the UAE, we have visited many excursions. There was no choice but to write separate materials - both general (about excursions from Dubai, for example) and detailed (about specific excursions):
- Top 10 Excursions in Dubai
- How to save money on the rise to Burj Khalifa
Most of all we liked the jeep safari (the first text contains a life hack on how to buy this excursion cheaper) - you "fly" by car along the dunes, you get adrenaline and emotions. It's also cool - but already expensive - to fly in a helicopter. That year we made up our minds and did not regret the money spent!
Season in the UAE - when is the best time to relax?
Our favorite time to relax in the UAE is November, December and February. Since at this time (except for New Years and holidays in Dubai) prices are cheaper and the heat is pleasant, not stifling.
The high season in the UAE runs from March to April and from October to November. But in our experience, you can go at any winter time, the only thing is that you will have to get used to the sea a little. But in the summer it is better not to choose the Emirates - this is torture. Read more about the season, with all temperatures and rainfall, in a separate article.
