Places you should visit in UAE.
Part 2- North Emirates (Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah & Umm Al Quwain)
Here are 14 attraction places you should visit or know about UAE.
Ras Al Khaimah
Jebel Jais
Jebel Jais is a mountain of the North-Western Hajar range in Ras Al Khaimah,United Arab Emirates and also in the Musandam Governorate of Oman.
It considered the tallest mountain in the UAE with its sumit at 1934 m.
The highest point of this mountain is located on the Omani side, but a secondary hill (in the same mountain) west of this peak is considered the highest point of the United Arab Emirates.
Al Jazirah Al Hamra
Al Jazirah Al Hamra (The Red Island) is a town in Ras Al Khaimah.It is known for its collection of abandoned houses and other buildings, including a mosque, which are widely believed locally to be haunted.
The Emirati inhabitants here would have made their living out of pearl diving and fishing, but the villagers all left in the 1960s, and the dry desert climate has helped preserve the buildings.
The entire place is infused with a lost-in-time atmosphere.
Ras Al-Khaimah National Museum
Ras Al-Khaimah National Museum is in a fort that was the residence of the ruling family up until the early 1960s. The museum houses an excellent collection of archaeological and ethnological artifacts. The Qawasim Room on the first floor is particularly interesting, with a collection of documents, manuscripts, and treaties between the rulers of Ras Al-Khaimah and Great Britain. There are also exhibits of traditional weapons belonging to the ruling family, and archaeological displays about the earliest settlers in the area up to the late Islamic period. The museum's ethnographic section introduces traditional life in the emirate, including architecture, pearl diving, date growing, farming, and fishing.
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Sharjah
Sharjah Arts Museum
It is one of the largest Arts Museum in the United Arab Emirates it was opened in 1997 and features a permanent collection as well as a program of temporary exhibits.
The permanent collection includes valuable artwork from the collections of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, the Ruler of Sharjah.
There are 72 galleries spread over three floors, with a focus on works by artists who painted the Arab world.
Many artworks are by 18th-century painters who visited the Middle East and became fascinated by the natural environment, architecture, and culture.
The Ali Darwish gallery contains watercolors of Sharjah.
The contemporary section consists of more than 300 works by local, Arab, and foreign artists.
Opening Hours: Daily from 09:00 am to 01:00 pm and 05:00 PM to 08:00 PM.
Fridays: from 05:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Central Market
Sharjah's Central Market is the city's most famous landmark.
The sophisticated blue tile work on the exterior has given it the nickname the Blue Souk.
More than 600 shops are inside, where shoppers will find sections devoted to gold and jewelry, perfume, clothing, food, electronics, and gift-type items.
The upper floor has the atmosphere of an authentic Arabian bazaar, with vendors selling antiques, carpets, Omani and Yemeni jewelry, and all sorts of other exotic souvenirs.
For downtime after shopping exploits, the market area is also home to plenty of cafés.
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM–10:00 PM.
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is a good place to dive into the deep roots of Arab and Islamic culture. A number of scientific and religious manuscripts as well as a collection of Islamic arts and craftwork dating from the 7th to the 19th centuries are on display.
Features of particular note include the exhibit of clay, pottery, and glass as well as metallic handicrafts inlaid with silver, gold, and brass, and the collection of astrolabes.
The museum holds items dating back to the Abbasid and Umayyad eras, including a coin collection of silver dinars and dirhams, but also traces the far reaching tentacles of Islamic culture, with exhibits of Mughal and Ottoman craftwork.
Opening Hours: 08:00 AM–08:00 PM.
Fridays : 04:00 pm- 08:00 PM.
Sharjah Archaeology Museum
Sharjah Archaeology Museum has exhibits tracing the wide arcing history of humanity in the area.
It displays in the Stone Age section include numerous flint pieces reflecting the technology of that period and old seashells.
There are also ornamental gems and pottery shards from the Ubaid period that were found in Al Hamriyah and confirm the trade exchange of this age with Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq).
The Bronze Age Hall features archaeological finds of pottery, metals, stone, and jewelry,
while the Iron Age Hall features two of the museum's prize pieces: a camel statue and a ceramic dome that both come from the Muweilah archaeological site.
The museum has done a good job of making its exhibits user-friendly, and children will be kept entertained by a variety of hands-on games.bb .
Opening Hours: Saturday to Thursday: 08:00 AM - 08:00 PM
Friday: 04:00 PM - 08:00 PM.
Sharjah Heritage Area
Sharjah Heritage Area is a combination of several museums that include the Sharjah Heritage Museum, Souk Al Arsah, Al Midfaa House, Al Hisn Sharjah, and Hisn Fort.
Souk Al Arsah is a large open courtyard souk, restored in its traditional style, that now includes a number of different shops featuring silver and wooden handicrafts, jewelry, traditional garments, and beauty products.
Bait Al Naboodah is a traditional family house ,home to the Al-Shamsi family. Comprised of 16 rooms, it has been converted into the Sharjah Heritage Museum. Each room has a different aspect of Emirati culture, such as traditional clothing.
Al Midfaa House is the restored family home of Al Midfaa - a prominent figure in Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates. The exhibits here cover the literature and culture of the region.
Al Hisn Fort was the traditional residence of the ruling family of Sharjah. The fort was built 200 years ago and served as a defensive facility for the town. Exhibits feature the history of Sharjah through themed displays in each room.
Opening Hours: Sharjah Heritage Museum 08:00 AM to 08:00 PM
Souk Al Arsah 09:00 AM–01:00 PM & 05:00–08:00PM
Al Hisn Fort 08:00 AM- 08:00 PM.
Al Noor Mosque
Al Noor Mosque is the only mosque in Sharjah open to non-Muslims.
Anyone interested in digging a bit deeper into the heritage of the United Arab Emirates and wanting to learn a little about Islamic beliefs would find a visit here a worthy addition to their Sharjah itinerary.
Non-Muslims can visit the mosque on a tour, which takes place every Monday at 10 AM and includes a discussion on Islamic and Emirati history, culture, and traditions.
The mosque itself is a modern construction (built in 2005) and modeled on classical Ottoman style, with slender, pointed minarets, typical of Ottoman mosque architecture..
Fujairah, Ajman & Umm Al Quwain
Fujairah Castle
Built in 1670, Fujairah Fort was badly damaged by a British attack in the early 20th century.
Considered the oldest fort in the United Arab Emirates, it has served previously as both a defensive building and a home for the ruling family.
And for many centuries, it was the only stone building along the Fujairah coast.
The fort has three major sections, several halls, one square tower, and two round towers.
The area surrounding the fort is now part of a Heritage Village set up by Fujairah's Department of Archaeology and Heritage.
Opening Hours: 08:00 AM–05:00 PM.
Sheikh Zayed Mosque
This large white mosque is a landmark that is visible from many locations in the centre of Fujairah city.
It is the second largest mosque in the UAE after the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi.
The mosque opened in 2015, and it covers a site the size of three football playground.
The mammoth prayer hall has space for 32,000 worshipers.
Fujairah Museum
Fujairah Museum is an archaeology and local history museum located in Fujairah City.
The museum opened in 1991.
It has permanent exhibits of local archaeological finds and on the traditional way of life historically in Fujairah in particular and the UAE in general.
Within the museum, the first exhibit hall displays heritage objects related to traditional local occupations such as agriculture, fishing, pottery, trade, and weaving.
A second hall on heritage displays ancient weapons, various costumes, and utensils.
A further hall has displays including a spice shop and souq.
The displays include archaeological finds from tombs at Al Badiyah, Dibba Al-Fujairah, and Qidfa', with objects such as arrowheads, carnelian beads, and vessels.
The museum is close to Fujairah Fort
Hours: 8AM–6:30PM.Opening
Ajman Museum
The 18th-century fortress that was once Ajman's first line of defense is now the city's museum.
The exhibits focus on the traditional local lifestyle, with dioramas of typical day-to-day life, as well as an excellent gallery displaying archaeological finds from nearby sites.
There are also displays of documents, photos, and official manuscripts tracing Ajman's founding as an emirate.
As well as being the town's main stronghold, the fort was once used as the ruler's palace and later as the location for the city police station.
The fort's major archaeological features are its two wind towers, two watch towers, and grand gateway now fronted by two cannons..
Opening Hours: 08:00 AM - 08:00 PM.
Umm Al-Quwain Fort and Museum
Umm Al-Quwain Fort once guarded the entrance to the old town by overseeing both the sea and the creek.
It was the seat of the rulers of Umm Al Quwain and the centre of government in the emirate until 1969.
Also it was used as a police station before the fort was restored and opened to the public in 2000 by Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmed Al Mualla, the Ruler of Umm Al Quwain at the time.
Today it houses the Umm Al Quwain National Museum.
Inside, the exhibits focus mainly on local archaeological sites, including finds from the Al-Dur archaeological site. There are also ethnographic exhibits introducing local life and traditional Emirati customs, artistry, and craftwork including jewelry, textiles, metalwork, and a display of weaponry dating back more than 200 years.
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