Jebel Hafeet is the site of one of the most beautiful road trip routes in the world, according to new research.
Pentagon Motor Group analysed more than seven million Instagram hashtags to determine the world's most beautiful road trip routes, based on photos per mile. The Great Ocean Road in Australia emerged as the most Instagrammed road trip route, followed by Big Sur in California and, in third place, Jebel Hafeet.
Travelling in the comfort of your car
With many people still wary of international travel and staycations continuing to rise in popularity, Pentagon Motor Group set out to discover the most visually arresting journeys that travellers could take from the comfort of their cars.
There are an impressive 1,321,570 hashtagged images of the 253-kilometre Great Ocean Road on Instagram, meaning about 8,418 pictures are taken for every 1.6 kilometre stretch of road. Constructed in 1932, the route runs along the south-eastern coast of Australia, between the cities of Torquay and Allansford, and continues to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia.
The US is home to the highest number of scenic routes. Big Sur is the most popular, with 5,226 pictures per 1.6 kilometres, but Blue Ridge Parkway, Going-To-The-Sun Road, Route 66, California's Tioga Pass and Hana Highway also appear in the top 20.
Route 66 is the longest route on the list, covering 4,000 kilometres, cutting through eight American states – California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois – and spanning three time zones.
Driving to Abu Dhabi's highest peak
Meanwhile, 4,840 pictures per 1.6 kilometres were posted of Jebel Hafeet. Standing at the border between Al Ain and Oman, and rising to a height of 1,249 metres, Jebel Hafeet is Abu Dhabi’s highest peak, and the second tallest mountain in the UAE. The craggy limestone peak offers expansive views of Al Ain and has also been the site of significant fossil discoveries.
“Despite the looming question over international travel, road trips are still on the cards, thanks to the luxury and convenience of our wheels,” says Jonathan Lingham, marketing director at Pentagon Motor Group.
“As there are so many driving holiday destinations around the globe, we were curious to find out which route is officially the most beautiful.
"It’s great to see so many bucket-list-worthy road trips cropping up from all around the world – from the UK to Australia, and Norway to the US. It proves that everyone can jump in their car and embark on an epic adventure.”
The most beautiful road trip routes in the world
If you are planning a road trip in the near future, here are the 20 most beautiful routes in the world, as per Pentagon Motor Group’s findings:
- Great Ocean Road, Australia
- Big Sur, US
- Jebel Hafeet, UAE
- Hai Van Pass, Vietnam
- Chapman's Peak Drive, South Africa
- Blue Ridge Parkway, US
- Going-To-The-Sun Road, US
- Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
- Olympic Peninsula Loop, US
- Icefields Parkway, Canada
- Route 66, US
- Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Austria
- Pacific Highway, Australia
- Tioga Pass, US
- Military Road, UK
- Cabot Trail, Canada
- Hana Highway, US
- The Atlantic Road, Norway
- Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland
- North Coast 500, Scotland
Results
Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)
Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Persuasion
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8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
