Whether you have some weekends to fill, school holidays in which to entertain the children or family and friends visiting, there are plenty of free things to do across the UAE.
With options for outdoorsy types, history buffs, art lovers, explorers and more, here are 10 places to check out.
1. Hit the Mushrif National Park bike track, Dubai
Strap the bikes to the back of the car and head to Mushrif National Park where a 20km track awaits.
Cycle through forests and parkland, up hills and across bridges as the track, which will be extended to 50km in phase two of the development, takes riders through some of Dubai’s loveliest natural surroundings.
The bike track entrance is before the main gates of the park.
Sunday to Wednesday 8am-10pm, Thursday to Saturday (and public holidays) 8am-11pm, noon to 11pm during Ramadan; Al Khawaneej Street, Mushrif, Dubai; 04 288 3624
2. Visit the Children’s Museum at Louvre Abu Dhabi
Created to engage young minds, the Children’s Museum at Louvre Abu Dhabi is free for young visitors accompanied by a paying adult.
The museum comprises three floors of experiences for little ones, with the exhibition Emotions! encouraging children to explore the basic emotions — joy, sadness, fear and anger — through artworks, games, creative activities and immersive experiences. It is suitable for children aged four to 10.
The famed dome roof and the area underneath is also free to visit from 6.30pm Tuesday to Thursday and 8.30pm Friday to Sunday, with no ticket required when the galleries are closed.
Galleries, exhibitions and boutiques Tuesday to Thursday 10am-6.30pm, Friday to Sunday 10am-8.30pm. Dome and restaurants open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-midnight (closed on Mondays); Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi; www.louvreabudhabi.ae
3. Walk or camp at Al Qudra Lakes, Dubai
Visitors can see oryx, desert foxes, flamingos, geese and at the lakes in the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve.
With an array of different lakes, as well as the Instagram-friendly Love Lakes, no two walks will be the same.
Pack a picnic or better still, dust off the camping gear and pitch up lakeside for free front-row tickets to the ultimate nature show.
Open daily, all hours; Al Qudra, Dubai
4. Climb Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain
Seasoned hikers may wish to start early when it comes to tackling the 1,249-metre-high mountain that towers over the Garden City of Al Ain.
The hike to the top of the UAE’s second-highest peak takes about four hours, offering views across the desert on the way.
At the foot of Jebel Hafit is Jebel Hafit Desert Park where you can walk, bike, horse or ride camels, and learn about the Bronze Age history of the region.
Open daily, all hours; Al Hajar Mountains, Al Ain
5. Go off road to Al Madam Ghost Village, Sharjah
Sharjah’s buried village is a little off the beaten track, about 70km from both Dubai and Sharjah, but well worth the effort.
Discover a small settlement, including two rows of houses and a mosque believed to have been built in the 1970s, half-buried in the sand.
Thought to have been inhabited by the Al Kutbii tribe, the area is best reached with a 4x4, with visitors needing to walk the final stretch to the village.
Open daily, all hours; Al Madam, Dubai-Hatta Road (E44)
6. Catch a light show at Imagine at Dubai Festival City Mall
The whole family can visit this nightly laser, water and light show at Dubai Festival City Mall’s Festival Bay, with the first performance starting after sunset.
Imagine tells stories about the UAE via laser lights projected onto water and using state-of-the-art technology, against the backdrop of a booming soundtrack.
Daily, 8pm and 10pm; Crescent Drive, Dubai Festival City; www.dubaifestivalcitymall.com
7. Visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Visitors can immerse themselves in the impressive architecture of Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, taking in the mosaics, reflective pools, amethyst-embedded columns and the world’s largest prayer hall carpet.
Free cultural tours in English and Arabic are available during opening times with no booking required. Hours may change during Ramadan.
Saturday to Thursday 9am-10pm, Friday 9am-noon and 3pm-10pm; Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street, Abu Dhabi; www.szgmc.gov.ae
8. Go birdwatching at Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, Dubai
The protected wetlands of Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary are home to a unique array of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Whet little ones’ appetites for nature with a visit to the sanctuary to catch reptiles, amphibians, fish and more than 200 species of birds, including the area's famous flamingos.
Daily, 6am-6pm; Dubai Creek; www.dm.gov.ae
9. Explore Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain
One of the largest forts in the UAE, Al Jahili was built in the 1890s on the orders of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.
Set in the middle of perfect-for-picnics parkland, the fort offers plenty to see and do, including an exhibition about British explorer Sir Wilfred Thesiger who, with his Emirati and Omani companions, crossed Abu Dhabi’s Empty Quarter twice in the 1940s.
Daily, 9am-7pm; Castle Park, Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Street, Al Jahili, Abu Dhabi; www.visitabudhabi.ae
10. Visit the Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili, Dubai
Enjoy a deep dive into the works, culture and history of one of the Middle East’s greatest writers and poets, Mubarak bin Hamad bin Mubarak Al Manea Al Oqaili.
The heritage house offers a glimpse of the region’s traditional architecture, while the museum is divided into nine wings.
It transports visitors to a bygone era, with artefacts and collections that reflect Emirati life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Monday to Thursday, 8am-3pm, Friday 8.30am-11.30am, Saturday and Sunday closed; Sikka 26A, Deira, Dubai; www.dubaiculture.gov.ae
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- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
