Umm Al Quwain might not be one of the UAE’s most famous emirates, but it certainly has some hidden gems.
From outdoor activities to traditional Emirati culture, there are plenty of reasons to visit if only for a day.
Here are 10 top activities to try while you're there:
Mangrove Beach
A once-unknown spot in the emirate, the picturesque location in Khor Al Yeefrah is now being upgraded with the likes of thatched parasols, swings, a cafe and barbecue areas. There are kayaks for hire to go out and explore the wide variety of flora and fauna in the protected area that surrounds the emirate, and a DJ is on hand playing tunes at the weekend. A small entry fee is required for cars, but the facilities and the beautiful location make it a worthwhile trip. It is already a popular picnic spot for sunset.
Kitesurfing
Escape to Kite Beach Centre, where Zanzibar meets Bali. This laid-back beach destination has the emirate’s first certified kitesurfing school. Classes are available for all levels and instructors are all International Kiteboarding Organisation-certified. There is a small admission charge (check website for updated prices), but it’s a great place to spend the day and soak up the sun, as well as enjoy other water sports activities such as snorkelling or kayaking. Guests can also sleep overnight or hire cabanas for four-hour slots – but book ahead as it’s peak season.
kitebeachcenter.ae
Tarzan Gym
This quirky concept uses only natural materials out on the sand to create something that looks closer to what would feature in the Flintstones than a traditional gym. Several wooden pieces of kit make up this fun fitness centre tucked away in Kite Beach Centre. A great place to come with friends and very Instagrammable, it’s guaranteed to provide some laughs, as well as challenges with giant wooden dumbbells, barbells and monkey bars among some of the adults-only "toys" on offer.
instagram.com/tarzan.gym
Thunder Road Pizza & Grill
We often speak about Dubai as the country’s gastro hub, but Thunder Road is an absolutely hidden gem. Run by Italians, the restaurant offers flavours that will transport you to Italy, with dozens of home-made cheeses, pizza to die for and, to top it off, beautiful views of the ocean on the terrace. Their home-made burrata is a must-try. Located at the Barracuda Beach Resort, it’s Italy meets the US with a pool table and children’s playground, making it well worth a day trip up the coast. There is even a grocery store inside to pick up some authentic Italian goodies.
thunder-road.ae/barracuda-branch
An abandoned aircraft
An abandoned Russian cargo plane has become quite the attraction on the tiny emirate’s coast. The Soviet-era aircraft lays out in the sun by the Barracuda Beach Resort, seen clearly from the E11 leading to the hotel at the location that was once an airfield popular for skydiving. It’s been there for more than two decades. For aviation fans, it is a fascinating site, previously shrouded in mystery. Now we know the Ilyushin IL-76, also known by its Nato-operating name "Candid" first flew for the Soviets in the 1970s as a replacement for the equally legendary Antonov 12. It was useful for remote areas of the Soviet Union as it could operate on unpaved runways. The model seen in Umm Al Quwain is a four engine turbofan and was built for the Soviet air force in the 1970s. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it found a new role as a charter and operated in the UAE from the late 1990s.
Coordinates: 25.580214, 55.652882 on Google Maps
Vida Beach Resort
The newest addition to the Umm Al Quwain tourist scene is the Vida Beach Hotel, which allows pet owners to enjoy the emirate’s pretty coastline without having to find a sitter. One of a number of hotels to see the gap in the market for the growing number of staycationers in the country looking to take their fur babies away with them, the hotel is chic and, as expected with Emaar, the attention to detail is impressive.
vidahotels.com
Umm Al Quwain Fort and Museum – Fort Al Ali
One of the emirate’s most prized assets, the fort turned museum offers a wealth of history to visitors. It’s the oldest historical building in Umm Al Quwain and dates back to 1768 under the rule of Sheikh Rashid Bin Majid Al Mualla, the founder of the Al Mualla royal family. The fort began as a residence and venue for his government, but now stands as a monument to the tiny emirate’s past since opening as a museum in 2000. Visitors can see the old prison, weapon room, military room and many more domestic quarters of the property, offering a window into the design and building techniques of a time long before today’s modern UAE. The Falaj Mualla Museum and Umm Al Quwain Centre of Antiquities are also worth a trip for history buffs.
ahd.uaq.ae/en
Siniya Island
Hop on a boat from the coast over to Siniya Island, east of Umm Al Quwain, where the eight-kilometre island offers a wonderful insight into the emirate’s historical and natural beauty. Residents of Umm Al Quwain settled on the island 200 years ago before moving to the mainland. Characterised by its mangroves, ghaf trees and desert flora and fauna, visitors can spot a wealth of nature on the island – from birds such as the Socotra Cormorant to the Arabian Gazelle. There are also 65 different archaeological sites on the island, including graves, structural remains and towers.
ahd.uaq.ae/en
Dreamland Aqua Park
One of the region’s oldest water parks, Dreamland has become an institution. Established in 1997, the park is spread over 250,000 square metres and boasts more than 30 rides, slides and attractions. This space is more than a waterpark – families can also camp overnight or rent an air-conditioned cabana for a day to enjoy the park’s landscaped gardens on the coast.
dreamlanduae.com
Labsah Camel Racing Track
One of the most classical Emirati traditions is camel racing, a favourite activity of royals and non-royals alike. It offers a chance for locals to display their prized possessions, and is an experience like nothing else in the country. While it’s a little bit more rough round the edges than the likes of the Dubai World Cup, this is where the more authentic side of the country can be seen. Races around the 4km track usually happen during weekends in the winter months.
Coordinates: 25°25′42.8″N 55°43′42.1″E on Google Maps
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
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Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
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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.”
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
