About Us

The UAE Guides is an independent travel resource built on sustained first-hand experience across the UAE. Between us we have lived and travelled extensively in the country, covering Dubai's distinct neighbourhoods from Deira to the Marina, Abu Dhabi's cultural institutions and desert margins, Sharjah's arts district, and the less-visited emirates of Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. We write the guide we wished existed before our first visit - one that covers the summer heat honestly, explains Ramadan logistics practically, and does not pretend every attraction is worth a half-day of your time.

Who writes this site

Dubai neighbourhoods and logistics writer - a travel writer who has lived in Dubai for six years and covered Gulf travel for a regional English-language publication. She has spent extended time in Deira around the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, in Downtown around Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, and on Creek dhow cruises between the two banks. Her logistics coverage - Metro fares, RTA bus routes, desert safari operators, and marina dinner cruise options - is checked against live pricing before each revision cycle.
Abu Dhabi culture and heritage researcher - a contributor who spent four years based in Abu Dhabi and specialises in the emirate's cultural institutions and desert excursions. He has visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque more than a dozen times across different seasons and lighting conditions, attended the Louvre Abu Dhabi multiple times since its 2017 opening, and has driven the Liwa Oasis route into the Rub' al Khali. His coverage of Yas Island - Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, and the F1 circuit - is based on repeated visits rather than a single press trip.
Northern Emirates and outdoor editor - a contributor who has made the circuit between Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain more times than we can count. He has hiked the Hajar Mountains on foot, stayed in the Jebel Jais area, and documented the Sharjah arts district around the Sharjah Art Foundation and the Heritage Area. His practical knowledge of driving between emirates - distances, toll roads, and border quirks - is based on direct experience rather than map estimates.

Dubai: beyond the skyline

Most Dubai guides lead with the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall, which are worth seeing but represent only one layer of a city built on multiple eras. Deira, on the older side of the Creek, has a texture that Downtown does not: the Gold Souk's covered lanes, the Spice Souk's sacks of dried limes and frankincense, and the abra water taxis that cross the Creek for one dirham. The Creek dhow cruises that depart in the evening offer a different view of the city's skyline than the standard observation deck does. For visitors arriving in summer - June through August - the heat is a genuine planning factor: midday temperatures regularly exceed 42°C and humidity is high. Most outdoor activity shifts to early morning and after 9pm, and the mall culture that puzzles first-time visitors makes complete sense in context.

Abu Dhabi and the Ramadan question

Abu Dhabi is often treated as a day trip from Dubai, which underestimates it. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the region and is free to enter; the Louvre Abu Dhabi's collection spans civilisations rather than a single national tradition; and the Qasr Al Hosn fort at the centre of the city is the oldest stone building in Abu Dhabi. Visitors who time a trip around Ramadan need specific advice rather than generic warnings: non-Muslim visitors can eat and drink in hotels and designated restaurants throughout the day, evening Iftar meals at the larger hotels are worth booking for the experience, and the atmosphere in the souks and older parts of both cities changes noticeably after sunset in ways that are worth experiencing.

Our editorial standards

We visit in person. Our coverage of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is based on being there, not summarising the official brochure. We verify against official sources: destination and attraction information is checked against Dubai Tourism (DTCM) and Abu Dhabi Tourism, and weather and seasonal data against the UAE National Center of Meteorology. We update when conditions change: entry fees, visa requirements, and transport costs are reviewed each quarter, and individual pages carry the date of their last substantive revision.

How we keep the lights on

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