The UAE's most rewarding lesser-known places are outside Dubai: the abandoned pearling village of Jazirat Al Hamra, the fossils and tombs around Mleiha, the UAE's oldest working mosque at Al Bidya, the mangroves of Kalba and the oases of Al Ain and Liwa. None of them is hard to reach with a car, and most charge little or nothing.
This page covers the other emirates only. For quieter corners inside the city, see our guide to lesser-known spots in Dubai, and for uncrowded sand and sea, our quieter UAE beaches guide. The half-buried village near Al Madam in Sharjah has its own page: Al Madam ghost village.
In the central Sharjah desert, Mleiha has archaeological sites spanning the Bronze Age onwards, including an Umm an-Nar tomb. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre, about 65 km south-east of Sharjah city off the E102, runs guided tours to Fossil Rock, a limestone outcrop full of marine fossils, plus Camel Rock and the Valley of the Caves. Check current opening hours and tour prices with the centre before you go.
The best-preserved abandoned pearling village on the Gulf coast, built from coral stone and beach rock and emptied by its residents around 1968 to 1971. You can walk the lanes, the mosque and the old fort area freely. It sits just off the E11, around 20 minutes from central Ras Al Khaimah.
A restored hilltop fort in the north of Ras Al Khaimah, overlooking date palms and the Hajar foothills. The climb up the stepped path is short but steep and unshaded. See our Dhayah Fort guide for access details.
Widely regarded as the oldest mosque in the UAE still in use, dated to around the 15th century. Its single central pillar supports four small domes, and it is built from mud brick and stone. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times.
Kalba is Sharjah's ecotourism base on the Gulf of Oman, about 120 km east of Sharjah city and just south of Fujairah. The mangroves and khor here are known for birdlife and kayaking. It is quieter than the resorts further north.
A UNESCO-listed date-palm oasis in the middle of Al Ain, crossed by shaded paths and working falaj water channels. Walking the oasis is a calm contrast to Abu Dhabi city. Our Al Ain Oasis guide covers entrances and hours.
On the edge of the Empty Quarter, the Liwa oases sit among some of the tallest dunes in the region. It is a long drive, so treat it as an overnight trip rather than a day out. See our Liwa desert guide.
Before you go (as of September 2026): several governments, including the US, Canada and the UK, have heightened their travel advice for the UAE this year, so check your own government's guidance. Most of these sites have few or no facilities: carry water, download offline maps, and visit between October and April, early in the day. Sharjah is alcohol-free and expects modest dress in public.
Split the list by direction. Ras Al Khaimah's heritage sites pair naturally in one day; Fujairah and Kalba make an east coast loop; Mleiha sits on the way there; Al Ain and Liwa are separate trips from Abu Dhabi.
For heritage, Jazirat Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah and Al Bidya Mosque in Fujairah. For desert and archaeology, Mleiha in Sharjah. For nature, Kalba on the east coast. Each works as a day trip from Dubai by car.
Yes, the half-buried village near Al Madam in Sharjah has no entry fee or facilities. We cover it in a separate Al Madam guide, including how to get there and what to bring.
Yes. The abandoned pearling village in Ras Al Khaimah is an open site with no entry fee. Go in daylight: there is little lighting and no staff after dark.
Yes, outside prayer times and with modest dress. Remove your shoes, and women should cover their hair. Entry is free.
Fossil Rock is part of the Mleiha area of Sharjah, off the Sharjah to Kalba road. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre runs guided tours and excursions there, which is the easiest option if you do not want to drive on sand.
Realistically, yes, or a private driver or tour. Public transport between emirates reaches the main towns but not these sites.
Tell us your dates and interests and we will suggest how to link these places into a realistic itinerary.
Send an enquiryFree travel advice
Send us your question about visas, itineraries, hotels or tours and we will reply by email.
Ask a questionPlease log in to add this tour to your wishlist.
Free UAE travel advice
Tell us what you are planning. We reply by email.