What can travelers expect in the United Arab Emirates?
The UAE consists of seven emirates that formed a federation in 1971, with Abu Dhabi as the capital and Dubai as the largest city. Beyond the two metropolises lie smaller emirates such as Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah, offering quieter beaches, desert forts, and, with Fujairah, even a coastline on the open Gulf of Oman.
This page covers the country as a whole: entry, best time to travel, money, health, and the security situation according to Switzerland's FDFA, Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA (as of September 2026). Detailed travel information on Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras al-Khaimah is available on dedicated pages.
Dubai is served for passenger flights mainly via DXB airport, Abu Dhabi via AUH airport; both hubs are close to their respective city centers.
Sources: Wikipedia
What kind of destination is the United Arab Emirates?
The UAE is extremely well developed for tourism and safe in everyday life, with modern infrastructure meeting a conservative legal system: alcohol, clothing and public behavior are more strictly regulated by law than in Europe. Between the seven emirates there are often only 30 to 120 minutes by car, allowing contrasts of skyscrapers, desert and coast to be combined in a single trip.
The population of around 11 million consists mostly of foreign workers; only a small share are Emirati nationals. That shapes everyday life: English is nearly always enough in hotels, restaurants and taxis, while Arabic remains the official language, visible on signage and documents.
Legally, Islamic law forms the basis in all emirates, applied with varying strictness: Dubai and Abu Dhabi are more liberally interpreted for tourists, while Sharjah is significantly more conservative, including a complete ban on alcohol.
Combining two or three emirates reveals, beyond city skylines, desert fringes, mangroves and mountains: the Hajar range reaches into Fujairah and Ras al-Khaimah, breaking up the otherwise flat Gulf coastline.
Which of the seven emirates are worth visiting?
Dubai and Abu Dhabi attract the most travelers and have their own detailed pages; those wanting to dig deeper will find museums and an alcohol ban in Sharjah, quiet beaches and mangroves in Ajman and Umm al-Quwain, and diving experiences away from the Gulf side in Fujairah on the east coast facing the Gulf of Oman.
Sharjah
Sharjah borders Dubai directly and is reachable from there in about 30 minutes. UNESCO named the city the Cultural Capital of the Arab World in 1998 and the Islamic Culture Capital in 2014; more than 15 museums followed, from the Islamic Museum on the Al Majarrah waterfront to the Heritage Area with its wind towers and coral-stone houses.
The white Al Noor Mosque on Khalid Lagoon opens Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. to non-Muslim visitors too, with clothing provided and photography allowed. Sharjah is also the only emirate with a complete alcohol ban: no licenses, no service, not even in hotels.
Ajman
The smallest emirate by area lies between Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain and is known above all for its Corniche with a sandy beach, cheaper than Dubai's beaches. The Ajman Museum sits in a restored fort from the pre-oil era and displays everyday objects from the pre-industrial Gulf coast.
Umm al-Quwain
The least populated emirate is known for its untouched mangroves: kayak tours through the mangrove area and birdwatching on the offshore island of Siniya are among the quieter experiences in the UAE. The Umm al-Quwain fort houses archaeological finds from the nearby excavation sites of Mowaihat and Al-Dur.
Ras al-Khaimah
The northernmost emirate, with the country's highest mountains, has its own page elsewhere in this destination database, with details on Jebel Jais and the resort area.
Fujairah
Fujairah is the only emirate lying entirely on the east coast facing the Gulf of Oman rather than the Persian Gulf, separated by the Hajar Mountains. The 16th-century Fujairah Fort, with three round towers and one rectangular tower, is one of the largest historic forts in the UAE; nearby Al Bidyah Mosque is considered the country's oldest surviving mosque. Reefs off Dibba and Al Aqah make the coast the UAE's diving and snorkeling area.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Both emirates have their own detailed pages in this destination database with regions, sights and suggested routes; this country page describes only what applies to the UAE as a whole.
Sources: Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (Visit Sharjah)
Destinations
Regions with their own page
Islands and regions
- EmirateAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi is the largest and richest in oil of the seven emirates and also the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
- EmirateDubaiDubai is the most populous emirate of the United Arab Emirates and, with the Burj Khalifa, artificial islands, and the world's second-busiest…
- EmirateRas Al KhaimahRas al Khaimah is the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates, sitting at the foot of the Hajar Mountains, around 45 driving minutes from…
When is the best time to travel to the United Arab Emirates?
From November to March, daytime highs in Sharjah run around 25 to 35 °C and nights cool to 14 to 21 °C; this is the most pleasant time for city visits, desert tours and the beach. From June to August, highs rise above 40 °C with high humidity along the coast, limiting outdoor activities to early morning or late evening.
| Sharjah | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 25 | 27 | 30 | 35 | 39 | 42 | 43 | 43 | 41 | 37 | 32 | 27 |
| Low °C | 14 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 27 | 24 | 19 | 15 |
| Rainfall mm | 23 | 10 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 14 |
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station SHARJAH INTL (10 km, 34 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.
Rain in the UAE falls only sporadically, mostly between December and March in short, intense showers; overall annual totals remain low. The desert fringe can briefly turn green after rain, adding extra appeal to desert tours.
The fasting month of Ramadan shifts by around 11 days each year; during daylight hours, eating, drinking and smoking in public are prohibited even for non-Muslims, and many restaurants don't open until after sunset. Anyone wanting to avoid this restriction should plan outside the Ramadan weeks.
National Day on 2 December commemorates the founding of the federation in 1971 and is celebrated with fireworks and flag decorations across all emirates.
On the east coast near Fujairah, the Indian Ocean makes itself felt more strongly than on the Persian Gulf: water temperature stays milder, but the sea is occasionally rougher between June and September, which can limit diving. Anyone planning to dive specifically should schedule the east coast for between October and May.
What do you need to enter the United Arab Emirates?
Swiss, German and Austrian citizens enter visa-free with a regular passport and may stay up to 90 days within 180 days. The passport must still be valid for at least six months on entry; an emergency or provisional passport is not accepted.
- Switzerland, Germany, Austria: visa-free for up to 90 days per half-year, free of charge, automatically stamped on arrival at the airport.
- Travel document: a regular biometric passport is required; a national ID card is not sufficient. Children's passports are accepted.
- Gender marker: according to Germany's Federal Foreign Office, entry is granted only to people whose gender is listed in the passport as M or F.
- Other nationalities: separate visa rules apply; the Emirati embassy or the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security are authoritative.
The current information from Switzerland's FDFA, Germany's Federal Foreign Office and Austria's BMEIA, as well as the Emirati immigration authority, is authoritative at the time of travel.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland
What vaccinations and health precautions do you need for the UAE?
No vaccination is mandatory for entry from Europe. healthytravel.ch recommends hepatitis A and a pre-exposure rabies vaccination for all travelers, while the CDC additionally lists hepatitis B and typhoid for most travelers; malaria plays no role in the UAE.
Besides routine vaccinations under the Swiss immunization schedule (polio, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, measles-mumps-rubella, varicella), healthytravel.ch recommends hepatitis A for practically all travelers, as well as a pre-exposure rabies vaccination, since post-bite treatment is not immediately available everywhere in the Emirates.
The CDC also flags Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which can pass from camels to humans; direct contact with camels, for example on farm visits, should be approached with caution. For travelers with higher exposure risk, the CDC also recommends hepatitis B and typhoid.
Medical care is at a high, often private standard in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah; overseas health insurance with a repatriation clause is advisable given sometimes high treatment costs.
Sources: healthytravel.ch, Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
What is the security situation in the United Arab Emirates?
Within the country itself, everyday crime is very low. The structural risk lies in the situation in the Gulf region, which can lead to air-traffic disruptions and regional tensions; check the current situation with the FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office and the BMEIA before any trip.
According to BMEIA, everyday crime in the UAE is very low; risks arise more from the regional situation around the Gulf states than from internal unrest. Travelers should still avoid large gatherings and special events, and follow announcements from their own country's representation.
Photographing military facilities, ports and government buildings is prohibited; private drone use is also banned. According to BMEIA, possession of drugs — even in the smallest amounts, and even with proven prior use before entry — carries multi-year prison sentences.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria
How do you get to the United Arab Emirates and around the country?
Dubai (DXB) and Abu Dhabi (AUH) are themselves global hubs with nonstop connections from practically every region of the world, alongside smaller international airports in Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. Distances between the emirates are short: Sharjah is about 30 minutes' drive from Dubai, and Fujairah on the east coast about 1.5 hours.
| Route | Mode of transport | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai – Sharjah | Car, taxi | about 30 min |
| Dubai – Abu Dhabi | Car, bus | about 1 h 20 min |
| Dubai – Ajman | Car | about 40 min |
| Sharjah – Umm al-Quwain | Car | about 40 min |
| Dubai – Ras al-Khaimah | Car | about 1 h |
| Dubai – Fujairah (east coast) | Car through the Hajar Mountains | about 1 h 30 min |
Dubai is served worldwide by Emirates, Abu Dhabi by Etihad Airways; both fly nonstop from Europe from, among others, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Amsterdam and Vienna, from North America from New York, Los Angeles and other hubs, and from the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney. Low-cost carrier flydubai additionally serves over 130 destinations from Dubai, many of them otherwise underserved routes in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa.
Sharjah (SHJ) is served mainly by Air Arabia, with a dense network to South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa; Ras al-Khaimah (RKT) and Fujairah (FJR) have smaller, mostly regional route networks.
Within the UAE, the E11 motorway (Sheikh Zayed Road) links Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain and Ras al-Khaimah continuously; a rental car or RTA/Emirates Bus intercity buses connect the emirates without needing your own vehicle. The road to the east coast, Fujairah, runs through the Hajar Mountains.
Sources: FlightConnections
What money do you need in the United Arab Emirates and how do you pay?
The national currency is the UAE dirham (AED), pegged to the US dollar at around 3.6725 AED. Card payment is possible practically everywhere in hotels, restaurants and shopping malls; cash is mainly needed in traditional souks and for smaller taxi fares.
ATMs are widespread across all emirates and accept common international cards; fees usually apply on top of those charged by your own bank. When paying by card, it's worth choosing settlement in AED rather than in your home currency, since the exchange rate offered on the spot is usually worse.
Tipping isn't legally required but is customary: around 10% in restaurants where a service charge isn't already on the bill. Taxi drivers and hotel staff appreciate small amounts in cash.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany
Where is the best place to stay in the United Arab Emirates?
Outside Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which have their own regional pages, accommodation is concentrated along the beach promenades of Ajman and Umm al-Quwain, as well as on the east coast near Fujairah and Dibba, where dive resorts dominate the offering. Sharjah itself mainly offers city hotels without alcohol service.
In Ajman and Umm al-Quwain, beach resorts are often cheaper than comparable properties in Dubai, with shorter distances to the sights of neighboring emirates. On the east coast around Fujairah and Dibba, hotels mostly sit right on the reef, geared toward diving and snorkeling guests.
Travelers combining several emirates often stay centrally in Dubai or Sharjah and take day trips, since distances between the northern emirates are manageable.
What do you eat in the United Arab Emirates?
Emirati cuisine is most clearly on display in dishes such as machbous, a spiced rice dish with meat or fish, and harees, a stew of wheat and meat; alongside it, the international diversity of the multi-million-person cities shapes the food scene just as strongly as local cuisine. Pork isn't available in most restaurants, and alcohol only in licensed venues.
In the traditional souks of Sharjah and Ajman, dates, spices and Arabic coffee (gahwa) with cardamom are fixtures; food stalls and simple restaurants offer cheap Lebanese, Indian and Pakistani cuisine, which shapes daily life alongside Emirati food.
Ramadan noticeably changes opening hours: many venues stay closed during the day, and specially set-up iftar tents open after sunset for the breaking of the fast.
What culture and festivals shape the United Arab Emirates?
Islam shapes everyday life, dress and the legal system; Sharjah has carried the UNESCO title of Cultural Capital of the Arab World since 1998 and Islamic Culture Capital since 2014. National Day on 2 December commemorates the founding of the federation in 1971, while the Eid al-Fitr fast-breaking festival and the Eid al-Adha festival of sacrifice follow the Islamic lunar calendar.
Clothing should cover shoulders and knees, especially away from hotel beaches and at religious sites; during Ramadan this modesty applies even more strictly. Public displays of affection between couples are uncommon and more strictly sanctioned in Sharjah than in Dubai.
Sharjah's more than 15 museums cover Islamic art, archaeology and natural history; the Heritage Area with its characteristic wind towers (barjeel) shows the traditional cooling technique of the Gulf coast before air conditioning.
Falconry and camel racing are among the region's oldest traditions and are still practiced today in the northern emirates, often away from the cities and accessible to visitors only through organized tours.
Sources: Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (Visit Sharjah)
What experiences are worthwhile in the United Arab Emirates?
Highlights beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi include Sharjah's museums and Heritage Area, kayak tours through the mangroves of Umm al-Quwain, diving and snorkeling on the east coast near Fujairah and Dibba, and desert safaris with dune drives at the edge of the Rub' al Khali.
Sharjah
The Islamic Museum on the Al Majarrah waterfront displays over 5,000 objects spanning more than a thousand years of Islamic art; the nearby Heritage Area can be explored on foot, with narrow lanes between coral-stone houses.
Umm al-Quwain and Ajman
Kayak tours through the mangroves near Umm al-Quwain and birdwatching on the offshore island of Siniya are quiet alternatives to the cities; Ajman's Corniche is well suited to a relaxed beach day.
Fujairah and the east coast
The reefs off Dibba and Al Aqah offer diving and snorkeling grounds with a different, calmer sea than the Gulf side; Fujairah Fort and Al Bidyah Mosque, the country's oldest surviving mosque, can be combined in a single day.
Desert
Desert safaris with dune bashing, camel rides and Bedouin camps are offered from every emirate; the red dunes of the Liwa basin at the edge of the Rub' al Khali are among the most striking desert landscapes on the Arabian Peninsula.
Sources: Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (Visit Sharjah)
How do you travel responsibly in the United Arab Emirates?
The mangrove areas around Umm al-Quwain and Abu Dhabi are among the Gulf coast's few natural ecosystems and are sensitive to boat noise and litter; guided kayak tours on fixed routes protect them more than unrestricted boat trips. When diving on the east coast, the usual rule applies: don't touch coral, don't anchor on reefs.
- For desert safaris, choose operators who limit routes and camps rather than pushing into untouched desert areas.
- Choose mineral-based insect repellent and sunscreen where possible, especially on reef and mangrove excursions.
- Use water sparingly: the UAE covers a large share of its drinking water through energy-intensive seawater desalination.
- Buy traditional handicrafts from Sharjah's Heritage Area instead of mass-produced goods, supporting local artisans.
Sources: Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (Visit Sharjah)
Which countries pair well with the United Arab Emirates?
Oman is the most obvious choice: from Fujairah or Ras al-Khaimah, Oman's Musandam border region is reachable by land in under two hours, while Muscat and Salalah are a short flight away. Qatar and Bahrain can also be added as short trips from Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Several daily flights of around one hour connect Dubai and Abu Dhabi with Muscat (Oman); the Musandam peninsula with its fjords is also reachable by car from Ras al-Khaimah, though border formalities need to be factored in.
Flights from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Doha (Qatar) and Manama (Bahrain) each take around one to one and a half hours, allowing three Gulf states to be combined on a single trip.
Who is the United Arab Emirates a good fit for, and who is it less suited to?
The UAE suits travelers who want to combine desert, culture and modern infrastructure over short distances, families seeking a beach away from the big cities, and divers looking for the quieter east coast near Fujairah. It is less suited to anyone who values alcohol in daily life or relaxed clothing norms, particularly in Sharjah.
Those who already know Dubai and Abu Dhabi will find in Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain and Fujairah a quieter, cheaper side of the UAE with shorter distances between the sights.
Solo female travelers, unmarried couples, and anyone unwilling to adapt to stricter public behavior norms should study the emirates' legal particulars carefully before traveling.