Dubai is dazzling - and difficult to leave. But if you're staying in Dubai for more than a few days or your threshold for shopping and swimming is low, there are plenty of excursions that can reveal the many facets of the UAE. You can witness the almost mythical haze at Ihe edge of the Empty Quarter and jagged mountains painted in multiple shades of subtly changing colour, or pass camels and roadside mosques, visit an oasis city replete with palms burdened with dates, and swim at beaches with barely a hotel in sight.

۞ Desert Safaris

There is nothing like getting out into the desert, especially at sunset. You can take an afternoon or overnight safari - the silence under the stars is magic. Tours by the companies listed below all offer roughly the same experience: departing in the afternoon they travel across the- desert and, after an exciting bit of 4WD 'dune-bashing', usually reach camp with enough time for a camel ride and sand boarding before sunset. After working up an appetite, you enjoy a barbecue dinner - Arabic and Lebanese food. While there is no alcohol provided, people have been known to sneak a bottle or two on the trip to drink under the stars. Dinner is followed by sheesha (water pipe) and a belly dancer before returning to Dubai. This costs some amount per person and if you haven't experienced the desert before, it's a wonderful afternoon and evening. Even if you're a time-poor traveller, the trip is worthwhile because you can tick off several must-do activities in one hit. If you really want that Bedouin experience, you can stay overnight in the camp or under the stars for an extra fee.

۞ Mountain Retreat

Set deep in the rugged Hajar Mountains is the scenic town of Hatta. Half the fun of Hatta is getting there - driving on a freeway surrounded by great, red-tinged definitely part of the adventure.

۞  Desert Oasis

A trip to Al-Ain will provide you with that 'oasis in the desert' feel as both. Al Ain and neighbouring Buraimi in Oman lie within the Buraimi Oasis. While the road to Al-Ain is excellent, it passes through enough sand dunes to give you a feeling of just how welcome the oasis must have been after a couple of weeks' travel by camel. The cooler, drier temperature and fantastic dates don't hurt either.

The scenic drive over to the East Coast takes you to some fine beaches and rocky headlands, that are home to a string of dive sites, fishing villages, rugged wadis, sturdy forts and the busy ports of Khor Fakkan and Fujairah.

Get to know more about Dubai tourist attractions. Take a look at the popular / famous places in united Arab emirates.