For Dubai residents, staying indoors during winters is a sheer waste of the lovely weather. For those wanting to venture further than their backyards, I’ve drawn up list of my favourite things to do and places to see. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Indeed, I’m convinced that there can be no such exhaustive list for UAE, because this country is always seeking to develop new areas and to reinvent itself. I love that spirit, and it’s something we would all do well to emulate in ourselves. We should always be ready to explore, adapt and reinvent so life is always a new adventure. Please do be careful to mask up whenever needed and maintain social distance though.

Dubai

Bastakiya district

Winters for me in normal times meant guiding groups of locals and visitors through the narrow lanes (called sikka in Arabic) of the Bastakiya district, pointing out the interesting buildings, stopping for refreshments in charming restaurants and peeking into the art galleries and museums. A great way to end the walk is by indulging in some grub at the Creek side restaurants while watching the abras go by. Non-ticketed. (Some museums like the Coffee museum have instituted a small entrance fee)

Shindagha

This is close to Bastakiya and earlier could be done as a part of the Bastakiya tour. However, over the last two years it’s been redeveloped extensively (still ongoing actually) and now there’s much to be seen, so you need a separate trip to do it justice. This area used to house the residences of the royal family in the past, and those old houses are being redeveloped into museums showcasing the Emirati history and culture. In Feb 2020, two of these were open to the public – Perfume House and Creek House – with plans to open the rest till end of 2020. Non-ticketed (The museums have entrance fees but not exorbitant)

Al Seef

Developed near the creek (contiguous to Bastakiya), the restaurants and establishments here have a traditional Arab look and feel. Non-ticketed.

La Mer

⁠Developed in 2018, this is a complex of restaurants in a beach side location. There is a play area for kids. Parking is expensive. Non-ticketed.

Blue Waters Island

The area that hosts the big Ferris wheel (Eye of Dubai). Developed recently, this has a longish bridge that goes over the water and ends at the JBR public beach. Walking over this bridge is a nice experience, affords good views of the Marina, JBR area. There are many restaurants. Non-ticketed.

Jumeirah Archaelogical Site

There’s an indoor as well as outdoor component to this. The site contains ruins dating from the Abbasid period (around the 9th century). Manage your expectations, only the foundations of the buildings remain after all these years for you to walk around in. But it’s interesting to be amidst such ancient structures while gazing on to the towering shapes of the modern Dubai skyline – forget Dubai frame – this is the real juxtaposition of the old with the new. There is a small, modern and high-tech museum showcasing artefacts from the period. After you can lounge in outdoors in the lovely Arabian tea house for refreshments. Non-ticketed.

Satwa/Iranian Mosque

Mosques visits are a mixture of outdoors and indoors, so it would not be remiss of me to include mosques in this list. Iranian mosque is a tiny mosque compared to the sprawling Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi or the Sharjah mosque; but it is so different and oh-so-beautiful. The colorful outside walls painted with intricate patterns are reminiscent of Esfahan in Iran. Non-ticketed.

Ras-al-Khor Creek

Home to many flamingoes that can be watched through a ‘hide’ built for this purpose. It’s hard to believe, but this is very much inside the city, not far from Dubai Mall. Go at the feeding times. It’s lovely and the photos and videos you get are National-geographic worthy. Non-ticketed.

Design district

Makes for a good walk in winters. You can stop and admire the clever installations and the quirky seats that are spread throughout this office area. Don’t miss the installation that has the visage of Sheikh Mohammed on one side and Sheikh Hamdan on the other. A selfie with the sign, ‘I love Dubai’ is a must. Non-ticketed.

Global village

An evening here can be a pleasant outing, but only on weekdays when the crowds are thin. There are pavilions of countries which sell foods and goods from these countries. There are plenty of rides for children, you can sample some regional food and buy some regional trinkets. If you are lucky, some famous singer or band might be conducting an outdoor performance in the arena, which is included in the price of the tickets! They also do good fireworks on some days. Ticketed (but not at exorbitant prices)

Al Qudra

It’s a small group of Lakes, good for having picnic lunches and lazing around on winter afternoons, preferably with a pair of binoculars for bird-watching. I think the nearest bathroom facilities are a few minutes drive away, at the Last Exit, a pitstop with food trucks, a store, restroom etc. The heart-shaped lake made famous by the crown prince, called Love Lake, is best seen from a height to make out its shape. Has become quite crowded now, so most people are now heading to the Expo Lake instead. Non-ticketed.

Last Exit at Al Khawaneej

Located opposite the Quranic Park, this is long drive away. There are food trucks spread over large grounds. There’s an artificial lake in the middle. A bridge traverses this lake, which has been christened, ‘The Promise Bridge’, and the sides of the bridge are covered with locks, presumably of people who have made promises? There’s also a shop that sells paper lanterns, on which you can write a wish and set afloat in the water. There’s a play area, many games for children and target shooting for adults. Non-ticketed.

Quranic Park

Close to the last exit at Al Khawaneej is the sprawling green space of Quranic Park. Many plants that are mentioned in the Quran are planted here, both outdoors and in the big glasshouse, which has a little cafe. There are also man-made caves, containing information about Islam inside, like a museum. Non-ticketed.

Al Thuraya observatory

Located inside Mushrif park, is the small dome of Al Thuraya observatory. The indoor space has a little auditorium in the shape of a circular tent, which screens shows about cosmos and space. There’s a little gallery for exhibits related to astronomy. The fun part is the viewing through the telescope, which is done outside the observatory. Personally, I don’t find just seeing celestial objects through a telescope fun, unless accompanied by a lot of explanation and story-telling, but then I’m the kind of person who would want to know the Greek myth of Perseus before seeing the Perseid meteor shower. It still beats going to a mall or gaming arcade, though, so do visit. Ticketed.

Outside Dubai

Al Mamzar park, Sharjah

Al Mamzar park, combining a park and a beach, is worth a visit. Beach offers water sports. It can get very crowded on the weekends though. Non-ticketed.

Ghost village, Madam, Sharjah

In the desert there are a clutch of cement houses, abandoned and half buried in the sand. The village is accessible by road, you just need to walk a few hundred meters. You can roam around the village and climb up to the roofs of the houses, and take interesting photographs. Non-ticketed.

Mleiha, Sharjah

An archaelogical site in Sharjah. The centre offers different activities and packages, such as trips to the Fossil Rock and Camel Rock in the desert and an overnight star-gazing camp. It is possible to avoid paying to see the Fossil Rock and Camel Rock by climbing over the fence by the road and trekking up. But I recommend going via the centre, so you can benefit from their expertise in showing you the tombs, the museums, and the Fossil and Camel Rocks. Ticketed (Museum)

Wasit wetland reserve

Located in Sharjah, close to the Arabian Wildlife reserve, this has an aviary that houses many types of birds. The birds are outside in an open enclosure and you are on the inside, looking at them through floor-to-ceiling glass, and the birds may be justified in thinking that you’re in a cage. You can also go around the reserve in a dune buggy and see sand gazelles as well as visit many hides from which you can glimpse flamingoes. Keep your expectations down on the outdoor part and you won’t be disappointed – there’s no abundance of flamingoes here. However the water and the greenery contribute to a very serene atmosphere. The coffee shop at the aviary has a splendid view of tastefully landscaped gardens with flamingos and pelicans lounging in them. Ticketed (but not exorbitantly priced)

Kalba birds of prey centre

A long (1.5 hours) drive to the sleepy town of Kalba in Sharjah, will bring you to a very unusual outing. This is an open air amphitheater where for a modest price, you can buy a ticket to see big, powerful birds (mainly falcons and vultures) take flight, quite literally above your heads. I found it quite an adrenalin rush, to be ducking my head so often to avoid the birds from scraping my head. Fear not, though, they are only after meat, which is being dangled for them behind you by their trainers. Apart from the show, you can take a walk around the centre and view some more birds in captivity. I found this worth a visit. Ticketed (10 dhs per person)

Kingfisher lodge, Kalba

I absolutely love this luxe tented beach retreat. Would that it were less expensive! The property does a good job of keeping guests engaged with a crab-sighting session on the beach, a bird-spotting activity in the mangroves, sunrise and sunset watching, a treasure hunt for the kids etc. Pricey as hell, but worth a splurge.

Al Zorah Nature reserve, Ajman

Mangroves are the star of this reserve. Book a kayak tour with Quest Adventures and they’ll take you deep inside the mangroves in kayaks. Beware, where the water is extra shallow, you will need to step down and push your kayak to get it moving again. Your guide will point out different types of birds. The views on the water are nice and your arms can get a workout. Non-ticketed. (But I wouldn’t go unless booking a kayaking tour)

Hatta, Ras-Al-Khaimah

The stark contrast provided by the aquamarine waters of the Hatta dam against the craggy beige Hajjar Mountains makes for very pretty pictures. Water sports are on offer. There’s a heritage village nearby. You can do a day trip, with a lunch at JA Hatta hotel, or an overnight. Non-ticketed.

Al Shawka dam

This is in Ras-Al-Khaimah, about 1.5 hours drive from Dubai. When this area receives plentiful rains, it turns lush and green. You can walk along the dam, go down till the water line, and climb up a hill to get an aerial view. If you’re up for a longish trek, you can trek to the Shawka pools but in my opinion, the tiny pools are not worth a long walk. There’s also a nice picnic area. Non-ticketed.

Wadi Naqab/The Red Wall

This is a moderately difficult trek in Ras-Al-Khaimah. You’re either walking over stones, or climbing over big boulders like a mountain goat. Your reward is the attractive landscape; the mountains on either side of the wadi you’re walking in are sheer and quite photogenic. Non-ticketed.

Kite beach centre, Umm Al Quwain

An hour’s drive away from Jebel Ali, this is a private beach with a restaurant with washrooms and changing rooms, cabanas for rent, and a camp site where you can pay to pitch your tent. The beach is lovely, however, the centre does tend to get very busy because many families bring their dogs. This was a downer for me, I have dog phobia, and many of the dogs roaming around were minus their leashes. However, the crowd did thin out over the evening as only those staying overnight remained. The wooden restaurant has a nice ambience but the food is nothing great. You’re not allowed to bring your own food, so do drive out to the many restaurants to save money and get better-tasting food. There are water sports as well if you want to take a lesson is kite-surfing. Ticketed (you are either paying for the cabana/place to camp/or food from the restaurant, so there’s no free ride)

Rafisah dam, Fujairah

A two-drive to Fujairah will bring you to this tastefully developed dam surrounded by mountains. You can go boating or kayaking. There’s a restaurant with rest room facilities. Good for some clicks and a bit of arm/leg exercise in the kayak/pedal boat. Non-ticketed.

Overnight trip to Fujairah

While Rafisah can be managed as a day trip, you can do an overnight trip to Fujairah as well. There are many beach resorts, such as Radisson and Fairmont, as well as decent hotels located in the city. Fujairah has a decent, well-maintained fort called Al Hayl, with a very pretty al fresco coffee shop next to it. There’s also a museum, but check the timings, as it closes early. When we stayed at Radisson Fujairah, we took a boat out to Snoopy Island and went snorkelling. There were people going scuba diving as well.

Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi

This is the second highest mountain top in the UAE and affords panoramic views from the top. It’s possible to do both a day trip and an overnight at Hotel Mercure. Non-ticketed.

Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi

The mangrove walk that opened in 2020 at Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi is a nice way to get up close and personal with the mangroves, if kayaking tours are not for you. It’s a wooden boardwalk through the mangroves with many viewing platforms. You can see crabs when you look down. Ticketed.

Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Strictly for splurging on a special occasion. This is very far from Dubai, easily a five-hour drive, and very expensive (you need to stay overnight in one of two Anantara properties). I enjoyed looking at the salt flats on the drive. The island is serene and full of animals like gazelle, oryx and many types of birds. You do need to book the safari in advance though. No ticket but a small fortune.