Al Ain "the well" or "the eye", and in this case meaning "the spring" in English, is a city in the United Arab Emirates located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, directly adjacent to the border with Oman. It is often called the 'Garden City of the Gulf' given the many parks, tree-lined avenues and decorative roundabouts within the city. Al Ain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai form a kind of geographic triangle in the center of the country, each roughly 150 kilometers from the other two. Al Ain is the fourth largest metropolitan area by population in the Emirates with just under 300,000 people.
The area has been continuously inhabited for more than four thousand years and Al Ain is considered central to the cultural heritage of the country. The name Al Ain means "the spring" in Arabic, a reference to the numerous underground water springs in the area, which explains its attractiveness as an area of settlement. Traces of its traditional past remain, including camel racing and breeding. The ancient falaj system of irrigation is still in use in some areas distributing underground water by a network of tunnels emerging eventually into open channels whose flow can be directed and regulated.
Al Ain is developing as a tourist destination and tourist attractions include Jebel Hafeet, a 1000 metre high mountain which dominates the surrounding area. Jebel Hafeet is itself a fascinating landmark of Al Ain.
This limestone monolith rises 1350 feet, providing spectacular views across the border between the UAE and Oman. A modern three lane highway lit by yellow halogen streetlamps snakes up the mountain to the royal palace and picnic areas at the top. There are also hot spring spa pools at the base, and the entire mountain is honeycombed with passageways accessible to any seasoned pot-holer.
A visit to the mineral springs at the base and a drive to the top of this mountain for sunset is popular. Al Ain regularly records the highest summer temperatures in the country, but the dry desert air makes it a welcome retreat from the costal humidity of the larger cities.
Other attractions include the Al Ain Oasis in the city centre and other oases dotted around the area, cool retreats in the middle of the summer heat, a zoo, amusement park named "Fun City", many well maintained parks, most popular with families in the summer evenings, a heritage village as well as malls and other modern sites. Important social and governmental infrastructure includes United Arab Emirates University, Higher Colleges of Technology, well-equipped medical facilities, including the teaching hospital at Tawam, military training areas and Al Ain International Airport.
Al Ain fully deserves its title of garden city in the desert. Its natural geographical features, enhanced by the "beautification scheme" launched on the President's initiative, make it a pleasant and refreshing place in which to spend time, whether as a resident or as a tourist.
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The Emirates may well have the hottest weather you will ever experience,  approximately 35C in mid-May to 45 C+ in August/September, but unlike Abu Dhabi and Dubai on the coast, Al Ain being inland does not suffer from such high humidity which makes it more bearable. However everywhere is thoroughly air conditioned (sometimes too much). The winters are cooler (at night it can get down to 12°C) and a sweater or jacket is often necessary and in early spring it can rain quite heavily so an umbrella or even a light raincoat is a necessity. On the other hand you can look forward to ideal walking and exploring weather from October to April.
Taxis are available, but there is no bus service. Privately-owned taxis are cheap - about Dhs. 8 for a trip across town. Al Ghazal is a taxi service run by a private company. Their services are a bit more expensive since their vehicles are newer and all of their employees speak English. It may put your mind at ease to use Al-Ghazal's pink and white taxis until you are more familiar with your surroundings and can point the way to your destination to a driver who does not speak English. Women are advised to always sit in the back seat, make sure the meter is switched on and not make unnecessary conversation with the driver.
There is a reasonable bus service to Abu Dhabi which leaves from the bus station behind the Coop down town. The buses are air conditioned and women sit at the front. There is no bus service to Dubai but lifts can sometimes be obtained from your colleagues or you can use the Al Gazal taxi service or if you feel brave enough the shared taxi service. There is a mini bus service run by Dubai Transport from Dubai to Ali Ain but they are not allowed to take passengers from Al Ain to Dubai. |
