Think of the United Arab Emirates [UAE] and the one city that invariably pops up in our minds is Dubai—the city of steel, glass, and gold. But Dubai is not the only emirate. Notice the plural in the country’s name? There are six others, each with its own ruler, and of these, two are steadily vying with Dubai for a space in global tourism. For a reason: The incredible treasures they both hold which not many know about. They are Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Abu Dhabi is the richest emirate in the grouping and its city by the same name, Abu Dhabi, is the country’s capital. 96 percent of the UAE’s 100 billion barrels of proven oil reserves are within its borders, ranking it at number six worldwide. Abu Dhabi’s ruler is also the President of the UAE. Sharjah, on the other hand, is in a time-warp. It is older, more traditional, and regarded as the UAE’s cultural capital.

It was in 1958 when the UAE first discovered it had oil, and that too loads of it. Four years later, in 1962, Abu Dhabi, then a small fishing village on the edge of a desert, exported its first cargo of crude oil, and the country changed forever.

Supplying 4 percent of the world’s oil requirements with a production of 3.2 million barrels per day, the UAE has spiralled its way through progress at an astonishing speed. However, there is another side to the country that was formed on 2nd December, 1971. Its pre-oil era, swathed in a heritage that is beyond its oil. There is also a whole country that is beyond Dubai.

With ancient desert roots and a vision of unity through globalisation, here are some of UAE’s most spectacular treasures in its two lesser visited cities Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. For often the most beautiful sites are on the road less trodden. ❤

1. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, uniting the world through architecture





Grand in design, scale, and vision, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the country’s largest mosque. Covering an area of 555,000 square meters and with a capacity of 55,000 worshippers, the mosque opened its doors to the public on Eid Al Adha in 2007. It is pure poetry in pure white marble, uniting multiple nations and cultures from across the globe. Wondering how that is possible? Read on.

Named after the founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, it took 11 years, over 3,000 workers, and 38 construction companies to build. Craftsmen and material from China, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Morocco, New Zealand, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the UAE [to name but a few] are all part of its story.

Whether it is its 82 domes, 107-metre-high minarets, courtyard with mosaics of flowers from various countries, 1,096 six-sided marble columns decorated with pietra dura, lunar illumination, the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet, or its qibla wall with the 99 names of Allah—everything has been thought out to the minutest detail in this masterpiece which aims to unite the world. Through architecture.

Travel tips: 1) Women need to wear a hijab and burqa when inside. 2) Complimentary 45-minute guided tours are available.

2. Emirates Palace Hotel, plated in pure gold




Now why would I put a hotel here, you may well ask. Because this is no ordinary hotel. Located on Abu Dhabi’s corniche facing the Etihad Towers, Emirates Palace’s main building is a kilometre long from one wing to the other. Its manicured gardens are spread over a hundred hectares and it has its own private 1.3-kilometre-long beach, marina, and natural bay.

Larger than the Buckingham Palace, the eight-storeyed hotel is draped in 6,000 sq. metres of 22 karat gold leaf. The building has 114 domes, with the world’s largest dome in the foyer rising to a height of 72.6 metres. This dome is embellished with pure gold, mother of pearl, and crystals. There are also 1,002 chandeliers inside; the largest weighs 2.5 tons.

You do not have to stay here to see all this fabulous ostentatiousness. Visitors have access to select areas for free which are enough to make one gawk.

Oh, there is also 24 karat gold facials at its spa, 24 karat gold flakes in the in-house cafe’s cappuccinos, and a solid gold ATM in the foyer!

3. Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, mapping the journey of Islam




In the heart of Sharjah, along the city’s Al-Majarrah Waterfront is the state-of-the-art Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization. First of its kind in the UAE, the over 5,000 artefacts from across the world trace Islam’s journey from its birth in the 7th Century to modern-day 20th Century. These artefacts are divided into distinct themes such as the principles of Islam, Islamic achievements by Muslim scholars, artworks, and coins.

Highlights to watch out for are parts of the Ka’aba and its covering, the Kiswah, and a copy of the third Caliph’s 7th Century Quran. There are also models of mosques from different parts of the world illustrating how local traditions have shaped Islamic aesthetics. The science and technology gallery has impressive displays on Islamic astronomy, mathematics, and medicine whilst the art galleries comprise works of calligraphy and miniature paintings from the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires.

Take your time exploring the museum’s unique treasures. None of these have any copies elsewhere. And yes, do not forget to look up at the museum’s dome when inside. It is decorated with a mosaic of zodiac constellations.

4. King Faisal Mosque, Sharjah’s modernist mosque




Named after the former Saudi king, Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King Faisal Mosque was Sharjah’s biggest mosque when it opened in 1987 with a capacity of 16,670 worshippers. Women pray in the basement, men on the ground floor, and upstairs is a library with around 7,000 books on Islamic history and thought. Though the ‘largest mosque’ accolade has since been overtaken, it still stands out for its distinctive architecture. It looks nothing like the typical mosque design one has learnt to recognize.

The angular arcaded jutting facade of the minimalist modernist structure is flanked by 70-metre-high minarets on either side. Its architect Al Junaidi, a descendent of the Prophet and a Saudi architect born in Mecca in 1937, specifically kept the mosque free of embellishments and ensured there were lots of pillars.

In his own words, the lack of ornamentation was so as not to distract the worshippers and that they could do their duty to God, and the pillars were to ensure they did this duty in neat lines as mandated in Islam.

5. Abu Dhabi Heritage Village, a window into pre-oil UAE




The UAE has progressed so rapidly in recent years, it can be hard to believe that a few decades ago its shiny global metropolises were sun-baked mud villages in the desert. Which is where Abu Dhabi’s Heritage Village come in. As a reminder to tourists and local Emiratis alike, about the country’s pre-oil era—its roots and desert lifestyle.

Since most traditional villages have more-or-less been wiped out in the race towards modernization, the recreated village offers a welcome window to indigenous mud-houses, water-wells and irrigation, the village mosque, a Bedouin camp, fishing village, and souqs [markets].

There are also traditional handicrafts with curated collections of handmade tribal jewellery, exquisite khanjars [daggers], pistols, and models of sailing boats, with a camel thrown in for effect. Promise, after this, you will forever see the country’s glittering skylines a bit differently and perhaps understand the Emiratis a little better too. 🙂