Beyond souks and desert safaris: How to do the Arabian Gulf differently

Telegraph

19-02-2025

Don't be fooled by the stereotypes: there's far more to the Arabian Gulf than first meets the eye. Dubai's glitzy malls, Abu Dhabi's five-star hotels, Doha's forest of skyscrapers… they're dazzling, yes, but they're not the whole story – not even close.
This is a region of sea-sized deserts and thriving wildlife sanctuaries; of pristine reefs where you can snorkel with wild turtles, of beaches that rival those of the Maldives, and of mighty mountains criss-crossed with hiking trails. 'It has no culture' is the sceptics' go-to refrain – but say that again when you're lost in Jeddah's exquisite old Hijazi houses, swapping stories with an Emirati pearl-diver, or gazing from the ramparts of Bahrain's Unesco-listed fortress.
The UAE is the Gulf's most-visited nation, the tourism star of the Arabian Peninsula – though Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are hot on its heels. In January, Qatar announced its highest-ever number of stopover visitors (up 165 per cent from April 2024 to Jan 2025), while Saudi is witnessing incredible growth: in 2024, it welcomed almost 30 million overseas travellers. Pretty impressive for a country that only started issuing tourist visas five years previously.
To maintain this momentum the region knows that it has to cherish its roots, enabling visitors to engage with its authentic heritage. 'For the longest time, people wouldn't travel to the Gulf for its culture – there wasn't enough awareness of the millennia of history under its sands,' says Arva Ahmed, the co-founder of Frying Pan Adventures, whose excellent walking tours reveal Dubai's little-known Emirati and Middle Eastern street-food scene. 'But now, travellers are seeking deeper experiences: they aren't wowed by another skyscraper, they're looking for something more meaningful.'
And there's a wealth of options to choose from. Whether for a day of discovery on a fly-and-flop break or a whole fortnight of desert adventures, the following recommendations offer a tantalising glimpse of the Gulf's cultural and natural gems. Because even in this land of unimaginable prosperity, those are its purest, most memorable riches.
Here are unexpected things to do in…
United Arab Emirates
Ask those burning questions
The UAE is the kind of place that sparks countless questions, many of which feel rather awkward to ask. Why do Emirati men wear white and women wear black? What's with the gold obsession? Refreshingly, no topic is off-limits at Dubai's SMCCU (Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding), which holds frank talks and Q&As over home-made Emirati meals. Its biriyani-style machboos and syrup-drenched luqaimat dumplings are just as tasty as the conversation. From £28.40; Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
Hike the Hajar peaks
Ras Al Khaimah's mountains dwarf Dubai's tallest skyscraper – a landscape of saw-toothed summits, plunging gorges and giant slabs of limestone and magma. Its highest peak, Jebel Jais, features hiking routes for all abilities, a network of zip lines (including the world's longest), a hair-raising via ferrata and more. It's a 2.5-hour drive from Dubai, and around 10C cooler in the mountains year-round. Hiking is free, ziplines from £71; Visit Jebel Jais.
Go looking for pearls
The son of generations of pearl divers, Abdulla Rashed Al Suwaidi is keeping this fascinating old Arabian profession alive in the tiny fishing village of Al Rams, Ras Al Khaimah. On a wooden-built dhow, you'll head through the mangroves to his underwater pearl 'farm' to learn how daredevil divers harvested oysters for centuries. After witnessing the techniques and tools of their trade, it's time for your own treasure hunt: a chance to shuck your own oyster, and keep (or eat) whatever's inside. From £55; Suwaidi Pearls.
Delve into Emirati culture
From prehistoric rock art to the Sheikh's classic car collection, it's no exaggeration to say there's something for everyone in Sharjah's museums. Art, architecture, archaeology: its cultural institutions explore UAE heritage from every angle, and chart its rise from impoverished land to global superpower in detail. Highlights include the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Sharjah Classic Car Museum and Bait Al Naboodah Museum; entry for each is AED10pp (£2.17). Sharjah Museums.
Feast on street food
Forget Abu Dhabi's highfalutin' restaurants for a night, and devour its street bites instead. Withlocals' 2.5-hour 'Culinary Kickstart Tour' showcases the capital's extraordinary global diaspora through its street food, in the company of local guides. Syrian pastries sweetened with pomegranate molasses, Lebanese flatbreads oozing piping-hot cheese, plump madjool dates from Saudi – it's all here, in hidden-gem cafés and market stalls you'd never find solo. From £47pp; With Locals.
Qatar
See flamingos in the desert
On Qatar's southernmost tip, blisteringly white dunes tumble into the ink-blue waters of Khor Al Adaid – the 'Inland Sea'. It's an eerie, otherworldly terrain: one hour's drive from Doha, leaving the highway to bounce over the ever-shifting sands (a 4x4 and skilled driver are essential). From November to February, thousands of flamingos flock to plunder the shallows, while other wildlife sightings include ospreys, gazelles and Arabian oryx. Discover Qatar runs private half-day trips from £191; Discover Qatar.
Cruise West Bay's wonders
Traditional dhow boats have bobbed on Doha's waterfront for centuries, but only in recent decades have West Bay's epic skyscrapers popped up in the background. Stroll along the Corniche to witness this mishmash of old and new: a vision of a nation reaching for the future while cherishing its past. Better yet, take an evening dhow cruise along West Bay, in the style of a homeward-bound seafarer of old. Expedia offers 90-minute tours from £36pp; Expedia.
Step into 'old Arabia'
One of Doha's oldest neighbourhoods, Msheireb, has been transformed into a picturesque jumble of restored old houses and tiny heritage-focused museums, dotted with trendy cafés. Company House tells Qatar's rags-to-riches story, while Radwani House recreates a traditional Doha home, adorned with hand-carved wooden doors and curvaceous archways (free; Msheireb Museums). After dark, Msheireb bustles with Qatari families, a sociable scene best enjoyed over single-origin cortados at % Arabica.
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Discover art in the dunes
Qatar is obsessed with art – so much so, it spills from the galleries into the streets. Beyond the exquisite miniatures of the Museum of Islamic Art (a vision in itself, designed by IM Pei; £11, Museum of Islamic Art), sculptures by the likes of Damien Hirst and Louise Bourgeois are dotted throughout the city. Most striking, though, is Richard Serra's East-West/West-East: four gigantic steel slabs out in the desert, an hour's drive from Doha. Humbling, bonkers – and well worth the trip. Free; Qatar Museums.
Bahrain
Spot dugongs and dolphins
Praised by Unesco for their pristine coral, Bahrain's Hawar Islands are home to sea turtles, sooty falcons and the world's second-biggest population of dugongs – not to mention beautiful white-sand beaches. You can explore the archipelago on boat tours, or slip beneath the waves on snorkelling and scuba diving excursions. Regency Holidays' six-day 'Mesmerizing Bahrain Tour' includes a day in the islands, from £750pp including flights; Regency Holidays.
Walk the Pearling Path
Pearl-diving in Bahrain can be traced back to 2000BC: it was its primary income before the discovery of oil, especially in the 19th century when pearls were more prized than diamonds. You'll learn all about it on Muharraq's Pearling Path, a Unesco World Heritage Site whose two-mile walking trail encompasses old pearling beds, museums and restored merchants' villas – an enlightening stroll through Bahrain's humble history. Free entry; Pearling Path.
Explore an ancient fort
The mighty stronghold of Qal'at Al-Bahrain has witnessed 5,000 years of civilisation, during which it's been fought over by the Greeks, Portuguese, Persians and more – a bloody history laid bare in the fort's museum. Its rugged ramparts still bear its battle scars: this is Bahrain's most significant ancient landmark, inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2005. Free entry; culture.gov.bh.
Oman
Snooze in the mountains
Jebel Akhdar is the Gulf's answer to the Grand Canyon: a wild, gorge-gouged landscape that's catnip for hikers. Its plateaus fall to riverbeds awash with fruit trees and date palms, and its walking trails are studded with marine fossils – a reminder that this entire landscape was once under the sea. Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is the place to stay, with an infinity pool overlooking one of the most spectacular canyons. From £422 per night, including breakfast; Anantara.
Plan a wild road trip
Oman is a road-tripper's paradise, blending the practical essentials (smooth asphalt, cheap fuel, doable distances) with a heady dose of adventure. Head south from Muscat's souk and beaches, popping into Ras Al Jinz to spy turtles nesting on the shore, before slicing through the dunes of Wahiba Sands and up into the Hajar mountains. Audley's nine-day 'Oman Self-Drive Tour' costs from £3,895pp, including flights, car hire and accommodation; Audley Travel.
Dive with whale sharks
On Oman's north-east coast, the Daymaniyat Islands lure in-the-know divers with their abundance of sea turtles, rays, dolphins, morays and reef sharks. April to October offers the best visibility, with the chance of whale shark encounters from September to October. Day trips are available, but Dive Worldwide runs a nine-day liveaboard from £2,195pp, including flights and full-board accommodation; Dive Worldwide.
Saudi Arabia
Teeter on the world's edge
One moment you're driving through the desert, and the next – well, nothing. The rocky, sand-blasted terrain simply drops away, placing you at the top of a precipice hundreds of metres high, with nothing but a sea of ochre dunes between you and the horizon. Welcome to the 'Edge of the World', aka Jebel Fihrayn, a two-hour trip from Riyadh. For an extra buzz you can scramble up one of the adjacent rock stacks: spectacular at all times of day, but sunset and sunrise set the rocks ablaze. From SAR256pp (£55); riyadhtrips.com.
Get lost in old Jeddah
The seaside city of Jeddah is regarded as Saudi's most cosmopolitan, but its old quarter – Al-Balad – is straight out of the history books. Here, 19th-century townhouses with exquisitely carved rawashin shutters tower over its tangle of streets, while the call to prayer spills over the coffee shops, family-run bakeries and spice stalls. A stay at Beit Jokhdar puts you in the heart of this Unesco-listed quarter, in a beautifully preserved traditional house. From SAR2,200 (£470) per night, including breakfast; Albalad Hospitality.
Marvel at the Red Sea
No, you're not dreaming: Saudi's Red Sea archipelago is the stuff of desert island fantasies. The region's glorious beaches and sapphire waters only opened to tourism in 2024, so you'll be among the first to discover them. Reached by speedboat or seaplane, The St Regis Red Sea is replete with five-star perks, but its superb scuba diving and Saudi dining steal the show. Best At Travel has a five-night package from £5,999pp, including flights and B&B accommodation; Best at Travel.
Snoop inside Saudi's first city
As you walk around Diriyah, you can almost hear the clip-clop of camel hooves on the cobbles, and the hubbub of its old souks and palaces. Dating back to the 15th century, this mud-built stronghold was the Kingdom's first capital, and is now the focus of a major restoration drive. You can wander its labyrinth of sikkas (alleyways), and explore tiny museums behind its hand-painted doors – each picking out a different heritage theme. Free; Diriyah.
What's New
Go big, then go home. These are the region's most hotly-anticipated new openings – from cultural encounters and heritage treasures, to a heady dose of Gulf glamour and glitz.
Arts and culture
Abu Dhabi's futuristic, Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim is finally set to open at the end of this year, part of the emirate's $10 billion (£8 billion) cultural investments. Almost two decades in the making, it will join Louvre Abu Dhabi and the new UAE-focused Zayed National Museum (also set to open this year) on Saadiyat Island, further strengthening the capital's cultural clout. In Dubai, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood – which was saved from demolition by a young King Charles III in the 1980s – will reopen its eponymous fort, which dates back to 1787. Expected pre-summer, it will also be home to the Dubai Museum – with new exhibitions delving into the emirate's pearl-diving and seafaring history.
The Lady Nara, a traditional-style wooden dhow, has just launched new sightseeing cruises on Dubai Canal, with sunset cocktail sailings priced from £85. Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh's historic quarter of Diriyah opened its first hotel in December: Bab Samhan, A Luxury Collection Hotel. Mirroring the old Najdi style, its hand-crafted décor and traditional Saudi cuisine have already garnered rave reviews. From £328 per night, including breakfast.
Outdoors and nature
Whether you're spying Socotra cormorants from your balcony or spotting rare dugongs grazing on seagrass, a stay at Bahrain's Hawar Resort by Mantis – which opened in January – puts the Hawar Islands' wildlife in the spotlight. In the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah's Hajar mountains are a hive of activity: you'll soon be able to soar over the peaks on new paragliding flights, while Saij, A Mantis Collection Mountain Lodge, will open 70 luxurious eco-cabins in the peaks. Expect guided hikes, outdoor yoga and creative retreats; it's anticipated to open pre-summer.
Tour operator Regent Holidays launched five new Oman tours last year, including a tailormade 11-day ' Oman Family Holiday ' that includes visits to a turtle-nesting sanctuary, a dolphin cruise and camel rides in the desert; from £3,080pp. And if you're feeling flush, Dubai's Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve premiered new ultra-luxurious geodesic Al Marmoom Domes in January: packages include oryx-watching safaris, horse riding, henna tattooing and stargazing. It's steep at AED5,900 (£1,284) per night, but includes all meals, a private pool and a swathe of desert activities.
Food and drink
The Michelin Guide published its inaugural Qatar edition in January, awarding a whopping 33 nods and gongs to the nation's restaurants. Two scooped coveted stars: IDAM by Alain Ducasse – renowned for its liberal sprinklings of edible gold – and Jamavar Doha, the first overseas outpost of Mayfair's celebrated Indian restaurant. Meanwhile, Dubai's Orfali Bros Bistro has just been crowned winner of the Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants for the third consecutive year, and is set to open its second bistro this year: Three Bros, which will further celebrate its founders' Aleppian roots with a tapas-style take on Syrian cuisine.
New York legend Carbone, described as 'the most celebrity-studded restaurant on Earth' by Vanity Fair, will launch at Atlantis The Royal on Dubai's Palm this spring; expect tuxedo-clad waiters and vintage NYC flair. For a more regional supper, Gerbou 's home-style Emirati dishes are made from ingredients sourced solely within the UAE. It opened in February, with a 'farm-to-table' menu highlighting the UAE's surprising bounty of locally-grown fare.
Beach and relaxation
Good news for bargain hunters: the UAE's leading budget hotel brand, Rove, is set to open on Ras Al Khaimah's beachfront this spring. Rove Al Marjan Island Hotel will feature Rove's signature bright décor, a swimming pool and market-style dining; room rates have yet to be announced, but its Dubai properties offer tremendous value, from £50-100 per night. It joins the emirate's other coastal newbies, including Rixos Al Mairid Ras Al Khaimah, Anantara Mina Al Arab and Sofitel Al Hamra Beach Resort – all of which opened last year.
Muscat has also seen a flurry of new seaside resorts, with the Mandarin Oriental, Muscat and The St Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort opening last summer; the latter features a golf course, Guerlain spa and direct access to the golden sands of Al Mouj beach. Meanwhile, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab will open in Dubai on March 14, the latest addition to Jumeirah's neighbourhood of five-star beach resorts. It will feature four swimming pools and a superyacht marina; Destination2 has seven-night trips from £2,079pp, including flights and B&B accommodation.