a day ago
UAE: After Fujairah's musical road, 6 more unusual routes to discover
When you think of UAE roads, are traffic jams and long tailbacks the only things that jump to mind? Not at these spots! The UAE actually has some interesting roads that will make you rethink the phrase "it's not about the journey, it's the destination".
From Dubai to Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah to Fujairah, here are some wonderfully weird and unusual spots you should make plans to visit — maybe even this weekend — if you haven't been here already.
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1. Fujairah's Musical Road
This road has recently gone viral for its ability to produce a portion of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Love listening to a good tune when driving? When you drive over rumble strips on Sheikh Khalifa Street, you can be a part of creating music with your car as the instrument.
Installed just before the Fujairah Police Headquarters, the nearly 1km-long musical street has people changing over to the last lane just for the experience. However, it is essential to keep safety in mind and avoid haphazardly switching lanes. Here's a Khaleej Times guide — yes, we went over to check it out ourselves — with tips to help you get the best musical experience on the road.
2. Half-Desert Road in Dubai
With UAE being a desert country, it is no surprise that a drive through the country will take you on many a road with sand dunes on both sides. On this particular road, however, you do not go to the desert — the desert comes to you.
Half Desert in Dubai, as the name suggests, is a place where the wind often carries sand from the nearby dunes to the road. Cars going through this area will find some of their journey on the asphalt, and some on sand. The road partly covered in desert sand makes for a stunning view (see image above!), and is a popular getaway for tourists and residents alike, particularly in cooler conditions.
3. Khor Fakkan Tunnels
Have you ever been under a mountain? How about under five consecutive ones? In the UAE, the latter is not just possible — it makes for a pretty neat drive. The five tunnels are located on the Sharjah-Khor Fakkan road and cut through the imposing peaks — with hills on your left and right, but also above you.
This includes the 2.7km Al Sidra tunnel which is also the longest covered tunnel in the Middle East. The four other tunnels are Al Saqab at 1.4km, Al Raugh at 1.3km, Al Ghazeer at 0.9km, and Al Sahah at 0.3km.
4. Al Shindagha Tunnel
Now that we've been in a tunnel under the mountains, there's another that goes underwater. And no, you do not have to don your scuba gear for this one.
What is particularly fascinating about the Al Shindagha tunnel is this engineering marvel, going under Dubai Creek, was opened as early as 1975, making it the oldest tunnel in the Emirates. You can still get a feel for the 'olden days' as you pass this two-lane tunnel with its jet fans humming along.
The area boasts not just an underwater tunnel for vehicles, it also has a underwater pedestrian walkway, which means you can walk under the creek, while still keeping your feet on land.
5. Wadi Al Qor
Wadi Al Qor in Ras Al Khaimah is not your typical road — it offers off-road experiences. Visitors to this spot, often known as the "lost trail", have reported hearing a chorus of frogs all throughout their journey, giving it the name "Wadi of Frogs".
Since it is not a city road like the others, this terrain is best suited for 4x4 vehicles due to the off-road paths. Unique about this spot is the trail follows a riverbed, with water being seen on the path, while it also cuts through mountains. When visiting such places, always be mindful of the risky terrain, and keep your safety at first priority. You must also be respectful of private property boundaries, such as farms owned by the local community.
6. Floating Bridge
The Floating Bridge, as the name suggests, is a bridge built right on the water — and was shaped in the motion of waves, so drivers experienced a little 'wave action' as they drove by. It was the first of its kind in the region, and spans Dubai Creek. The bridge would open and close every day to allow for marine traffic to pass by. Here's an exclusive behind-the-scenes video that shows how it worked:
This peculiar spot saw both cars and boats pass by, albeit at different times, making for an enthralling experience. The bridge rests on pontoons, which are hollow structures, that support it and allow the bridge to move along with the tide. The Floating Bridge is currently closed for maintenance, as announced by RTA in 2023.
7. Zero-Gravity Road?
Travellers have reported experiencing a "magnetic" hill in the area of Masafi, Fujairah, where the car seemingly rolls upwards. While Khaleej Times was not able to independently confirm this, such roads do exist in other parts of the world and are often caused by optical illusions.
These roads appear to be going uphill when, in reality, they are sloping downwards. You could check out Fujairah's Masafi area for yourself and see if those anti-gravity claims have any truth to them. Alternatively, such a road can be seen not too far away — in Oman, in the route between Mirbat and Salalah. The spot is fairly well-known and can be an awe-inspiring experience for many UAE residents, given the proximity of the place.
