Just an hour and a half to drive from Dubai or Abu Dhabi through rolling sand dunes along a tree-lined freeway takes you to the oasis city of Al Ain (Arabic: 'The Spring').

Al Ain is the UAE's largest inland city, and the second city of the Abu Dhabi Emirate. It is surrounded by magnificent red sand dunes and overlooked by an impressive mountain range. Al Ain is located on the United Arab Emirates eastern border with Oman, and is at a focal point for journeys from all over the region by excellent roads. A holiday destination for the UAE shiekhs for many years, Al Ain enjoys its own microclimate bringing welcome relief from the humidity of the coast.