From mountains to mangroves, where to escape the heat on your Eid Al Adha breakLast updated: May 24, 2026 | 12:217 MIN READSurabhi Vasundharadevi/Gulf NewsDubai: The Eid Al Adha 2026 holiday has been officially confirmed. Arafat Day falls on Tuesday, May 26, followed by Eid Al Adha from Wednesday, May 27 through to Friday, May 29. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has announced that public sector employees enjoy a nine-day break when weekends are factored in, while private sector workers receive a four-day paid holiday spanning May 26 to May 29, giving most residents a solid six-day stretch.Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.That is more than enough time to load the car or hop on a bus and see a version of the UAE that looks nothing like its famous skylines. And with late May temperatures already nudging the high thirties on the coast, the smartest move is to head where the air is thinner, the roads are quieter and the views make the drive worth every kilometre. Here are a few road trip routes built for this exact break, whether you are travelling alone, with children or with a car full of friends.Dubai: HattaHatta is the easiest road trip from Dubai. The drive takes about 90 minutes and the scenery shifts the whole way, from flat desert to dark rocky mountains by the time you pull in.The main stop is Hatta Dam. The water is a vivid turquoise surrounded by rust-red rock, and kayaks, pedal boats and canoes are available to hire on the spot. Go early morning for the best light and coolest air. The Heritage Village is free to enter and worth the time, with restored watchtowers, traditional Emirati rooms and an old irrigation system that still functions. Not many people know about the Hatta 360 Observatory, a hilltop watchtower built in 1880 with views across three countries. It is open all day and costs nothing.For mountain bikers, the Wadi Hub has over 50 km of marked trails with bike rentals on site. Hatta Swan Lake near the Heritage Village is a freshwater pool with paddle boats, free and open around the clock.No car? The RTA H02 bus runs from Dubai Mall every two hours, 7am to 7pm, for Dh25. Once in Hatta, the H04 Hop On Hop Off bus connects the main spots for Dh2 per stop.Ras Al Khaimah: Jebel Jais and Dhayah FortImportant: The official Jebel Jais website currently states the mountain is closed for maintenance. Check visitjebeljais.com before making plans around this destination, as the situation may change ahead of Eid.When open, Jebel Jais is the highest point in the UAE at 1,934 metres. On a hot May day, the temperature gap between the summit and the coast below can be 15 degrees. That is reason enough to make the drive.The road up is smooth with marked viewpoints where it is worth pulling over. At the top, Jais Flight is the main event. It holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest zipline at 2.83 km, sending riders face-down across the Hajar range at up to 150 km/h. Families tend to prefer the Jais Sledder, a mountain coaster with rider-controlled speed. The Viewing Deck Park has seven platforms at 1,250 metres above the valley. Both hiking trails, Ghaf Summit and Hidden Oasis, can be done in under two hours.On the way up, stop at Dhayah Fort. It sits on a rocky hill above a palm valley and is the last remaining hilltop fort in the UAE. The climb takes about 15 minutes. In December 1819 this was where local Qawasim tribes made their final stand against British forces. Entry is free.Public transport: RAKTA buses run between RAK and Dubai Union Bus Station daily, 5:30am to 9pm, for Dh27. Taxis cover the mountain road from RAK city.Sharjah: Mleiha and Khor FakkanSharjah has two very different trips on offer and both are worth your time.Mleiha Archaeological Centre is in the desert about 60 km from Dubai. The site holds evidence of human life going back 130,000 years, with Bronze Age tombs, an ancient fort, fossil beds and old camel racetracks you can walk around. There is a museum with guided tours and a stargazing platform for evening visits. It is the kind of place that makes you see the UAE completely differently.Further along on the east coast, Khor Fakkan is a Sharjah enclave facing the Gulf of Oman. The town has an open-air amphitheatre carved into the hillside above the bay, and Al Rafisah Dam a short drive inland offers kayaking in calm mountain water. The Al Suhub Rest House on the mountain pass above town does good coffee with wide views before you drop down to the coast.Fujairah: Snoopy Island and Al Bidya MosqueThe drive across the mountains into Fujairah is one of the best in the country. The range drops almost straight into the sea on the other side, the water is clear and things slow right down.At Al Aqah beach, Snoopy Island sits 150 metres from shore. It is a small rocky outcrop named for its shape, and the reef around it has green sea turtles, colourful fish and small reef sharks. Snorkelling gear is available to hire at Sandy Beach Resort. Early morning gives the clearest water.A short drive inland is Al Bidya Mosque, thought to be the oldest surviving mosque in the UAE. Built from mud brick with four small domes, it is believed to date back over 500 years. Visitors of all faiths are welcome with modest dress, and entry is free.Public transport: RTA route E700 runs from Etisalat Bus Station in Dubai to Fujairah Bus Station for Dh25, taking around two hours. Local taxis connect to Al Aqah and Khor Fakkan.Abu Dhabi: Jebel Hafeet and LiwaAbu Dhabi is the UAE's largest emirate and a longer drive pays off with two landscapes that look nothing like anywhere else.Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain stands at 1,249 metres, the second highest peak in the UAE. The summit road is 12 km with 60 bends and is one of the best driving roads in the country. At the base, Green Mubazzarah has natural hot springs and a park with chalets, good for families. Al Ain is the UAE's only UNESCO World Heritage city. The Al Ain Oasis, thousands of date palms watered by a centuries-old channel system, is free to walk through and genuinely one of the most peaceful places in the country.For those with more days, Liwa Oasis is at the edge of the Empty Quarter, roughly three and a half hours from Dubai. The dunes here are some of the largest in the world. Moreeb Dune reaches 300 metres high and is considered among the tallest in existence. The drive through the Liwa Crescent alone is worth the distance.Public transport: Buses run from Dubai Union Bus Station to Abu Dhabi and onward to Al Ain for around Dh25. Liwa needs a private vehicle.Ajman: Al Zorah and the Fort MuseumAjman is the closest northern emirate to Dubai and one of the most overlooked. Al Zorah Nature Reserve is on the northern edge of the city. It is a protected area of mangroves, beaches and tidal creeks home to around 60 bird species, including flamingos, herons and kingfishers. Kayaking through the mangrove channels is the best way to explore it. Rentals and guided tours run from the waterfront, and entry to the reserve is free.The Ajman Museum sits inside an 18th-century fort in the heart of the old city. It covers pearl diving, maritime trade and traditional Emirati life well, and entry is Dh5. The fish market a short walk away is best visited first thing in the morning and is about as local as it gets this close to Dubai.Umm Al Quwain: Old town and mangrove creekUmm Al Quwain has a pace that is hard to find close to Dubai. The old town sits on a narrow peninsula between the sea and the creek. The UAQ Fort at the tip has been turned into a free museum with old weapons, documents and photographs tracing the emirate's past.The waterfront is unhurried and the creek is lined by dense mangroves. Kayaking or boat tours from the corniche take you into channels where herons and cormorants settle without much concern for visitors. It is an easy half-day and a place most people never stop at.Ajman and Umm Al Quwain sit close enough together to cover both in a single day from Dubai, or to use as a comfortable overnight on the way up to Ras Al Khaimah.A few things to know before you goAll these places are comparatively cooler than the coast but May is still hot. Do outdoor activities before 10am or after 4pm. Take more water than you think you need. For bus travel, all RTA intercity routes need a Nol Card. Top-up machines are at Dubai Mall Bus Station. Call 800-9090, visit rta.ae or use the Wojhati journey planner app for timetables and route planning. Check conditions at ncm.ae before visiting any wadi.Get Updates on Topics You ChooseUp Next