One of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UAE is the Al Ain oasis located in the center of Al Ain adjacent to the Al Ain museum and the Eastern Fort.

West Gate entrance with gift shop and cafe

map of the Al Ain oasis and walkways

On all of our visits we have parked close to the Western Gate area and entered from there. At this entrance you will be welcomed by a guide handing you one of the above maps. It is a very pleasant walk from the Western Gate to the Al Ain museum and the Eastern fort on the opposite site of the oasis. One walks below lush, green date palm trees which provide shade for the visitor and shorter trees e.g. citrus, papaya and bananas.

Walkway through the oasis and wall separating the parcels of land

Under the palm tree canopy

female date palm tree flowers in March 2017

The date palm produces female and male plants with only the female producing the delicious dates which are ready for harvest between July and August. Since palm trees need a fair amount of water to thrive a controlled watering system which allocates just enough at pre-determined times is used in the oasis: the thousands of years old Falaj (or aflaj (pl)). The falaj watering system of this oasis with its canals and gates to guide the water towards the desired area of irrigation has been restored and can be viewed in action while walking around. Each parcel of land separated by a stone wall belongs to one family and the water distribution is decided upon democratically.

Falaj irrigation canal

Palm fronds

All parts of the palm tree have been used in the daily life of the oasis inhabitants and in Bedouin life. The green leaf parts can be dried and then woven into mats, bags, bowls and day to day items. The spine or entire frond was used for creating roofs and walls by binding them together with rope made from fibres of the palm trunk. The palm trunk could be used for wooden beams in forts or in thinner sticks to hold up the woven palm walls and roof for a summer house: the Areesh or Barasti.

Al Ain museum

Sultan bin Zayed or Eastern Fort

Door into the Fort

After a stroll through the oasis the Eastern exit leads to the Al Ain museum with its exhibits of archaeological artifacts, traditional culture and gifts given to HH Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan. It showcases the daily life of Bedouins before the oil arrived and the skills needed to survive. The oasis and surrounding areas  have been inhabited for thousands of years and some artifacts date back to 2,500 BC. All four sites: Al Ain oasis (traditional falaj system), Bida bint Saud (tombs), Jebel Hafit (ancient burial tombs dating back to 5,000 BC) abd Al Hili (Bronze and iron age sites and tombs) – have been named the Al Ain UNESCO Archaeological Sites.

On our way back to the parking lot we like to take a left turn outside of the Western Gate and have a short stroll through the small, botanical garden with its local trees and plants all with name tags for easy identification to reach the Ecological centre.

Eco centre entrance

Description

Interactive screens explain the parts and uses of the date palm tree and the different archaeological sites with their importance in the history of settlement in this area. It has been built with sustainable materials and its roof decorative design resembles the light falling through a palm tree canopy. With air-conditioning this is a pleasant place to explore during anytime of the year.

Before leaving I like to take a look at the gift shop with its handwoven palm-frond handbags, printed coffee mugs and books about the history of the UAE. A snack or meal in the adjacent cafe serving local dishes is highly recommended. One doesn’t want to drive back to the city Abu Dhabi on an empty stomach.

For activities in 2017 check out this website: https://abudhabievents.ae/en/Pages/al-ain-cultural-art-programme.aspx.

Thank you, for reading and providing feedback on my blog. Until next time, Maike