UAE's Most Impressive Sights Beyond the Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is extraordinary — at 828 metres, it's the tallest building in the world, and the views from the observation deck at sunset are genuinely spectacular. But the UAE is much more than one building in one city. The country packs an enormous variety of experiences into a relatively small geographic area.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world — a vast white marble complex that can hold 40,000 worshippers, decorated with the world's largest hand-knotted carpet and a chandelier that holds over a million Swarovski crystals. It is, simply, extraordinary. Sharjah's museums — the emirate is the UAE's cultural capital — include world-class collections of Islamic art and maritime history. The Hajar Mountains on the east coast offer dramatic gorges, ancient forts, and a landscape completely different from the desert coast.

This guide covers the UAE's most impressive sites across all seven emirates — with practical information about visiting hours, dress codes, and how to get to each one without a car.

We're building out our full destination guides. In the meantime, if you're planning a trip to UAE, start with your visa — we've got the full cost breakdown and document checklist ready.