©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula Kuwait p78 Oman Bahrain p116 p46 Qatar United Arab Saudi p209 Emirates p284 Arabia p241 Oman p116 Yemen p362 THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Jenny Walker, Stuart Butler, Anthony Ham, Andrea Schulte-Peevers PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to Oman, UAE BAHRAIN . 46 Bahrain Today . 68 & Arabian Peninsula . .6 Manama . 47 History . 69 Oman, UAE & Arabian Bahrain Fort Complex . 62 People & Society . 71 Peninsula Map . .8 A’Ali . 63 Arts . 72 Arabia’s Top 15 . .10 Sar . 63 Environment . 72 Need to Know . .18 King Fahd Causeway . 64 Survival Guide . 73 If You Like . 20 Al-Jasra . 64 Riffa Fort . 64 KUWAIT . 78 Month by Month . 24 Bahrain International Kuwait City . 79 Itineraries . .27 Circuit . 64 Failaka Island . 99 Al-Areen . 65 Expats . 32 Fahaheel . 99 Tree of Life . 66 Al-Ahmadi . 99 Countries at a Glance . 42 Oil Museum . 66 Ras Al-Zour . 99 Muharraq Island . 66 Wafrah Farms . 100 Understand Bahrain . 68 Entertainment City . 100 JOHN ELK /GETTY IMAGES © KATARINA PREMFORS /GETTY IMAGES © SHARQIYA SANDS, OMAN P155 JOHN ELK /GETTY IMAGES © AYJAH, OMAN P147 Contents Al-Jahra . 100 Yitti . 142 Jebel Shams . 167 Mutla Ridge . 100 Wadi Mayh .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 143 Bahla . 169 Understand Kuwait . 101 Bandar Khayran . 143 Jabrin . 170 Kuwait Today . 101 Al-Seifa . 143 Bat & Al-Ayn . 170 History . 102 Qurayat . 144 Ibri . 171. People & Society . 106 Mazara . 144 Buraimi . 171. Religion . 107 Sur & the Sohar & Batinah Arts . 108 Eastern Coast . 144 Plain . 172. Environment . 108 Sur . 144 Sohar . 172 Survival Guide . 110 Ayjah . 147 Nakhal . 174 Sinkhole Park Wadi Bani Awf . 174 (Hawiyat Najm Park) . 147 OMAN . .116 Rustaq . 174 Mountain Road to Wadi Hoqain . 175 Muscat . .117 Jaylah . 148 Barka . 175 Seeb . 141 Wadi Shab . 148 Sawadi . 176 Bandar Jissah . 142 Tiwi . 148 Damanayat Islands . 177 Wadi Tiwi . 149 The Musandam Qalhat . 149 Peninsula . .177 Ras al-Jinz . 150 Khasab . 177 Ras al-Hadd . 151 Khasab–Tibat Road . 180 Al-Ashkarah . 151 The Musandam Al-Ashkarah to Khors . 181 Shana’a Road . 152 Jebel Harim . 182 Jalan Bani Bu Hassan Rawdah Bowl . 182 & Jalan Bani Bu Ali . 152 Dhofar, Salalah & Al-Kamil . 153 Southern Oman . 182 Wadi Bani Khalid . 153 Salalah & Around . 182 Jaylah . 154 Ubar . 191 Wadi Khabbah & Duqm . 191 Wadi Tayein . 154 Hayma . 192 Al-Mintirib . 155 Jaaluni . 192 Sharqiya (Wahiba) Sands . 155 Understand Oman . 193 Ibra . 157 Oman Today . 193 Sinaw . 159 History . 194 Masirah . 159 People & Society . 195 Nizwa & the Religion . 196 Mountains . 162 Arts . 197 Nizwa & Around . 162 Environment . 198 Mountain Road via Food & Drink . .200 Hatt & Wadi Bani Awf . 165 Survival Guide . 201 Birkat Al-Mawz . 166 GRAND MOSQUE, MUSCAT, Jebel Akhdar . 166 OMAN P128 ON THE ROAD QATAR . 209 Doha . 210 NIKADA /GETTY IMAGES © Al-Wakrah & Al-Wukair. 226 Mesaieed . .226 Khor Al-Adaid . .226 Umm Salal Mohammed . 227 Umm Salal Ali . 227 Al-Khor . 227 Al-Ghariya . 228 Al-Ruweis . .228 BURJ KHALIFA, DUBAI Al-Zubara . 228 P291 Bir Zekreet . 229 Understand Qatar . 229 Saudi Arabia Today . .266 Sir Bani Yas Island. 338 Qatar Today . .229 History . .266 Al Ain . .340 History . 231 People & Society . .268 Jebel Hafeet . .344 People & Society . 232 Religion . 270 East Coast . 344 Arts . 233 Arts . 271 Fujairah City . .344 Environment . .234 Environment . 272 Khor Fakkan . 347 Survival Guide . 235 Survival Guide . 273 Badiyah . 347 Al Aqah . .348 SAUDI ARABIA . 241 UNITED ARAB Dibba . .348 Riyadh . 243 EMIRATES . 284 Understand United Arab Emirates . 349 Camel Market Dubai . 285 History . .349 & Races . .250 Al Maha Desert Dir’aiyah . 250 Resort & Spa . 310 Government & Politics . 351 Sand Dunes . .250 Bab Al Shams Desert Economy . 351 Resort & Spa . 310 Hejaz . 250 People & Society . 352 Hatta . 310 Jeddah . .250 Arts . 353 Taif. 256 Northern Emirates . .311 Environment . .354 Sharjah . 311 Yanbu . 256 Survival Guide . 355 Sharjah Desert Park . 317 Madain Saleh & the North . 257 Ajman . 318 YEMEN . 362 Umm Al Quwain . 319 Al-Ula & Around. 257 Sanaʻa . 363 Madain Saleh . 259 Ras Al Khaimah . 321 Wadi Dhahr . 374 Khatt Hot Springs . 325 Asir . 261 The Haraz Mountains Abha & Around. 261 Abu Dhabi . 325 and Around . 374 Farasan Islands . 265 Al Gharbia . 335 Shibam . 375 Eastern Province . 265 Madinat Zayed . .335 Kawkaban . 375 Understand Liwa . .336 Thilla (Thula) . 376 Saudi Arabia . 266 Abu Dhabi to Sila . .338 Hababah . 376 Contents UNDERSTAND Oman, UAE & Arabian ANGELO CAVALLI / GETTY IMAGES © JOHN ELK / GETTY IMAGES © Peninsula Today . 412. History . 415. The Culture . 423 Hajj: the Ultimate Traveller’s Tale . 436 Islam . 449 Flavours of Arabia . 459 The Natural MUTRAH SOUQ, OMAN NAKHAL FORT, OMAN Environment . 468 P138 P174 At-Tawila . 376 Tarim . .396 Al-Mahwit . 377 Wadi Daw’an . .396 Manakhah & Around . 377 Understand Yemen . 397 SURVIVAL Northern Yemen . 378 Yemen Today . 397 GUIDE Amran . 378 History . .398 Hajja . 379 Government & Politics . .399 Safe Travel . 476 Shaharah . 379 Economy . .400 Directory A–Z . 481 Sa’da . 379 People & Society . 400. Tihama (Red Sea Religion . 401 Transport in the Arabian Peninsula . 490 Coast) . 379 Arts . 401 Al-Hudayda . .380 Food & Drink . .402 Health . 499 Kamaran Island 380 . Survival Guide . 403 Language . 504 Jabal Bura . 381 Glossary . 509 Beit al-Faqih . .382 Zabid . .382 Index . .513 Al-Makha . .383 Southern Yemen . 384 Ibb . .384 Ta’izz . .385 SPECIAL FEATURES Aden . 386 436 437 a journey of extreme significance, anticipated from childhood, a source KAZUYOSHI NOMACHI / CORBIS © CORBIS / NOMACHI KAZUYOSHI of inspiration in adulthood and a comfort in old age. Expats . 32 This is the story of hajj – the ultimate traveller’s tale. In the Beginning Books: Unlike most travellers’ tales that are ad hoc by nature, hajj is a highly Firsthand ritualised journey governed by tradition. Many aspects of the pilgrimage Accounts HAJJ: THE ULTIMATE TRAVELLER’S TALE Eastern Yemen . 388 observable today have easily discernible roots in the history of hajj. That of Hajj history can be traced to the story of Ibrahim (Abraham of the Old Testa- One Thousand ment), considered today as the founding father of the hajj tradition. The Roads to Mecca: story goes like this. Ten Centuries of Travelers Writing About the Mus- The Search for Water lim Pilgrimage, During his lifetime, Ibrahim’s faith was tested many times. One trial in- Michael Wolfe, Hajj: the Ultimate volved taking his wife, Hajjar, and infant son, Ismail (Ishmael), to Arabia. 1999 Ma’rib . 388 Obeying Allah’s command to leave them in Allah’s hands, Ibrahim left The Hajj, FE Hajjar and Ismail in a dry valley with little food. Soon supplies ran out, Peters, 1995 and Hajjar began roaming the valley in a frantic search for sustenance. Eventually, failing to find anything, she fell to the ground in despair. Pilgrims today commemorate that search for water by performing the Traveller’s Tale . 436 sa’ee, walking seven times between the two hills of Safa and Marwah in Mecca. Founding of Mecca HAJJ IN HISTORY Shabwa . .390 Ismail was now crying from hunger and thirst, so Hajjar prayed to Allah for help. As Ismail wailed, he stamped his foot upon the ground and sud- denly up gushed a spring of water. They named the spring Zamzam and in time, caravans and nomads began to water their camels there. Soon a desert settlement formed around the well. That settlement was Mecca, and Zamzam is the only natural source of water in the city to this day. Flavours of Rejecting Temptation Al-Mukalla . .390 Ibrahim’s greatest trial was still to come. Allah commanded him to take his son to the mountains and there slay him. Determined to demon- strate the strength of his faith, Ibrahim obeyed the commandment but on the way to the mountains, Shaitan (the Devil) intervened, harrying, cajoling, taunting and mocking Ibrahim to give up his mission. On the Arabia . 459 point of despair, Ibrahim overcame his temptation by throwing stones at Shaitan. This act is commemorated today by the stoning of the jamrah (pillars) Socotra . 391 Hajj: the Ultimate in Mina today. Sacrice Traveller’s Tale When Ibrahim arrived at the appointed place with knife drawn against Anyone who counts themselves as a traveller can’t fail to be fascinated by hajj – the sin- his son’s neck, he was commanded by Allah to allow Ismail to live, and to gle largest annual travel event in the world. In the airports of the Middle East, the sense sacrifice a ram in his place. of anticipation among the Islamic pilgrims, dressed uniformly in simple white robes, is This is remembered during Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice), when tangible as people congregate to perform this once-in-a-lifetime journey. Muslims all over the world perform a ritual sacrifice, usually of a cow, Safe Travel . 476 sheep or goat, which is then prepared for family feasting. Wadi Hadramawt . 394 Hajj in History Commitment to Pilgrimage Although only Muslims are permitted to participate in hajj, non-Muslims Ibrahim continued to visit Mecca. One day, Allah commanded him to travelling in the region at the time of the annual pilgrimage can’t help build a house of worship and called on all believers to make the pilgrim- Above Pilgrims at but be swept into the same sense of expectation and excitement as car Mecca age to Mecca. Ibrahim and Ismail constructed the Kaaba, a cube-shaped horns and gun fire crackle the air, signalling the passage of the faithful. building, for worship. Shibam . .394 It immediately becomes apparent that this is no ordinary journey – it is Sayun . .395