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For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/ privacy. Kuwaitis and Bahrainis were generous with OUR READERS their time and unfailingly patient with my Many thanks to the travellers who used questions. To Jan – much strength to you the last edition and wrote to us with help- in the days (and hopefully journeys) that ful hints, useful advice and interesting lie ahead. Special, heartfelt thanks to Mari- anecdotes: na, Carlota and Valentina for enduring my Hao Yan, Jens Riiis, Johann Schelesnak, Jonas absences again and again and welcoming me Wernli, Margret van Irsel, Nicole Smoot, Peter home with such love. And to Ron: I missed Schentler, Richard Bradbury, Richard Moss, having you here upon my return. Tessa Tennant Andrea Schulte-Peevers Big heartfelt thanks to the many wonderful AUTHOR THANKS people who have plied me with tips, insights, information, ideas and encouragement, with Jenny Walker special thanks to Abhi Sen, Rashi Sen, Jojo I’m always touched by the humour and Jose, Suzette Tabora, Matthias Narr and Ali goodwill of Omani friends and colleagues. Mohammed Al Mansouri. Thanks to Maj Gen Fattorini and Alex Celini for triangulating information in remote corners of Oman. Biggest thanks to beloved Sam ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Owen), husband, co-researcher and fellow Climate map data adapted from Peel MC, traveller in the odyssey of a volume dear to Finlayson BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated our hearts. World Map of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Anthony Ham Classification’, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 163344 Thanks to Helen Elfer for such wise oversight of this difficult region and to Jenny Walker, a Cover photograph: A camel caravan near much-valued, long-term virtual companion Dubai, UAE; Kami/amanaimages ©. of Middle Eastern trails. Numerous Qataris, 468 BEHIND THE SCENES Butler, while the third edition Bailey, Andrew Bain, Paul THIS BOOK was written by Jenny, Andrea, Harding, Victoria Harrison, This fifth edition of Lonely Stuart, and Iain Shearer. This Rosie Nicholson, Vicky Smith, Planet’s Oman, UAE & Arabian book was produced by the Jeanette Wall Peninsula guidebook was following: Assisting Cartographer researched and written by Destination Editor Helen Gabe Lindquist Jenny Walker, Anthony Ham Elfer Assisting Layout and Andrea Schulte-Peevers. Product Editors Kate Designer Jessica Rose Rob Wagner and Mariam Nihal Chapman, Kate Kiely Cover Researcher Naomi contributed to the Saudi Ara- Book Designer Mazzy Parker bia chapter and Rob also wrote Prinsep Carolyn Boicos, the Hajj chapter. The previous Thanks to David Chris Love, Ilana Myers, Ryan edition was written by Jenny, Senior Cartographer Kemp Evans, Karyn Noble, Luna Soo, Anthony, Andrea, and Stuart Assisting Editors Sarah Angela Tinson ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 469 Index ABBREVIATIONS accommodation 20, 441, Al Noor Mosque (UAE) 333 aquariums B Bahrain see also individual Al Otai, Juhaiman ibn Saif Dubai (UAE) 316-17 locations K Kuwait 293 Hejaz (SA) 267 language 461-2 O Oman Al Qasba (UAE) 333 Sharjah (UAE) 333 activities 25, 27-9, 441, Q Qatar Al Qurain Martyrs’ Museum Arab Fund Building (K) 96 443 see also individual (K) 96-7 Arab Revolt 279 SA Saudi Arabia activities Al Ruweis (Q) 244 Arab Spring 394-5, 418 UAE United Arab Emirates AIDS 459 Al Saud, Abdullah ibn 292 Bahrain 78 Ain Al Thwarah (O) 184 Al Sauds, the 293 Kuwait 110 air travel 449, 451, see also 4WDs, see four-wheel Al Seifa (O) 149 Oman 206 individual locations driving Al Shafa (SA) 272 Qatar 247 air tickets 449 Al Tayibat City Museum for Saudi Arabia 291 airlines 451 International Civilisation Arabia’s Wildlife Centre A Ajman (UAE) 338-9, A’Ali (B) 70 339 (SA) 267 (UAE) 338 Al Ahmadi (K) 108 Abdullah, King (SA) 291 Al Thani family 247 Arabian people 404-9 abeyya 408 Al Ain (UAE) 365-9, 367 Al Thani, Hamad Khalifa 245 Arabian society 404-9 abras 353 Al Aqah (UAE) 378-9 Al Thani, Sheikh Khalifa bin Arabic language 461-6 Hamad 245 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 345-65, Al Aqor (O) 174 archaeological museums, Al Ula (SA) 275 346-7, 348-9, 352 Al Areen (B) 72-3 see also museums accommodation 357-8 Al Ashkarah (O) 158-9 Al Ula Museum of Archae- Al Ain National Museum Al Ayn (O) 176, 180 ology & Ethnography (UAE) 366 activities 355-6 (SA) 276 Al Corniche (K) 93-4 Bait al Baranda (O) 127 children, travel with 351 Al Wahhab, Mohammed ibn Al Corniche (Q) 227-9 Fujairah Museum (UAE) cruises 353 Abd 292 374 Al Fahidi Historic District drinking 362-3 Al Wajh (SA) 283 (UAE) 309-10 Hatta Heritage Village entertainment 363 Al Wakrah (Q) 242 (UAE) 331 Al Faisaliah Tower (SA) 257 festivals & events 356-7 Al Wukair (Q) 242 Museum of the Frankin- Al Fatih Mosque (B) 55 food 358-61 Al Zubara (Q) 244 cense Land (O) 194 Al Gharbia (UAE) 369-74 itineraries 345 alcohol 418, 422 Sharjah Museum of Al Ghariya (Q) 244 Islamic Civilisation nightlife 362-3 Bahrain 51 Al Hamra (O) 15, 171-2 (UAE) 333 orientation 364 Kuwait 105 Al Hazm (O) 186 archaeological sites 14, see postal services 364 Oman 122 Al Hoota Cave (O) 171 also petroglyphs, ruins, shopping 363-6 United Arab Emirates tombs Al Jahra (K) 108-9 sights 345-55 324, 326 A’Ali Burial Mounds (B) 70 Al Jasra (B) 71 tourist information 364 Alila Jabal Akhdar (O) 22 Ad-Diraz Temple (B) 69 Al Jazeera TV 246 tours 356 amusement parks Barbar Temple (B) 69 Al Kamil (O) 162-3 travel to/from 365 Al Hukair Funland (SA) Hili Archaeological Park travel within 365 Al Khalifa family 247 288 (UAE) 368 Abu Dhabi Cultural District Al Khor (Q) 243 Entertainment City Madain Saleh (SA) 14, (UAE) 354 Al Korar House (B) 75-6 (K) 108 275-9, 277-8, 14 Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital Al Maha Desert Resort & Fun City (UAE) 351 Old Al Ula (SA) 275 (UAE) 357 Spa (UAE) 331 Magic Planet (B) 66 Sar Burial Chambers Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (UAE) Al Malaa Cemetery (SA) Marah Land (O) 143 (B) 70 288 29, 356, 28 An Nu’man Island (SA) Sumhuram Archaeological Al Masjid Al Haram, see 283 Park (O) 201 Grand Mosque animals, see wildlife, Taima (SA) 284 Map Pages 000 Al Mintirib (O) 165 individual species Ubar (O) 203-4 Photo Pages 000 Al Mouj (O) 135 Antiquities Museum (SA) 261 Wadi Dam (SA) 284 470 architecture 11, 15, 25, money 51, 83-4 boat tours insurance 453 411-12 opening hours 84 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 356 road accidents 437-8 Al Faisaliah Tower (SA) politics 78-9 Dubai (UAE) 318 carnet de passage 453 257 safety 53 Khasab (O) 190 cash 445 Burj Al Arab (UAE) 314 telephone services 84 Muscat (O) 136, 138 castles 23 Burj Khalifa (UAE) travel seasons 50 boat travel 450-1, see also Bani Bu Hassan Castle INDEX 311-12, 11 travel to/from 84-5 dhows (O) 162 Burj Mohammed bin travel within 85 Bodin, Jean-François 230 Bilad Sur Castle (O) 151 Rashid (UAE) 345 visas 84 books Castle Al Ula (SA) 276 Dubai (UAE) 309 A-C Bahrain Fort Complex (B) Arabian plants 432 Ibri Castle (O) 181 Katara (Q) 227 16, 69-70 Bahrain 80 Jabrin Castle (O) 179-80 Kingdom Center (SA) Bahrain International desert 430 Khmazera Castle (O) 189 257-8 Circuit (B) 71-2, 73 food 423 Old Castle Museum Kuwait Towers (K) Bahrain National Museum health 458 (O) 163 91-2, 24 (B) 53, 55 Sunaysilah Castle Masdar City (UAE) 358 Islam 417 Bahrain National Theatre (O) 151 Oman 211 Oman 217 (B) 22, 55 Tabuk Castle (SA) 280-1 area codes 19 Sharjah International Bandar Jissah (O) 147-8 Book Fair (UAE) 334 Taqah Castle (O) 201 art 412, see also galleries Bandar Khayran (O) 149 border crossings 449, 450 Cave of Thor (SA) 288 ATMs 444 bargaining 21, 444 Bahrain-Saudi Arabia caves Ayjah (O) 151, 153 Barka (O) 186-7 70, 85 Oman 163-4, 171, 178, Ayoon (O) 201 Barr al Hickman (O) 159 Kuwait-Saudi Arabia 119 215 bartering 444 Oman-UAE 187, 219, Saudi Arabia 288, 289 B Bat (O) 15, 180 344, 390 caving 178, 215 Bab Al Bahrain (B) 56 bathrooms 447 Qatar-Saudi Arabia 253 cell phones 18, 447 Bab Al Shams Desert Re- Batinah Plain (O) 181-8 UAE 390 children, travel with 43-4, sort & Spa (UAE) 331 Battle of Tabuk 280 bowling 428, 460 Badiyah (UAE) 378 beaches Manama (B) 57 Doha (Q) 236 Bahla (O) 179-80 Abu Dhabi (UAE) 347, Bridge to Nowhere (K) Dubai (UAE) 319 Bahrain 47, 50-85, 52, 356 109 Kuwait City (K) 99 54-5 Al Jazayer Beach (B) 73 Bubiyan Island (K) 109 Manama (B) 66 accommodation 50, 83 Al Seifa (O) 149 budget 19 Muscat (O) 143 activities 58 Dubai (UAE) 316, 323 bull butting 377, 414 Oman 215 arts 81, 82 Masirah (O) 159-60 Buraimi (O) 181 Saudi Arabia 297 books 80 Mirbat (O) 202 Burj Al Arab (UAE) 314-15 UAE 385 budget 51 Muscat (O) 135 Burj Khalifa At the Top Sky climate 18, 27, 28, 29 climate 50 Qurayat (O) 149 (UAE) 22 climbing 178, 215 culture 80-1 Qurm Beach (O) 134 Burj Khalifa (UAE) 11, 22,