15 Unusual Things to Do in the UAE

Start with the experience, not the novelty

For a UAE trip beyond the usual skyline stops, start with mangrove kayaking in Ajman or Abu Dhabi, desert astronomy in Mleiha, immersive art in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, or a water day on Fujairah's east coast. The 15 ideas below explain what makes each different and what to check before you go.

This is not a secret list or a promise that every place is bookable. Some ideas link to experience pages; working dhow yards and protected landscapes need current access checks and respectful behaviour. Choose by location, conditions and your group's interests rather than novelty alone.

1. Paddle a tidal mangrove in Ajman

Al Zorah Nature Reserve combines mangroves, lagoons, sandy shore and birdlife close to Ajman city. The official tourism portal describes kayak as a suitable way to explore the tidal channels, including for novice paddlers.

What makes it different is the rhythm: tides and wildlife do not perform on demand. Choose a licensed operator, ask about the current tide and weather, and keep distance from birds. Read the Al Zorah planning note before treating a pretty photo as a plan.

Explore: Al Zorah planning note

2. Observe a working dhow yard—without interrupting it

Ajman’s dhow yard continues a boatbuilding tradition connected to fishing, pearling and trade. The unusual part is that it is a workplace, not an attraction staged around your arrival.

Stay in public areas, follow access instructions and ask before photographing people. The goal is not to collect portraits of craftspeople; it is to understand how maritime heritage remains active. Start with how to approach the dhow yard respectfully.

Explore: how to approach the dhow yard respectfully

3. Put archaeology before adrenaline in Mleiha

Many desert tours begin with the vehicle. Mleiha can begin with the land. Visit Sharjah frames the area through archaeology, geology, nature and astronomy, including the Faya landscape and evidence of deep human history.

That context changes a dune drive or walk. The desert stops being an empty arena and becomes a place with chronology. Pair the interpretation with Mleiha stargazing or an overnight camp if conditions and availability fit.

Explore: Mleiha stargazing · overnight camp

4. Spend the evening looking up, not at a show

Desert entertainment often fills every minute. An astronomy-led evening gives the quiet back. Ask whether a stargazing session includes an astronomer or guide, how much artificial light surrounds the site and what happens if cloud, haze or wind reduces visibility.

No operator can guarantee a perfect sky. A good experience explains the conditions rather than hiding them.

5. Kayak around a major museum

Louvre Abu Dhabi is usually approached as architecture and art. A guided kayak around the museum shifts the perspective to water, shade and the building’s relationship with the sea.

This is weather-dependent and not a substitute for seeing the galleries. It works best as a deliberate second angle on Saadiyat, not a stunt attached to a museum name.

Explore: guided kayak around the museum

6. Explore Abu Dhabi’s mangroves at water level

The Eastern Mangroves show that a capital-city day can hold more than monumental architecture. Go early or late, ask about tide and route length, and choose a pace that allows observation.

The official Abu Dhabi tourism portal identifies mangrove kayaking as part of the emirate’s nature offer. Wildlife remains wild: sightings are possible, never owed.

Explore: Eastern Mangroves

7. Turn a museum visit into immersive light and movement

The UAE’s indoor experiences are not only a summer fallback. teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and ARTE MUSEUM Dubai use large-scale digital environments to change how visitors move through a space.

They suit travellers who prefer sensory art to object labels, but they can also involve darkness, sound and visual intensity. Check accessibility and sensory information before booking.

Explore: teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi · ARTE MUSEUM Dubai

8. Ride as a passenger in an aerobatic aircraft

The G-FORCE aerobatic passenger experience is unusual in the literal sense: it is a specialised, high-intensity activity rather than a scenic flight.

Treat restrictions as the main content, not fine print. Confirm medical, age, weight and weather rules with the operator. If motion sensitivity is a concern, the unusual choice may be choosing something else.

Explore: G-FORCE aerobatic passenger experience

9. Try a drift taxi on a race circuit

At Yas Marina Circuit, a drift-taxi passenger experience puts a professional driver in control while the passenger experiences controlled oversteer.

It is short, loud and specific—better for someone curious about motorsport technique than a traveller looking for a full-day attraction. Confirm current session rules and circuit scheduling.

Explore: drift-taxi passenger experience

10. Drive a lightweight track car rather than a supercar cliché

The Caterham Seven 360 experience is less about luxury branding and more about a light, direct car on a circuit. That distinction makes it a better fit for driving enthusiasts.

Licence, height, age and briefing requirements can change. Read the actual operator terms before building a day around it.

Explore: Caterham Seven 360 experience

11. Take the helm of a small speedboat

A self-drive Sea Camel speedboat replaces the passive cruise format with a guided, participant-driven route.

The word “self-drive” does not remove supervision, maritime rules or weather limits. Confirm who may drive, required documents, route, sea conditions and what happens if the operator cancels.

Explore: self-drive Sea Camel speedboat

12. Snorkel on the UAE’s east coast

Fujairah’s Gulf of Oman setting makes a water day feel geographically distinct from Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Options include beginner scuba, combined scuba and snorkelling and snorkelling marketed around turtle encounters.

Treat wildlife language carefully. No ethical operator can guarantee a turtle sighting. Ask about conditions, group size, instructor credentials, equipment and marine-life rules.

Explore: beginner scuba · combined scuba and snorkelling · snorkelling marketed around turtle encounters

13. See Sharjah’s east-coast mangroves as an ecosystem

The Khor Kalba Mangrove Centre sits within an ecologically important east-coast setting. Its value is interpretation: birds, crabs, fish, turtles and mangrove habitat belong to one system.

This is a good unusual day for travellers who want nature without turning every encounter into an activity product. Use official opening and access information close to the visit.

14. Choose a camel trek over a camel photo stop

A guided camel trek in Ras Al Khaimah can create more time to understand pace and landscape than a short camp photo opportunity.

Ask how long the riding portion actually lasts, how animals are handled and what cultural interpretation is provided. “Traditional” is not evidence by itself; specific host knowledge and welfare practices matter.

Explore: guided camel trek in Ras Al Khaimah

15. Build a day around a different landscape, not a famous object

The most unusual UAE experience may be a simple editorial decision: choose mangrove, mountain, oasis, east-coast water or deep desert first, then select one or two activities that belong there.

Browse all seven emirate destination guides or the Only in the Emirates collection. A coherent day will feel more distinctive than five disconnected “hidden gems.”

Explore: all seven emirate destination guides · Only in the Emirates collection

How to choose responsibly

Before booking an unusual experience, ask five questions:

1. Who operates it, and are the relevant licence and safety information clear? 2. What depends on weather, tide, wildlife or visibility? 3. Are price, duration and inclusions current, or only a dated snapshot? 4. Does the activity enter a workplace, community or protected habitat? 5. What would make the operator cancel—and what happens then?

Unusual should mean memorable because you understood the place, not because someone removed all the context.