Planning your day trips
Which days to go, what to bring, and how to fit them into a week.
Order. Do Abu Dhabi early in your stay while you still have energy for a ten-hour day; save Hatta for when you want a change of air. Musandam is best mid-week, when the boats are quieter.
Days. The Grand Mosque is open to visitors every day but closes to tourists on Friday mornings for prayers, so Friday tours run the itinerary in a different order. The Louvre is closed on Mondays. Al Ain's camel market is a morning thing.
What to bring. Passport for Musandam (the border) and for the Louvre (ID checks). Modest clothing for the mosque; a scarf for women. Swimwear and a towel for Musandam and Hatta. Sunscreen, a hat and a refillable bottle everywhere.
Food. Lunch is usually a set restaurant on the tour; tell us about dietary needs. Musandam lunch is on the dhow.
A good week. Arrive; desert safari on day two; Abu Dhabi on day three; a rest and a dhow dinner; Hatta or Musandam on day five; a theme park or beach day; fly out. The Musandam and balloon mornings both need early starts, so do not put them back to back.