information centre with an excellent selec-
tion of brochures on the UAE. You can also
enjoy complimentary Arabic coffee and
dates and check out the permanent exhi-
bition devoted to the British explorer and
author Sir Wilfred Thesiger.Fh li i archaeoloGical
parK a aeolorCh GiCal SiTe
( li, close to hi oman border; h10am-1pm) Use
the knowledge you’ve gained at Al-Ain
National Museum to make better sense of
the remains in the landscaped gardens of
Hili Archaeological Park. This is the larg-
est Bronze Age complex in the UAE, dating
back some 4000 years. In addition to what
you see here there are other remains, in-
cluding tombs and an Iron Age falaj, locat-
ed in a protected area nearby. On view are
the foundations of a tower and mud-brick
buildings, as well as the restored circular
Grand Tomb with its decorative carvings.5 Eating
Ma Kani l bane e Se $$
lton (hi al-ain Mall; mains from Dh55; h6pm-
1am) Meaning ‘my place’ in Arabic, the al
fresco atmosphere is a delight with plenty
of palms and comfortable rattan-style fur-
niture. Indulge in traditional Lebanese
and Arabic specialities, many of which areprepared at your table. Live Arabic music
creates a fitting accompaniment, as does
the selection of Lebanese wines.s ahryarh i anian r $
( - n Mall; dishes from Dh15)alai Located in the
Bawadi Mall, near the camel market and
souq (around 35km north of the centre), this
simple, spotless eatery serves reliable Ira-
nian staples, including kebabs, rice dishes
and a tasty salad combo with tabouleh,
hummus and fattoosh (with strips of bread),
along with fresh-from-the-oven traditional
Iranian bread.a -ldiWan resTauranT l banee Se $
( alifa St; mains Dh30-80; kh h8am-2am; c) Leba-
nese shish tawooq (marinated chicken grilled
on skewers), pizza margarita, Mexican steak,
Iranian yogurt chicken – this big, bright
eatery with floor-to-ceiling windows cer-
tainly covers all the bases. Judging by what’s
on the plates of diners, though, it’s the grilled
kebabs that give this place local-fave status.6 Drinking
Trader Vic’s b ra
(%03-754 5111; al-ain rotana hotel, Zayed bin
Sultan St; h12.30-3.30pm & 7.30-11.30pm) Sip
exotic rum concoctions while taking in
the trippy tiki decor and enjoying a wide
choice of tasty bar snacks. Still hungry?
Then consider booking a table for dinner
when a live Cuban band will get your toes
tapping between courses.UAE East
Coast
e plorex
Dubai’s relentless drive to create the tall-
est, longest, biggest and best versions of just
about everything has made it the pin-up
boy of 21st-century urban development. But
while the mad developers of the city get ever
closer to complete domination of the Guin-
ness World Records, some of the villages and
towns on the East Coast (about 130km east
of Dubai) resemble the dioramas of yester-
year at the Dubai Museum. Tiny roadside
mosques, date palms burdened with fruit,s eepinl G in al-aind nat a al-ain resort (%03-768
6686; http://www.danathotels.com; cnr khalid
ibn Sultan & al-Salam Sts; r Dh360-450;
iWsc) Surrounded by lush gar-
dens, this resort is good for families,
with a great pool area and dedicated
children’s activities� Rooms are fairly
bland but the restaurant choice is
impressive, specialising in cuisines
from East to West� The atmospheric
Nawafeer Tent Lebanese restaurant
has live music every night�- n alai rotana hotel (%03-754 5111;
http://www.rotana.com; Zayed bin Sultan St; d
Dh450-650; iWs) This central hotel,
with its soaring atrium, is a top choice�
It has plush, spacious rooms in vari-
ous sizes, all sporting the full range of
mod cons�
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