Holidays in Ajman

Ajman is mainly known for being a beach break in the United Arab Emirates and for good reason – it’s spoilt when it comes to gorgeous white-sand beaches. If you stay at The Oberoi Beach Resort in Al Zorah then you’ll have access to possibly the most pristine swathe of sand in the emirate, a sugar-white beach studded with shells that stretches for over 1,000ft. It offers quiet seclusion and a place to recharge and relax on your holiday. Even if you’re exploring the city or outside of the hotel, then head to Ajman’s pretty coastline and you’re guaranteed to never be too far from a beautiful beach.

Even though Ajman only has one golf course, it’s a good one. Al Zorah Golf Club is a world-class course set among a unique and well-preserved environment of mangroves and wetlands, blending in beautifully with its surrounds. There’s every chance you’ll spot some of the birds that inhabit the reserve while you play your round! The course itself has been crafted by Nicklaus Design, owned by Jack Nicklaus, often lauded as the greatest golfer of all time.

Despite its tiny size, Ajman has one of the best nature reserves in the whole of the United Arab Emirates. Al Zorah Nature Reserve is a sprawling mix of mangrove forests, lagoons and tranquil creeks only a short hop from the city of Ajman. You’ll be joined by plenty of winged friends, with the reserve home to nearly 60 species of birds, including flamingos (over 100 of them), egrets and herons, and the waters off its coastline are teeming with life, too. It’s sleepy network of watery channels mean it’s perfect for exploring by kayak or paddleboard, while the lagoon is great for sports like wakeboarding and sailing. Offshore, pearl-diving excursions give an insight into a centuries-old Emirati tradition in which Ajman was once a big player.

By car, Ajman is less than an hour to the centre of Dubai, so it’s easy to combine the two on your holiday. Swap the beaches of Ajman for the futuristic skyscrapers of Dubai for an afternoon, taking in the eye-popping views from atop the cloud-baiting Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. You can go shopping or treat the children to the many entertainment options in The Dubai Mall and spend your evenings in one of the many bars and restaurants, before enjoying the brilliant fountain show in Downtown Dubai. Whether it’s just a day or splitting a week between the two, you can easily twin Dubai with Ajman.

Of course, in the UAE you’re never too far from the desert. In Ajman, there’s plenty of desert experiences you can enjoy, from gentle off-roading around the dunes – spotting oryx and gazelles along the way – to high-octane dune bashing. Go camel riding and observe falconry displays (the UAE’s national bird), or visit a traditional Bedouin camp. Visit in the morning for a local breakfast of Arabic favourites like chebab and balaleet, or dine on a barbecue feast under a sky full of stars in the evening.

No vaccinations are currently recommended for Ajman. For current travel health advice, you should seek guidance from your GP at least four to six weeks prior to travel.

The time difference is GMT +3 hours.

There are no direct flights from the UK to Ajman. However, it’s easily reachable via a direct flight to Dubai from London (seven hours) and then a short road transfer, around 30 minutes.

The currency is the United Arab Emirates dirham.

British passport holders need a visa to visit the United Arab Emirates and this is issued free of charge upon arrival.