There’s something liberating, even therapeutic about getting behind the wheel, heading for a particularly scenic and traffic free part of town and just driving for fun. In a convertible, with the wind in your hair and the sun on your face, it’s even more exhilarating. Get a few friends along for the ride, and hey, it’s a shared adventure!
Here are some of the roads that you may want to include in your personal list of must-do fun drives.
Al Gharbia, the municipal region of Abu Dhabi, offers UAE’s most adventurous off-road driving. The route presents incredibly dramatic scenery including some of the largest dunes this side of the Sahara. Its seemingly endless coastline is dotted with pristine beaches and islands, and peppered with ancient forts. The sparsely populated area is also home to UAE’s rarest wildlife, so keep an eye out for some exciting sightings on this fun drive.
If you plan to take this exhilarating road trip from the capital city of Qatar, Doha to Zekreet village, you will be greeted by the sight of one or more ostrich birds sprinting alongside. The roam-free ostrich farm of Zekreet is the biggest in the region. Just beware: they don’t like to be petted. Ostrich have powerful legs and a vicious kick, so you’re better off viewing them from the comfort of your vehicle. Drive a little further and you’ll find the Oryx farm. Originally native to this region, the Oryx is a royal deer-like creature with sloping horns, and is just making a comeback thanks to farms like this one. Zekreet is also home to amazing rock formations and plenty more to share on Instagram and Facebook.
Highway 10, all 260 kilometers of it, links the city of Haradh, famous for its oil and natural gas, to Al Batha, near the UAE border. It also holds the record for being the world’s longest stretch of completely straight road.
Highway 10 is usually used for transporting goods, and by people travelling by road from the central and western regions of Saudi Arabia to the UAE.
While some may be put off by the landscape of one of the most barren deserts on the planet, Rub’ Al Khali, perhaps you are among the adventurous few who want to take it on, ‘because it’s there’. With good company and the right music for the ride, it could be a really memorable fun drive for all the right reasons.
Riyadh to Dammam is sure to satiate even the most critical case of wanderlust. While the new Saudi-Oman highway reduces the distance between these countries, you could enjoy the drive to Oman via the UAE.
En route, you will be rewarded with sights of quaint coastal towns, nature reserves, imposing mountain ranges and lots of opportunities for fishing, bird watching, even trekking!
Jebel Hafeet has been voted the greatest driving road on the planet by various international magazines and websites, such as Edmunds.com.
As you approach its 1,249-metre-high peak, the visual drama of the 11.7-kilometre ribbon of asphalt contrasts starkly with the rocky, barren terrain it cuts through.
With 21 turns, ranging from wide bends to tight hairpins, it’s a great playground to explore your vehicle’s dynamic abilities.
In the eastern part of Ras Al Khaimah is a spectacular mountain range called the Ru’us Al Jibal. These mountains were formed more than 70 million years ago and stand nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, offering breathtaking scenery. With temperatures around ten degrees cooler than sea level, they also provide a welcome respite from the heat of the beach resorts in summer.
At 1,934m, Jebel Jais is the highest peak in the entire UAE. A key feature of the mountains is the abundance of hiking and mountain bike trails and wadis (dry river beds). With the newly built 30 km road heading towards the peak, the route offers a challenging and beautiful backdrop for hikers and mountain bikers, and spectacular views for those looking for a scenic driving route.
