If you thought UAE was just a desert, think again. Kalba mountains offer a scenic alternative to desert views. Here is an insider guide to driving up to ‘the lung of UAE’ Fujairah.

Guide to Dubai – Kalba Drive

Check your timings BEFORE you start the journey. The best time to go is early morning at 6:30am. Earlier than that and you may get lots of fog. Delay it beyond 8am and you may find traffic.

First step is to hit E311 towards Sharjah. You will find less traffic on this highway thanks to opposite direction morning traffic. Follow signs for Fujairah – Kalba until you reach E102 or Maliha Road.

Second step is to fill up on petrol on this road. You will find a couple of stops on the way. After Maliha Road the gas stations will be hard to come by. Fill up the tank and load up on refreshments.

Follow E102 until you reach E84 towards Fujairah – Kalba. This is the road leading up to the mountains. You will find a very smooth road with speeds reaching up to 120 km / hr. Drive safely in rainy season as the wadis can get flooded and dangerous. The drive will take approximately 1.5-2 hours.

Things to do in Kalba – Fujairah

One option is to visit Fujairah city and spend some time at Fujairah Fort. Another option is to visit Bidiya Mosque and Masafi market. Another great option is visiting Sandy Beach Hotel. Why? It is a low cost alternative to the brand name hotels and it is right next to Snoopy Island. Snoopy island is a very small land mass where you can snorkel, fish and enjoy magnificent views of nature and bird life. Sandy Beach is also a great spot for outdoor camping. You can set up your tent and do barbecues of fresh fish caught right from the sea. Overall, visit Kalba for an out of city alternative experience to the usual desert camp out.