Ajman

Eco-friendly travel guide to Ajman advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Ajman, United Arab Emirates.

Al Rashidiya, Ajman

Air quality: 2.5 / 5

Exploring by foot: 3.0 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 3.0 / 5

Public transportation: 4.0 / 5

Parks: 3.5 / 5

Outdoor activities: 3.5 / 5

Locals' English level: 3.0 / 5

Safety: 3.0 / 5

Accommodation: US$20 - $150

Budget per day: US$35 - $200

Responsible Travel

The United Arab Emirates or UAE is known for its wealth, oil, and shopping. The whole country is considered to be a very luxurious place to visit and stay in. The UAE consists of 7 Emirates, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Umm Al Qaiwain, and Fujairah. They all joined together in 1971 to form the federation we know today as The United Arab Emirates.

As with the other cities, Ajman is also very famous for its luxurious living. Because of the nature of the place, there are more tourists in the city than locals, Ajman is a very resource-hungry place, and the government knows that. Considering that the city requires a lot of energy and water to function, it can be very harmful to the environment if it comes from fossil fuel and our water bodies, respectively. On the other hand, it can get quite expensive as well. Hence it is no surprise that the city focuses on clean energy and improving environmentally-friendly practices. For example, the efforts are put into Masdar city, located in Abu Dhabi, which is considered the world's first zero-waste, carbon-neutral city.

When it comes to tourism, the government has launched the Dubai sustainable tourism initiative in 2016, which aims at improving the efforts of various tourism enterprises so that they are more engaged in reducing the carbon footprint. This initiative is in line with the bigger goal of promoting, developing, and implementing renewable, green clean energy sources across all of UAE.

As tourists, we also have a lot of responsibility in following the rules set by the people of UAE. We must also make sure that we use clean green energy as much as possible while we are traveling here. Also, while traveling, we must make sure that we are doing things like traveling in buses or on bicycles to reduce the carbon footprint of the Emirates.

Air Quality and Pollution

Being in the middle of the desert with very high temperatures, the air quality level is very poor. The place doesn't see much natural greenery; hence there is not much nature can do by itself to improve the quality of air. The people of Ajman have been trying their best to use clean green energy to improve the quality of air, but change doesn't happen overnight. Hence, in conclusion, the quality of air is poor.

Respect the Culture

As we have learned before, the number of people in UAE at any given time has more tourists than locals. This is also obviously true for Ajman as well. Although the locals are pretty limited in number, they love their hometown and are very proud of it. Moreover, they are traditionally Muslim and are very proud of their religion and their culture. Hence we as tourists who expect to be treated properly by the locals should also show the same respect. We must not do anything which will resort to hurting the sentiments of any local or hurting their religious and cultural beliefs.

When it comes to Ajman, there are no hard and fast rules that need to be followed, but the following are a few important aspects where every tourist must pay attention and show respect. As mentioned above, their culture is very sacred to them, so the following points are very important:

Respecting the separation of genders: Emiratis believe in the separation of genders, which is a part of their culture and religion. So if you are meeting someone of the opposite gender, do not try to go for a hug or handshake. You can only if a person of the other gender initiates it. Also, you will notice that many places, including schools, public places, and restaurants, will have separate areas for separate genders or have a women-only area. So we as tourists must respect the tradition of the people of Ajman.

Respecting the elders: According to the Emiratis, respecting their elders is crucial. So it is important as tourists we follow this custom as always. To show respect to the elders, we must always stand up if any elder enters a room. We must also offer food, tea, coffee, etc., to an elder first before anyone else. If we can follow these simple tasks, no Emirati will have a problem with us in this regard.

Never criticize the royal family: It is important that while you are in the UAE, be it Ajman, Dubai, or any of the cities, you never criticize or disrespect the royal family. This can be considered a criminal offense. If you are curious about something, you can always ask genuine questions to the locals, but if you do not like something done by the royal family, talking to the locals about it is something you should never do.

Not all locals are rich: We see various social media sites how lavishly Emiratis live, and we sometimes even envy them. But the fact is that not all Emiratis are millionaires, and if we are to assume like that and treat people accordingly, we would be very wrong. The locals of Ajman live very humbly, and if you are to assume that they are rich and make a comment on that when they are probably not, it'll be very disrespectful for them.

Don't disrespect the people just because the cities are very glittery: Just because they have the Burj Khalifa or have huge malls and an expensive lifestyle doesn't necessarily mean that the people of Ajman are materialistic. They are very proud of themselves and their culture for what they were before the oil boom happened. Treating them with respect will go a long way in getting good treatment back.

Learn a bit of Arabic: Arabic is the official language of Ajman, and as we have mentioned multiple times that to the locals, their culture is very important; hence their language is also very important to them. So if you can learn a few phrases in Arabic, the locals will be very impressed and happy that you respect their culture.

Respect their religion: You can be of any religion, but you need to remember that you are in a place where the main religion is Islam, and hence you must show some respect. It obviously doesn't matter where you are, because you should show respect to every religion worldwide.

Try not to drink alcohol with the locals: According to Islam's customs, the locals aren't supposed to eat pork or drink alcohol. So try as much as possible not to drink with locals. If you are drinking with a local, then definitely do not get drunk.

Sharing of food: Emiratis generally love sharing food. Whenever they order food, they order big dishes so that everyone can share. So if you're eating with a local, make sure you don't eat alone. Order for everyone and eat together. This is equivalent to respecting their culture and traditions.

Know how to enter a mosque: Since Ajman is an Islam territory, you will find mosques everywhere. But if you want to enter one, you must follow a few rules. For women, you must cover your hair and cover as much skin as possible. When it comes to men, you must wear trousers but nothing too tight. You must also open your shoes before entering.

Taking off shoes in other places: As mentioned above, it is important to open your shoes before entering a mosque, but you must also open your shoe if you're about to enter someone's home. You can enter with your shoes on in many countries, but in Ajman, you must open your shoes at the front gate if you are visiting a local.

Top 10 Places to Visit

It is true that when compared to the other cities of UAE, Ajman has much less to offer when it comes to places to visit, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. If you want to dive deeper into the culture and heritage of UAE, one of the best places to do so is Ajman. Today we will see the top 10 must-visit places in Ajman.

The beach: Ajman is blessed with a pristine stretch of white sand beach, which looks beautiful and attracts many people. The white beach of Ajman is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in UAE. It is a perfect place if you are looking to relax while sunbathing at the same time. Now on the beach stretch, you will find many hotels with their own private beaches. If you rent a room in any such hotel, you can enjoy their private beach, where privacy is, of course, guaranteed. Other than that there are also public beaches where you can be without paying any fees which you would have for the hotel.

Ajman Museum: The landmark, which is now known as the Ajman Museum, is actually an 18th-century fortress that was once Ajman's first line of defense. Apart from being the first line of defense, this fort was also the rule of Ajman's palace and the Ajman police station's site. Hence you will see multiple watchtowers and wind towers in the area. You will also find two cannons in front of the gateway. In this Museum, you will typically find how life was in Ajman on a day-to-day basis. You will also find various archeological findings which were found in the nearby areas. You will also see that there are many transcripts, documents, photos, and so on regarding Ajman. This place is a treat for history fans.

Dhow building yard: Ajman has the world's largest dhow building yard and hence becomes one of the most visited tourist destinations. There is no book available on how to make dhows. The process has been handed down from previous generations and uses manual skills and traditional tools. This yard is also known to manufacture speedboats which are used in the Dubai powerboat meets. People who have an interest in sailing or boats must visit this place as it is an experience like none other.

Mowaihat: It is an archaeological site located on the outskirts of the city of Ajman. It was discovered by workers who were working with sewage pipes in 1986. It was found that under the site, there is a circular tomb in an Umm-Al-Nar type. Soon an excavation process was started. During the excavation, so many more artifacts were found. Soft stones, ceramic Umm-Al-Nar vessels, two different types of stamp seals, copper implements, 3000 beads, and remains of people were about several dozen. With so much history in one place, people who are interested in archeology must visit this place.

The city center: When compared to the other UAE cities, Ajman is much less luxurious or happening. However, that is actually a part of its charm. You will not find the busy nightlife or huge hoards of people in Ajman. Instead, you will find a very quiet place where there are not many people but an aculturally very rich place. If you are looking for a place to relax with very little noise, Ajman is the place to be.

Al-Zorah: A new district is being created in Ajman, known as the Al-Zorah district. Although it is not complete yet, the district is supposed to have the following: luxury hotels, restaurants, Apartments, yacht marinas, and so on. The only thing open right now in the district is the golf course. This district also has one million square meters of mangrove forests. You will also find an amazing bird-watching experience here in Al-Zorah. Apart from all these kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, nature walks, and boat tours are all on the horizon for Al-Zorah.

Masfut and Manama: Masfut and Manama are two Hajar Mountain towns of Ajman. Masfut is an amazing place to hike. The mountain roads, the road to Masfut, are so beautiful that people go there just for a walk. The walk to Masfut, where the scenery changes to the Hajar foothills from the Dunes. Also, one of the major reasons why most people visit Masfut is its temperature. The temperature is always cooler than the coast, which makes it very enjoyable. Manama is all about culture. It has a small fort which is being converted into a Museum. Here you will learn a lot about the history and culture of the UAE.

Umm Al-Quwain Fort and Museum: This fort was once used to guard the old town entrance. The fort was damaged, and now it has been restored to its former glory. Now the fort host's a Museum that has artifacts from a local archeological site Al-Dur. It also has ethnographic exhibits which show how Emiratis used to live, how their culture was, what they used to wear, what they used to eat, and so on from 200 years ago.

Seneyah Island: If you are looking to go somewhere quiet and outside the city and be one with nature, then there is nothing better than Seneyah Island. Mangrove forests surround the islands, and many different species of migratory birds come here all year round. You will see Al Qaram trees which are native to UAE, grow all around this island. This island's whole atmosphere is so serene and beautiful that you wouldn't want to leave this place.

Dreamland Aquapark: Ajman is a very hot place and having a water park in the city is a great source of relief. This park is famous for families and kids. There are many things to do in this park. Like there are many aquatic-themed rides, twisters, kamikaze rides, wading pools for children, a huge wave pool, and a crazy river. There are also areas where people sit under the shade of palm trees. There is also a fake volcano that is surrounded by animals, which is a hit with the children.

Swamps of Al Zorah

Explore

The City of Ajman has a lot to offer if only you take a look around. It won't be like your usual UAE cities full of oomph and lights and people. This city is for the people who prefer the culture and quiet environment over the hustle and bustle of a city.

City Parks

Ajman is full of Museums, beaches, mosques, and shopping complexes. But it is not quite known that there are many parks in the city which are extremely beautiful and made for the tourists and locals alike.

Al Helio Park
Al Jurf Park
Al Safia Park
Mushrif Ladies Park
Al Rashidiya Park
Al Hamaidiya Park
Aqua Bounce Ajman
Al Waraqa Public Park
Al Hekma Ladies Park
Al Naseem Ladies Park

National Parks

Ajman also has a lot of national parks, where locals and tourists all can visit. Some of the famous national parks are:

Ain al Faydah (Fazyad)
Jebel Hafit-Ain al Faydah
Mushrif
Mushrif National Park (and Buffer zone)
Canada (Ras Ganadah) lagoon and mangrove

Mushrif National Park

Beaches

Ajman has a beautiful stretch of white sand beach. Along the beaches, there are various hotels where people can book a room. These hotels have private beaches where only the people who are residing in the hotels are allowed to visit legally. So as a tourist, you can easily book a room and enjoy the private beach that your hotel has. Apart from that, there are two public beaches where anyone can visit without paying any money. You can walk on the beach, relax and even go for a swim. These public beaches are as following:

Al Zorah Beach: A part of this each belongs to the Oberoi hotel, and the other part is a public beach. It is a nice and quiet beach which makes it perfect for a family picnic. This beach also has pretty good fishing spots. So if you are interested in fishing, this beach is the place to be for you.

Al Hamriya Beach: This public beach is the best beach for swimming. They always have lifeguards on duty so that you can swim without any worry. They also have a jogging track along the beach, where you can job or take a stroll. They also have fantastic beach restaurants whose foods are a must-try!

Al Hamriya Beach

Landmarks

Ajman is a city that thrives on its culture and heritage. Hence it is quite normal that the city has many landmarks, which are a must-visit for all the tourists if they want to experience the life and culture of the Emiratis of Ajman. Some of the must-visit landmarks are:

Ajman National Museum
Ajman Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Ajman Dhow Building Yard
Ajman Corniche
Al Dur Archaeological Site
The Red Fort
Manama Museum
Umm Al-Quwain Fort & Museum
Etisalat Tower

Entrance of The Ajman National Museum

Museums

The people of Ajman are very proud of their culture and their city. As a result, they want everyone who visits their beautiful city that they must also know the lives of Ajman and their culture. Hence they have built many museums in and around the city, capturing the essence of being an Emirati. Some of the museums of Ajman are:

Umm Al-Quwain Fort & Museum
Manama Museum
Ajman Museum

Ajman Museum

Eat

Before coming to the UAE, you must have watched many youtube videos or social media posts, which portray and show the amazing food that UAE cities have to offer. The same goes for Ajman. People come here to eat the delicious Mediterranean dishes which you will not find anywhere. You might find the same dishes, but you will never taste the authentic flavor that these dishes have to offer. When you are in Ajman, you must try the following dishes:

Stuffed Camel
Shawarma
Al Harees
Meghalaya
Ghazi
Match bonus
Esh Hasarya

Traditional Local Restaurants

There are multiple amazing restaurants in Ajman, where you are bound to get grade A delicious food. If we start listing them, we will be here all night! So here are a few amazing local restaurants which everyone should visit:

Bukhara
Seascape Restaurant
Sabella's
Kiyi
Themar Al Bahar Restaurant
Danial Restaurant
The Grove
Al Roof Restaurant and Cafe
Sultanate
Al Fanar Restaurant and Cafe
Delhi Corner Restaurant

Vegetarian and Vegan

When people search for food available in UAE, they mostly see various pictures or videos of meat served in different ways. Then people assume that just because UAE or Ajman rather is a Muslim province, and hence meat is what is available predominantly. That is not true at all. The people of Ajman know that on any given day, the population of tourists in the city is much more than the locals, and the tourists are not always non-vegetarians. Hence, there are multiple vegetarian and vegan options available for the tourists and the locals who follow a different food path. Because not all locals are non-vegetarians too.

Some of the famous vegan-friendly restaurants are:

Bukhara
Filini Bar & Restaurant
King's Grill
Gusti
Sabella's
Danial Restaurant
Sultan Saray
Al Quran
The Grove
Bab Al Bahr

Vegetarian-friendly restaurants are as follows:

Al Asli Restaurant
India House
Mister Idli Restaurant
Bombay Udupi Restaurant
Bombay Jaipur Restaurant
Rafeeq Cafeteria (Shankar Cafeteria)
Al Nabil Cafeteria

Street Food

If you visit any foreign place, you can never have the true authenticity of their local cuisine if you do not try their street food. Most big restaurants try to make the food different from their original recipe so that tourists do not have a problem with eating that, but you will never see that happening in the streets. Granted that some food might be too spicy for various tourists; hence major restaurants tone it down, but if you want to taste the dishes how they were meant to be tasted, you need to try the street foods. Some famous street food restaurants are as follows:

Manoushe Street
Chandni Chowk Restaurant
Tiffins By Sam
Cook Serve Repeat Cafeteria
BAK BAK Chicken
Tasty Tasty Restaurant
Bait Al Falafel Restaurant
Sea Rock Cafeteria
Al Wasl Bakery
Fresh Restaurant
Rajab Cafeteria

Drink

Ajman being a Muslim province, you will not find locals drinking alcohol out in the open. It is not allowed by their religion to consume alcohol or have pork. On the other hand, Ajman gets a lot of tourists as visitors, so to cater to them, there are a lot of bars available in the city. However, it is recommended that you should try not to drink with a local. But in case you are drinking with a local, you must not definitely get drunk.

Tap-water

Whether tap water in Ajman is safe for consumption or not is a difficult thing to answer. Because if you ask the people of Ajman, they will give you two different answers. One half will tell you that tap water is chlorinated and it is safe to drink, whereas the other half will tell you even after chlorination, it still contains impurities, so it is better not to drink. Which answer should you take into consideration? We, being tourists, cannot afford to fall sick on vacation, so it is better if we do not try to drink tap water. Instead, we should buy packaged drinking water and have them during our whole trip to Ajman.

Organic Cafés

There are no organic cafes available in Ajman, but you will find a lot of normal cafes all around the city.

Breweries

Despite being a Muslim city, you can quite easily enjoy alcohol in the various bars of the city. There are just a few rules and regulations which you need to follow. Since we are visiting a different province, we must respect their culture and rules and try not to revolt. We are not the citizens of this place, so it is our duty to follow the rules. Anyway, it is totally acceptable to have a drink or two in a public bar, as long as we are within limits.

Now since we were talking about the rules of drinking in the province, let's see some of the rules which we must follow in the province when it comes to alcohol consumption:

You must drink only in a licensed bar or restaurant.
You cannot drink in a public place.
You must have a license to buy alcohol from stores that are licensed. Buying any other way is considered to be illegal

. To get a license for purchasing alcohol, the following conditions are necessary:

You must be older than 21
You must be a Muslim.
You must earn a minimum salary of AED 3000
You cannot drink and drive under any circumstances
You cannot drink while you are in your office
If you are buying alcohol from a duty-free store, you must be older than 18. The alcohol should not exceed four liters, or in the case of beer, it should not exceed two cartons.

Talking about breweries, here are a few most famous bars of Ajman:

Zanzi Bar
Bab Al Bahr – Ajman Saray
Cosmic Bowling – Ajman Hotel
Thirsty Horse – Sports Bar
Blazon Lounge – Ajman Hotel
The Deck Pool Bar & Grill
Pool Bar – Ajman Hotel
The Cave Sports Bar & Kitchen

If you are someone who loves having a beer, you will be glad to know that the bars in Ajman serve various different kinds of beer. Some of them are:

Dos Equis
Coors light
Heineken
Corona
Samuel Adams
Fat Tire

Activities

There are many activities which you can partake in Ajman, with your family and also alone. Some activities are:

Go hiking in the Hajar Mountains
You can play golf
You can go on a desert safari
You can visit the inland enclaves
You can camp at a beach
Go for a swim
Walk on the beautiful white beach of Ajman

Yoga and Retreats

Well, unfortunately, there are no yoga centers for you to practice or perform yoga in. There are a few gyms where there are yoga instructors with whom you can practice with. To find such gyms, you must visit Ajman and ask the locals.

Accommodation

As mentioned before in Ajman, there are more tourists than locals; hence you do not have to worry about accommodation. There are more than enough places available where you can stay or eat.

Green Hotels

When it comes to green hotels in Ajman, there are only two of them:

Green House Resort
Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Ajman

Hostels and Guest Houses

There are many hostels and guest houses available for tourists in Ajman. Hostels:

Heartland Hostel
Sharjah Heritage
Friends House Hostel
UAE Youth hostel association
Tourist Hostel

Guesthouses:

Orient Guest House
Ahmedia heritage guest house
Barjeel heritage guest house
Luxury Guesthouse
Burj Al Diyar Hotel apartments
Yasso bed and breakfast

Apartments

If you are looking to spend a lot of days in Ajman, it is much better to rent an apartment than staying in a hotel. You can get the apartment at a much cheaper cost, and it will be like living in your own home. Some such apartments are:

Alain Hotel Ajman
Luxury 1 BR Beach Apartment with Full Sea View
Hala Inn Hotel Apartments - BAITHANS
Midtown Furnished Apartments
Reef Hotel Aparts (Tabasum Group)
Royal Palace Hotel Apartment Previously Tulip Inn
Al Smou Hotel Apartments
Arabian Hotel Apartments
Paradise Inn Hotel (Tabasum Group)
Sara Hotel Apartments - BAITHANS GROUP

Couchsurfing

There is a website called couchsurfing.com; you can easily go to that website and look for similar people interested in Couchsurfing. This is a great way to come to any country, get to know the locals, and merge better with the community.

Camping

You will be happy to know that there are actually two camping spots in Ajman, which are actually quite famous and well known among the locals. Here not only tourists but locals also camp.

Bianky Beach camp
Caravana Al Zorah

How to Get There

There are many ways to get to Ajman, but all the ways connect via Dubai. Ajman does not have an airport as such, so you have to travel to Dubai and enter Ajman from there.

Air

If you want to enter Ajman directly via air, you will need to wait for some time since the Ajman airport is not ready to take flights. To visit Ajman by air, you must take a flight to Dubai, and from there, you can enter Ajman via different ways.

Bus

You can easily enter Ajman via a bus. If you are entering the UAE via air, you will first have to come to Dubai, and from there, you can take a bus to Ajman. It will hardly take an hour for you to enter Ajman via a bus. You can also take a bus from other cities.

Train

You can also take a train to Dubai or the other cities and enter Ajman via car or bus. If you are coming via a flight, you will have to come to Dubai, and from there, you can enter Ajman.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is possible to get to Ajman from the various major cities, but it is not a guarantee. Also, you will need to be very careful because not all people can be trusted, which is true for every country worldwide.

Others

Apart from taking a taxi from any major city or airport, there are no other ways of entering Ajman.

Moving Around

There are multiple ways to move around in Ajman. You can walk, take taxis, ride a bicycle and so on.

Walk

Walking is totally possible in Ajman, and many people prefer to walk. Ajman is a small city; it will not take much time for you to travel to various destinations within the city. However, the temperature can rise to a very high level, so it advisable to take an umbrella and sunglasses.

Bicycle

There are a lot of bicycling routes available within the city. You can also take bicycles for hire and ride them inside the city.

Electronic Vehicles

There are a lot of electric cars available in the UAE. You will see cars of brands like Tesla, BMW, and so on. The electric car phenomena have reached Ajman, and a lot of people are using them. There is also a Tesla charging station available in Ajman.

Public Bus

You can easily get public buses to move around in Ajman. You can also book tour buses, which will take you on a tour of the city along with other tourists. Contact your hotel regarding information about tour buses.

Tram, Train and Subway

Unfortunately, you cannot travel in Ajman via tram, train, or subway because these services are not available.

Sustainable Shopping

Sustainable shopping does not have much of a craze in Ajman, but if you look around, you might be able to find shops that believe in sustainable shopping.

Food Markets

There are many food markets in Ajman like:

Only Fresh Store
Meat market
Amani Foodstuff Trading
Ajman Fish Market
Alif International General Trading
Aiza Food Stuffs LLC
Infinity Organic Food
Grocery Sajeeb Foods

Flea Markets

There are very few flea markets in Ajman; you must ask the locals to find the address to them.

Second Hand Stores

There are a few second-hand stores in Ajman, like:

BuFaisal General Trading LLC
Ajman Second Hand Furniture
Al Manzoor Second Hand Furniture Trdg
Shahd Used Furniture Trading
Souq Used Furniture Trading (BuFaisal 3)
Brothers Used Furniture Trading
Al Ahram Secondhand Furniture Store
Al Zaydan Textiles & Readymade Garments

Eco-Fashion

The concept of eco-fashion is not so widespread in Ajman.

Recycling

Ajman is very serious regarding their clean green energy initiatives, which also means they are very serious with their recycling methods. Recently they declared that plastic bags should also be made from eco-friendly products. This is a very good step in the right direction.

Waste

The Ajman government is very serious about waste management and puts in a lot of effort to have a good waste management system. They even partnered with Beach, a Sharjah-based waste management company, to have better waste management Ajman.

Work and Study Abroad

There are a lot of job opportunities available in Ajman. All you need to do is, search on Google.

There are also a lot of options available for studying in Ajman, specifically at Ajman University.

Exchange Student

Student Exchange programs are available at Ajman University. Be sure to check if your college qualifies for the student exchange program with Ajman University or not.

Au Pair

The Au pair concept is not very widespread in Ajman as of yet. You can still talk to a few locals and see if they are willing to experiment with au pair or not.

Volunteering

A lot of volunteering options are available in Ajman. Let us look at a few volunteering options available in Ajman:

Volunteers.ae
National Volunteer Program for Emergencies, Crises, and Disasters
Takato
Send
UAE Red Crescent Authority
National Fund
Volunteering Incubators