Drive by the mosque-shaped Sharjah International Airport, designed by HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, the ruler of Sharjah. Continue through a multi-hued desert landscape to the oasis of Dhaid, before journeying through spectacular mountain scenery. Just before Masafi, you can shop at the local crafts, pottery and carpet market. In the mountains, we stop for a stunning view of the canyon and the wadis showing tracks used by nomads in early days. Drive into Dibba, a picturesque fishing village, and then to the Bidiyah Mosque, the oldest and smallest in the United Arab Emirates, before following the coast through the lovely green town of Khor Fakkan.

After lunch, we stop by a 300-yearold fort, before going to the village of Fujairah, abandoned when mountain dwellers moved away from oil exploration to start a fishing village. Our last stop is Bithnah oasis where you may photograph (from a distance) the impressive fort still guarding the mountain pass, once the only access to Fujairah, before returning to Dubai.