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    Hatta
    Chuck202 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    United Arab Emirates

    Hatta

    Point of InterestMountainsNature

    Hatta is an exclave of the Emirate of Dubai in the Hajar Mountains, separated from the rest of the emirate by Omani territory and around 90 minutes by bus from Downtown Dubai.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. United Arab Emirates
    7. Dubai Emirate
    9. Hatta
    Hatta is an exclave of the Emirate of Dubai in the Hajar Mountains, separated from the rest of the emirate by Omani territory and around 90 minutes by bus from Downtown Dubai. Kayaking on Hatta Dam, mountain biking trails around Wadi Hub, and the Hatta Heritage Village make the place a mountain destination.

    Sights in Hatta

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Hatta Dam
    Attraction

    1Hatta Dam

    The reservoir between the barren rock slopes of the Hajar Mountains is the most famous destination in Hatta. On the shore, you can rent kayaks, water bikes, and pedal boats, or take an electric boat; during peak times in summer and from November to February, online booking is advisable. Bus H04 stops here.
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    Hatta Wadi Hub
    Attraction

    2Hatta Wadi Hub

    The Activity Centre is the base for archery, axe throwing, zorbing, and a 12m waterslide. Also starting here are mountain bike trails (approx. 50 km in four difficulty levels); bikes can be rented. The Hatta sign on the slope is a 30-minute hike away.
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    Hatta Heritage Village
    Museum

    3Hatta Heritage Village

    Opened 2001, the village's open-air museum portrays rural Hajar Mountain life pre-oil era through reconstructed houses, Majlis rooms, dwellings, and an old mosque. Also here: Restaurant Al Hajarain, offering Emirati cuisine.
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    Restaurants in Hatta

    1

    Tanoor Restaurant

    This eatery on Dubai-Hatta Road, next to the EPPCO petrol station, serves Emirati and Arabic cuisine with lamb, chicken, or camel. It's renowned for lamb slow-cooked for hours in a traditional earth oven; whole lambs are available on order for larger groups.
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    2

    Janam Restaurant

    Restaurant on the first floor of the Emirates-Coop Market in Hatta, offering Arabic, Turkish, and international cuisine. The menu features rice dishes with local meat, Kuwaiti-style Machboos, and Biryani.
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    3

    Bab Alsham Restaurant

    Small, simple eatery in the town center with Syrian-Lebanese cuisine and grilled dishes, plus hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, and fattoush.
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    Dining and Drinks

    Hatta ist kein Ort für ausgedehnte Restaurantabende. Gegessen wird im Heritage Village, an den Foodtrucks und Cafés des Wadi Hub oder beim Picknick im Hatta Hill Park.

    Emiratische Küche im Heritage Village

    The Al Hajarain restaurant in Hatta Heritage Village cooks Emirati dishes with ingredients from the region.

    Hatta honey

    At the Hatta Honeybee Garden and Discovery Centre you see around 300 beehives up close and can buy local honey and royal jelly.

    Café at Wadi Hub

    The Café Bottom Bracket in Wadi Hub serves smoothies, salads, Açaí bowls, and wraps, with some herbs sourced from its own garden. Nearby, food trucks sell breakfast, snacks, and hot drinks.

    Grilling in Hatta Hill Park

    On the local hill, there are designated shaded picnic and barbecue areas, open 8 AM to 11 PM.

    History and The Present

    Fort and Mountain VillageHatta Fort, an 1896 construction of mountain stone, mud bricks, and palm fronds, was restored in 1995 with an 11-meter watchtower. The 2001-opened Hatta Heritage Village's reconstructed buildings illustrate mountain life before oil changed the Emirates.Water and EnergyThe reservoir now defines the area's landscape. Near Hatta, in the mountains, the DEWA energy authority built a 250 MW / 1,500 MWh pumped-storage plant, due to deliver its first power to Dubai in 2025.

    Getting There and Around

    By BusHatta Express (H02): This RTA line runs approximately every two hours in coaches from Dubai Mall Bus Station to Hatta Bus Station, fare 25 AED, travel time approx. 90 minutes depending on traffic.Hatta Hop on Hop off (H04): This circular route from Hatta Bus Station stops every 30 minutes at Wadi Hub, Hatta Hill Park, Hatta Dam, and Heritage Village; you pay 2 AED per stop.By CarFrom Dubai, the E44 leads via Al Madam to Hatta. A section of the route runs through Omani territory. Before your journey, inform yourself about the current border regulations.

    Accommodations in Hatta

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    Nearby

    Fujairah

    Fujairah

    Fujairah is the capital of the eponymous emirate on the east coast of the UAE on the Gulf of Oman. Around the 16th-century fort are a museum and a Heritage Village; the 2015 Sheikh Zayed Mosque shapes the city's skyline. Off the coast, tankers anchor near the port, one of the world's largest bunkering ports; in the hinterland, the Hajar Mountains begin.
    Fujairah Emirate

    Fujairah Emirate

    The Emirate of Fujairah is the only one of the seven emirates whose entire coast lies on the Gulf of Oman. Around 70 kilometers of coastline stretch from the capital Fujairah in the south to Dibba in the north, backed by the Hajar Mountains. Forts, the country's oldest preserved mosque, and reefs for snorkeling make the East Coast a contrast to Dubai.
    Mleiha

    Mleiha

    Mleiha is some 65 km southeast of Sharjah city in the country's inland desert. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre is the hub of the Faya Palaeolandscape, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2025 and preserving traces of human settlement from over 200,000 years ago. From here, guided tours begin to tombs, the fort, Fossil Rock, and Camel Rock.
    Khor Fakkan

    Khor Fakkan

    Khor Fakkan, an exclave of Sharjah Emirate on the Gulf of Oman, facing the Hajar Mountains and surrounded by Fujairah. Home to around 43,000, the city boasts the region's only natural deep-water port and is known for its white sandy beaches. Waterfall, amphitheater, the expanded Al-Rafisah Dam and the Al Suhub viewpoint make it an east coast excursion destination.

    Al Bidiya and Dibba are located on the northern east coast in the Emirate of Fujairah, between the Hajar Mountains and the Gulf of Oman. In Al Bidiya, about 40 kilometres north of Fujairah city, stands the oldest preserved mosque in the Emirates, further north are Al Aqah beach with the snorkelling island Snoopy Island and the city of Dibba Al Fujairah. From Dibba, dhow trips depart into the fjords of the Omani Musandam Peninsula.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Pexels, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI