Umm Al Quwain’s fort has stood since 1768, built as the ruling family’s residence by Sheikh Rashid bin Majid Al Mualla, founder of the dynasty that still rules the emirate today. Its coral-stone walls run more than six metres high and two metres thick — serious 18th-century defence, restored and reopened as the national museum in 2000, with artefacts from the nearby Ed-Dur archaeological site among its exhibits.
Under an hour from Dubai, Old Town Umm Al Quwain offers heritage and nature in equal measure, as part of our main Umm Al Quwain guide.
Updated: July 2026 — by Monica Bonalto
Getting your bearings in Old Town Umm Al Quwain
The old quarter sits on a narrow peninsula between the sea and a mangrove lagoon, with the fort, museum and dhow harbour clustered together.
Things to do in Old Town Umm Al Quwain
Explore the fort and museum, watch the dhows in the old harbour and kayak the mangroves — much of it costs nothing, so see free things to do across the UAE. A short drive out, Ed-Dur is the largest pre-Islamic site in the UAE, a 5-square-kilometre settlement that peaked around the 1st century AD, complete with the ruins of a temple to Shamash, the pre-Islamic sun deity, and now on Unesco’s tentative World Heritage list.
Seafood by the dhow harbour
Simple local eateries and seafood spots near the harbour keep it authentic and good value.
A slow drive in, best explored on foot
Under an hour from Dubai; best reached by car. The cooler months from October to April are ideal for exploring the old town and mangroves on foot or by kayak.
Exploring the old town
Coral-block houses and the old dhow harbour sit within an easy walk of the fort, making this one of the last places in the UAE with a genuinely pre-oil pace of life. Combine a slow wander here with the watersports at UAQ Marina and the Corniche for the fuller picture of the emirate.
Onward through Umm Al Quwain
Head back to the main Umm Al Quwain guide to explore more of the emirate.
Top things to do in Old Town Umm Al Quwain
- Ed-Dur archaeological site — the largest pre-Islamic site in the UAE, a 5-square-kilometre settlement that peaked around the 1st century AD, with the ruins of a temple to Shamash, the pre-Islamic sun deity, and now on Unesco’s tentative World Heritage list.
- The dhow harbour — simple local eateries and seafood spots keep the old-town waterfront genuinely lived-in rather than tourist-built.
Is there a UNESCO site in Umm Al Quwain?
Ed-Dur, a short drive from Old Town UAQ, is on Unesco’s tentative World Heritage list — the largest pre-Islamic archaeological site in the UAE, dating to around the 1st century AD.