Umm Al Quwain Fort and Old Town

Umm Al Quwain town sits on a narrow spit between the sea and a creek, and it has stayed the quietest of the emirate capitals, with much of the old settlement still standing rather than replaced. The fort at the neck of the peninsula dates from the eighteenth century, defended the town on the landward side, served as the ruler's residence and later the police station, and now holds the national museum of the emirate, with finds from the nearby site at Ed-Dur.

What you actually see

• The fort - an eighteenth-century fortification holding the emirate's museum.
• The Ed-Dur finds - archaeology from one of the largest pre-Islamic sites on the Gulf coast.
• The old town lanes - coral and gypsum houses along the peninsula.
• The watchtowers - the surviving towers along the old landward defences.

When to go

October to April; the museum has short hours and closes on Fridays until the afternoon. Mornings are best for walking the old town. Summer humidity is heavy on the spit.

Honest expectations

The old town is partly derelict and restoration is patchy. Museum opening is limited and inconsistent. There are very few places to eat in the old quarter.

Nearby

Al Sinniyah Island is offshore, and Falaj Al Mualla is inland.