The Omani enclave of the Musandam lies a two-hour drive out if town. The beautiful area is guaranteed to draw 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the most travelled visitor with its rocky scenery and dramatic coastline. Separated from Oman proper by 70km of the UAE, Musandam has two main centres - the eastern port of Dibba, an hour and a half away from Dubai, and the northern and regional capital Khasab, which takes two hours to reach. Change dirhams into riyals and cross the border into this beautiful area where traditional Arabian architecture and pursuits are in far greater evidence than in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Book a Dhs300 double room at the small and basic Khasab Hotel (Town centre, +968830267) and check out the Old Souk, crammed full of interesting and colourful sights, the imposing Khasab Fort and the pretty fishing village of Dibba.

Tucked between the curl of the Musandam Peninsula and the harsh mountainous terrain of the Ruus Al Jibal, Ras Al Khaimah's long shorelines and cool fertile plains are a genius combination of Middle East and Wild West. The Hilton Ras Al Khaimah (Bin Zaher Road, +97172288888, Dhs450) is a fittingly quirky place to hang your stirrups. The double rooms are clean and reasonably spacious, while the in-house belly dancer and all girl pop/rock covers band make for perfect late-night entertainment. You can unload a few rounds at the RAK Shooting Club (Town centre, +97172363622). The really big guns are in temporary retirement due to crackdowns after Gulf War II, but you can still blast clay pigeons with a double barrel, refine your sharp shooting in the air rifle gallery or unleash a quiver of arrows in the archery range. The staff are friendly in a gun-toting kind of way and although the instruction doesn't go much beyond 'Trigger, bullets, dangerous end, go', you'll soon find yourself having a blast. Endorphins suitably primed, enter adrenalin heaven at the flume-heavy, yet queue-light Dreamland water park (Ras Al Khaimah Road, Umm Al Quwain, +97167681888, www.dreamlanduae.com). This haven of watery happiness also houses a go-kart track, rodeo machine, bar and bungee trampoline for when you've had enough of the soggy stuff.

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