That's in the UAE?

What’s On brings you some of the country’s lesser-known treasures…

01 IRANIAN MOSQUE, BUR DUBAI

Not too many people know about this beautiful mosque, but you might be lucky enough to stumble upon it while wandering around the area near the Textile Souk. Also known as the Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque, the building is adorned with intricate blue tiles. It’s one of two ornately decorated Iranian mosques in Dubai – the other, Imam Hussein Mosque, is located in Satwa.

02 RAS AL KHOR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

It might look like something out of an African safari, but the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is located just a few minutes’ drives from Dubai Mall. More than 20,000 birds of 67 species inhabit the area, which is most famous for its magnificent flock of flamingos. To see them, head to one of three viewing hides dotted around the perimeter of the sanctuary. These are open from 9 am to 4 pm Saturday to Thursday, and entrance is free (there are binoculars available to borrow, too).

03 SNOOPY ISLAND, FUJAIRAH

Named after the cartoon dog, which the island is said to resemble in shape, Snoopy Island is a marine paradise offering some of the best snorkeling in the GCC. Turtles, fish every color of the rainbow, and even little white-tip reef sharks have made this sparkling cerulean sea their home.