# Life in Umm Al Quwain



## Graham50

Hi all,
In the search for an expat lifestyle I came across rentals in Umm Al Quwain which seemed more than reasonable. As is often the case I felt there must be a reason for this but have so far not found one. Are there people out there on this site who have experience of this area, and could give me some guidance on the good and bad bits about life there? Specifically I am looking at what there is to do, restaurants bars etc. does it have a good beach and marina? Is there much to occupy a stay at home wife? I would be grateful for any guidance as from the outside it looks a reasonable place to live with a good lifestyle. Thanks in advance
Graham


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## Chocoholic

UAQ = quiet! Very very quiet! There really isn't much for expats to do there. A couple of Spas a marine club and a couple of hotels - but it's really not an 'expat' emirate to be honest.

Where are you doing to be working? If it's in Dubai, then this is a commute every day. Your misses will be bored out her mind there.


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## Graham50

Thanks for the reply, I was kind of guessing it was going to be like that, but had to find out a bit more before I dismissed the idea. At the moment I am looking at living in the Marina or JBR, but of course that comes with great expense, so I have to balance off the advantages of there over other areas. I'm still looking and just want to make sure I don't miss an area that is potentially good value with a decent social life.


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## Chocoholic

UAQ is tiny and there really isn't that much there. Dubai is huge and there are other areas that are cheaper than the Marina or JBR. Even the places that seem far out are really only 20 mins from the city centre in a cab. Mirdiff, Warqaa, Remraam, Motor city, Sports city, Jumeirah Village circle and triangle - all worth looking at. The thing that is going to get you in the Marina/JBR area is the traffic - lots of construction going on right now and it's a complete disaster area. Plus and I'll admit it's a little gripe of my own, people who live in that area, tend to think that the rest of Dubai doesn't exist anymore. There's a lot of things to do, places to go and see at the other end of the city.


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## Graham50

Totally agree with you chocoholic, which is why I'm trying to get some opinions. Most of my work colleagues live in the Marina area so are obviously a little biased. I'm not sure about the other areas of Dubai though, I'm looking for somewhere not too far from the beach, has plenty of shops, cafes, nightspots etc. Also would like a decent size accommodation with a pool nearby, alongside a good size western. expat community, without getting my pants pulled down over the price, and so far not really having much success. I don't actually think I will get all of my wish list but it's working out which one to compromise with.


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## Chocoholic

That's the thing, anywhere near the beaches, you're going to pay top dollar for basically. I've lived all over Dubai, Mirdiff, Satwa, The Springs, The Villa, now moving to Remraam - all been pretty good places to stay and as I say nothing is really very far away in Dubai. I think you need to decide on your budget and then see which area ticks the most on your checklist. It can be very tough. Good luck.


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## BBmover

Chocoholic said:


> UAQ is tiny and there really isn't that much there. Dubai is huge and there are other areas that are cheaper than the Marina or JBR. Even the places that seem far out are really only 20 mins from the city centre in a cab. Mirdiff, Warqaa, Remraam, Motor city, Sports city, Jumeirah Village circle and triangle - all worth looking at. The thing that is going to get you in the Marina/JBR area is the traffic - lots of construction going on right now and it's a complete disaster area. Plus and I'll admit it's a little gripe of my own, people who live in that area, tend to think that the rest of Dubai doesn't exist anymore. There's a lot of things to do, places to go and see at the other end of the city.


Oh no Chocoholic - do not lose faith as there are new expats like us who live in Marina and travel round other places! We enjoy living in the Marina, so far, and our 4 year old loves the sight of the boats in the Marina, travelling by Water Bus for the princely sum of 4dhs, running madly through the fountains, popping down for our Saturday evening 'bench' to watch the lights on the boats plus the Beach cross the road BUT we ride the metro to either end and get off to visit areas. Once we have a car over the Summer we shall explore different areas and ask for advice! 
So, not everyone thinks that the rest of Dubai doesn't exist and we don't plan to keep it that way! :car::car::car:


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## earthworm88

Hi Graham, 

If you were considering commuting from UAQ, have you considered RAK which is next town over with a lot more to offer? RAK is more lively and depending on where you work, it may not be a bad commute. It's a big enough city with a lot to do, but small enough that you get to make friends easily. I know of people who live in Dubai and work in RAK (usually due to spouse working in Dubai and children going to school there) but also people who would prefer to live in RAK but work in Dubai. We have lived in Dubai for many years, so RAK is a nice change away from the hustle and bustle especially now the traffic seems to be worse than pre-2008!

As Chocoholic had mentioned, the communities in the outskirt of Dubai are also worth considering. I guess it's a matter of figuring out how to balance your wants vs your needs  Good luck with your search.


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## Alex_Msk

Hello Guys, I'm also thinking about to move from Dubai to more quite place, thinking about UAQ or RAK, but my concern is the traffic, can anyone advise how much time it takes to get to airport area in the rush hours? As I understood there is a couple of options - sharjah (which is definitely nightmare at any time of the day) and Emirates road, which is the best option, but still busy from sharjah side....Thanks!


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## ChalotteG

Chocoholic said:


> That's the thing, anywhere near the beaches, you're going to pay top dollar for basically. I've lived all over Dubai, Mirdiff, Satwa, The Springs, The Villa, now moving to Remraam - all been pretty good places to stay and as I say nothing is really very far away in Dubai. I think you need to decide on your budget and then see which area ticks the most on your checklist. It can be very tough. Good luck.


Hi I have recently arrived in Dubai and am thinking of renting in Remraam. How are you finding it? My husband will be working at Repton school so will be commuting. I will be staying at home with my 20month old son. 
I'd be interested to hear whats its like now as i cant find much info online. Is there a supermarket there yet?

Charlotte


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