Driving as an experience means supercars before anything else. The rental desks sit in the Marina and in Downtown, and the itinerary is usually fixed: Sheikh Zayed Road past the towers, then a lap of Palm Jumeirah and back, one to three hours, often with a chase car alongside and stops for photographs. Whoever does not want the wheel rides the same circuit from the passenger seat.

The scenery improves once the city ends. Hatta lies inland, reached by a road through the Hajar mountains. Jebel Jais, in neighbouring Ras Al Khaimah, climbs to 1,930 metres — the highest point in the country, a road of switchbacks with air noticeably cooler than the coast. Fujairah on the east coast is the other direction worth the fuel. At Dubai Autodrome the format changes: a race taxi puts you beside a professional in a track car, and driving courses run on the closed circuit rather than public roads.

An international driving permit is required, the minimum age is usually 21 and rises to 25 for sports models. The deposit blocked on the card for a supercar runs to four figures. Cameras are everywhere and penalties are costly: they reach the rental company weeks after the trip and are deducted from that deposit, so ask how long the hold stays in place. Attendants fill the tank at every station, since self-service does not exist here. Confirm before booking whether insurance covers the exact model and whether mileage beyond the route is charged.