Al Buraimi: Oman's oasis city on the UAE border

Twin oasis of Al Ain across the border, Al Buraimi is a crossroads city of forts, palm groves and trade. A guide to the town, the border and daily life.

2026-10-19

Al Buraimi: Oman's oasis city on the UAE border

Al Buraimi, capital of Al Buraimi Governorate, is an oasis town in the north-west of Oman that forms one urban area with the city of Al Ain in the UAE. For centuries the oasis was a meeting point of caravan routes between the Gulf coast and the interior of Oman; today it is a busy border town where two countries share palm groves, family ties and markets.

History

The Buraimi oasis has been settled for thousands of years, and the Hili archaeological sites just across the border in Al Ain show its Bronze Age past. In the 20th century the oasis was the subject of a well-known border dispute between Oman, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, settled in the 1970s. Its forts tell that story.

What to see

Al Khandaq Fort, a restored mud-brick fort with a dry moat (khandaq) that gives it its name.
Al Hilla Fort and the old quarter beside the souq.
The palm groves and aflaj irrigation channels.
Al Ain's attractions across the border, from Jebel Hafeet to Al Ain Oasis, for those with the right visas.

The border

Al Buraimi is connected to Al Ain through border crossings, and the main crossing for travellers is at Hili. Since the border was formalised, travellers need to pass immigration on both sides; check the latest rules and your visa requirements before planning a cross-border trip. Many residents of the area cross daily for work and family.

Economy and living

Trade, agriculture, government services and cross-border commerce drive the local economy, and the University of Buraimi serves the region. Housing is affordable and life is quiet and family-centred. The drive to Muscat via Ibri or Sohar takes three to four hours; Dubai is about an hour and a half away.

Property

Al Buraimi is listed among areas where foreign ownership of land is restricted, so it is not a market for foreign buyers.

How R2LUX helps

For families with ties to both Oman and the UAE, we help find homes in Muscat's foreign-ownership communities, about an hour's flight from Dubai. Three current listings are below.