Five thousand years ago, people on the edge of the Arabian desert built beehive-shaped stone tombs on the ridge of Jebel Hafit, and the oasis town below them has been continuously lived in ever since. Hili is part of the Cultural Sites of Al Ain, and the park holds a grave of the Umm an-Nar culture, the Hili Grand Tomb, built of precisely cut stone with carved reliefs of human and animal figures on its entrance. Traces of a Bronze Age settlement, with circular towers and wells, add to the picture of a society that had learned to farm in a dry land through the falaj, the underground channels that bring water from the mountains.
The park is a pleasant landscape of date palms, pale sand and gardens, with a modest ticket and clear signs. The Omani border town of Buraimi lies almost next door, and the two places form one oasis. The old forts, shaded souks and mud-brick walls feel unhurried, and in the afternoon the date palms offer welcome shade.
The great attraction for riders is Jebel Hafit itself. A well-surfaced road climbs about eleven kilometres to the summit at around twelve hundred metres, with a long series of switchbacks and sweeping bends and with views over the desert plain, and it is a favourite of motorcyclists in the Emirates. Early morning or evening is best, when the heat is lower and the stone glows. In summer the temperatures are extreme, with highs above forty-five degrees, so the cooler months, from November to March, are the time to ride. Watch for sand across the road, and for speed cameras, which are frequent and strictly enforced across the United Arab Emirates.
Al Ain has every service, including fuel stations on every main road, large malls and restaurants, and the nearby town of Al Buraymī in Oman does too. The border between the two countries has changed over the years, so carry passport, vehicle papers and insurance cover that is valid in both countries if you plan to cross. Fuel is cheap, and tea and dates are offered as a matter of course. Wear sunscreen and a hat, and carry water even for short visits, since the park has little shade among the tombs.