After visiting the archaeological sites around Mleiha, I was not keen on searching out more of them in Al Ain, particularly since the sites in Al Ain range through various periods all the way to the Iron Age. So in fact there is some overlap, though the "Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud" inscribed components in Al Ain mostly come from an earlier period. I felt their story has some connection to each other, perhaps a "theme" providing a rich archaeological record of settlement in the UAE as a crossroads of trade and early adaption to the environment. Whereas I could access all the sites in Mleiha by an excellent tour, the sites in Al Ain primarily require taxi or rent a car, therefore I focused exclusively on the Oasis components.

How the 'Cultural Sites of Al Ain' world heritage site is organized was critiqued by ICOMOS:

"ICOMOS considers that the nominated elements form ensembles which are too disparate to be able to qualify the serial as having integrity. The landscapes associated with the seventeen components of the property are numerous, and of unequal meaning and integrity."

The six oasis components and all of the numerous historical sites within them are primarily from the early 19th century to the early 20th century. In my non-expert opinion, they should have been inscribed alone. The archaeological sites at the Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud areas which have tenuous connections to the oasis sites at best should have been inscribed separately along with a few other relevant Archaeological sites in the UAE that are contemporary in date and use. 

Consider that the 'Cultural Sites of Al Ain' world heritage site includes the Sheikh Zayed Palace built in 1937 (also known as the Al Ain Palace Museum) and archaeological sites from the Bronze and Iron Age thousands of years ago! What connects them? ICOMOS was right to defer the nomination as organized at the time. This does not mean this world heritage site is not worthy of inscription, it was just organized in a way that further development of the nomination would have been beneficial to everyone (including visitors). What is perplexing is the often mentioned Al Jahili Fort (which I visited as well) and the Al Ain National Museum/Sultan Fort (still closed) are not inscribed and are located firmly in the buffer zone. The UNESCO maps clearly show this.

I will focus on 4 of 6 Oasis components that we visited, which are also the largest.

Hili Oasis

The Hili Oasis provided a pleasant first experience in Al Ain. A circular route will cover the oasis well and its size makes walking comfortable. This Oasis is the farthest from the town center and it does feel slightly neglected compared to other components. In the Advisory Body Evaluation a significant historic ruin is highlighted within the Hili Oasis.

"Hamad Bin Hadi Al Darmaki Fortified House located in the centre of the oasis. Today in ruins, it reputedly dates from the early 19th century. It has an enclosure with a large corner tower."

The site remains in ruins, but there is minor scaffolding near the tower for stabilization or restoration, I do not know. The falaj irrigation system was flowing well in many parts of the Hili Oasis and other areas were purposely flooded.

Al Ain Oasis

Next to the Al Ain Oasis gift shop you can rent bicycles and because of the size of this oasis component, I think this is the best way to explore. A one hour bike ride is sufficient to see most if not all of Al Ain Oasis. There are few historic sites within the oasis compared with the other oasis components. There are however, a few sites where you can see how the public accessed the Falaj water channels for their own use, such as the "Obaid bin Ali Al Nasiri Mosque". After dropping off your bicycle, continue walking toward the inscribed Sheikh Zayed Palace (Palace Museum) to see the well-maintained 1937 palace.

Al Qattara Oasis

Taking a taxi to the Souq Al Qattara provides one of the best experiences for travellers in Al Ain. Firstly, you can visit the "Cultural Heritage Souq" as described by Solivagant. Touristy, but pleasant and enjoyed by both locals and visitors on the weekends. When we visited, there was dancing/musical performances by local Emirati men (Ay’yallah and Harbiyah traditional dances) and the food booths nearby included all forms of snacks from traditional to popcorn. Browsing the Intangible Cultural Heritage list for the UAE, you can easily witness multiple examples at Al Qattara. After walking through the Souq, you will see a mostly ruined structure, which is named "Mohammed Bin Bodowwah Al Darmaki Fortified House" (4.4.1 on the UNESCO map). There is also an art center and excellent restaurant called Zoi Cafe Qattara, which was delicious. Afterward, we walked the oasis as dusk approached then we headed to Al Jimi Oasis which is within walking distance.

Al Jimi Oasis

From Al Qattara Oasis the entrance to Al Jimi is not across the street; to best access Al Jimi you need to walk back down Hamouda Bin Ali Street for 5-10 minutes and then turn right onto a smaller road called Al Nabat Street which takes you directly into the heart of Al Jimi Oasis. Al Jimi Oasis includes many historic structures, such as Bin Hamoodah Fort/House. As we visited Al Jimi Oasis at sunset, we did not have a large amount of time before it got dark, but the colorful sky and historic heart of Al Jimi was a great ending to our time in Al Ain.

In the end, we were fully satisfied visiting Al Ain's world heritage site. Our focus exclusively on the historic Oasis components turned out to be thoroughly rewarding and an easy task over 2 days. After Mleiha, it would have felt redundant to seek out other archaeological sites of similar value. As we took the bus to Abu Dhabi the following morning, we passed the Al Muwaiji Oasis (which is quite small). The main fame of this palace site is its connection to the former ruler of Abu Dhabi (birthplace).

Lastly, I would agree with the warning Els shared about day trips to Al Ain from either Dubai or Abu Dhabi. In fact, I changed my schedule so I had 2 nights in Al Ain, which felt just right for our pace. For many travellers within this community, 1 night would be sufficient.