Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, offers a blend of modernity and tradition set against the backdrop of the Persian Gulf. From the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and thrilling Ferrari World on Yas Island to the luxurious Emirates Palace and the artistic Louvre Abu Dhabi, the city promises diverse experiences.
Visitors can explore the vibrant Corniche, marvel at the leaning Capital Gate, and witness the world’s tallest flagpole. Culinary delights range from local favorites like Kabsa and Al Machboos to international cuisine.
Accessible by its bustling airport and well-connected roadways, Abu Dhabi invites travelers to immerse themselves in its cultural richness, luxurious amenities, and picturesque landscapes.
Explore Abu Dhabi: A City of Luxury and Culture
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is located on an island in the Persian Gulf. Abu Dhabi is often shadowed by its neighbor Dubai which is just 1 hour away.
The climate of Abu Dhabi is hot throughout the year. It has something to serve for everything. Yas Island has enough distractions to keep the adventure and thrill-seekers happy.
Relaxing beaches to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to Ferrari Worlds Abu Dhabi has a lot to serve you.
Things to do in Abu Dhabi:
1. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque:
This is the largest mosque in the country. For Islamic people, this is the key place of worship for daily prayers. It covers an area of more than 12 hectares and was constructed between 1996 and 2007.
This mosque can accommodate over 40,000 worshippers, with the main prayer hall can hold 7000 worshippers.
Inside you will also find two small prayer halls, one of which is a women’s prayer hall. In the four corners of the courtyard, you will find four minarets. The material used for its construction includes marble stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals, and ceramics.
2. Ferrari World:
It is a Ferrari-branded theme park. It is located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This park was officially opened to the public in 2010. It is the showcase of one of the best and most famous companies in motorsport history.
This theme park features the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa. This roller coaster goes up to 250km/h in just 4.9 seconds.
At Ferrari Worlds, you can also shop for authentic merchandise. This park also hosts several captivating events and activities such as live shows, electric-powered go-karts, and racing simulators.
3. Emirates Palace:
Emirates Palace is operated by the Kempinski Group of Hotels. It was opened to the public in 2005. It has 394 luxurious rooms and suites. The building is designed as an ode to the desert, featuring 114 domes gilded in marble and gold.
This palace is spread over a thousand hectares and it offers you temperature-controlled swimming pools, the finest spas, underground parking, a marina, and two helicopter helipads.
In this palace, you will find multiple restaurants, bars, lounges, and cafes that provide a wide assortment of culinary delights. You can also enjoy several water sports activities such as water skiing, kayaking, windsurfing, and paddleboarding.
4. Louvre Abu Dhabi:
It is an art museum located on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. This museum runs with the agreement between the United Arab Emirates and France. It is the largest museum in the Arabian peninsula.
It is about 24,000 square meters in size, with 8,000 square meters of galleries. The complex has 55 white cubic buildings which make it look like a museum city in the sea.
The entry ticket costs between AED 31 – 63.
5. Yas Waterworld:
It is one of the world’s leading waterparks in the world. This Waterworld is a few minutes away from the Ferrari World.
It has 45 rides, slides, and attractions such as dawwama, bandit bomber, Liwa Loop, Falcons Falaj, Al Raha River, Bubble Barrel, Cannon Point, Hamlool’s humps, Jebel Drop, Marah Fortress, Seabag, Slither Slides, Water wars, and Yadi Yas.
The attractions are grouped into four categories: adrenaline rush, exciting adventures, moving and grooving, and young fun. The entry ticket starts from AED 270. This Waterworld opens from 8 am to 8 pm.
6. Take a stroll at Corniche:
The Abi Dhabi corniche is an 8 km stretch that consists of a children’s play area, cycling and pedestrian pathways, restaurants, cafes, and Corniche beach. At some parts of the corniche, you will find significant deposition of sand which is treated like a beach by the locals.
Across the corniche is located the Marina mall which holds the hosted UAE flag that holds a world record for being one of the tallest flagpoles in the world.
7. Explore the Leaning Tower:
This skyscraper building is also famous as Capital Gate. This building is 160 meters tall and has 35 stories and also has over 16,000 square meters of usable office space.
This building also houses the Andaz Hotel on floors 18 through 33. Capital Gate is one of the tallest buildings in the city and it was designed to incline 18 degrees west.
The deep pilings give this skyscraper the strength to withstand strong winds, gravitational pull, and seismic pressure that the building has to face due to its inclination. This building also holds a Guinness World Record for “farthest manmade leaning building”.
8. Worlds Biggest Flagpole:
As part of the celebration for the 30th national day of the country, they hoisted a gigantic UAE national flag on this 122-meter (400 feet) flagpole.
This flagpole is the tallest in the world and holds its place in the Guinness Book of World Records.They have installed a high-resolution video camera at the top of the pole to provide live coverage of events in the nearby areas.
The promenade beneath the giant flagpole offers you a great location for capturing pictures.
Food to try in Abu Dhabi:
1. Kabsa:
It is the national dish of UAE. It is a fragrant mixture of long grain rice, lamb or chicken, mixed vegetables, cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, nutmeg, and bay leaves cooked in a pot and served in a huge portion at the center of the table.
2. Al Machboos:
This is one of the simple and delicious food in Abu Dhabi. They prepare this dish with rice, meat (beef, lamb, chicken, shrimp), onion, vegetables, spices (including cumin, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, chickpeas, saffron, turmeric, chilies), and lemon.
After preparation, they layer it with meat and serve it.
How to reach Abu Dhabi:
1. By flight:
Abu Dhabi has its airport by the name Abu Dhabi airport. It is the second busiest airport in UAE. The airport is located 30 km away from the city center.
This airport receives flights from all around the world including India, Moscow, Calicut, Istanbul, Amman, Bangkok, Islamabad, and much more.
Outside the airport, you can get a car, taxi, rentals, and a dedicated chauffeur to get to the city center.
2. By road:
Roads connect Abu Dhabi well to all nearby cities in the UAE. You can reach Abu Dhabi by road from Dubai or any other place in UAE.
The cost to reach Abu Dhabi from Dubai is AE250. You will also get buses to reach Abu Dhabi from the nearby cities. Buses leave at 30-minute intervals throughout the day.
