Your guide to Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi highlights
Modern luxury
Abu Dhabi is as luxurious as you can imagine. Its most lauded hotel, the five-star Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, is an attraction in its own right. And the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is one of the most lavish places of worship in the world. The icing on the extravagant cake is Observation Deck at 300, on the Etihad Towers’ 74th floor, which offers high tea at a high altitude.
High-intensity fun
Formula 1 fans agree that this city is best experienced at breakneck speed at the world-famous Yas Marina Circuit. But there are other ways to get your thrills. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has the world’s fastest roller coaster. CLYMB Abu Dhabi boasts both the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall and biggest indoor skydiving tunnel. Head out to the desert, where you can bike down some of the tallest sand dunes on Earth.
Emirati life
For all the modern glamour of the skyscrapers, theme parks and designer malls here, you can also find plenty of traditional Emirati experiences to enjoy in Abu Dhabi. Explore its ports, where the trading of fresh ingredients, spices and wares has kept its waterways busy for centuries. You can also try local ‘gahwa’ (Arabic coffee) and visit the lively Al Ain Camel Market.
Abu Dhabi: Know before you go
| Language | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Currency | United Arab Emirates dirham (AED) |
| Time zone | UTC+4 (GST) |
| High season | December - January |
| Low season | May - September |
Find the best time to go to Abu Dhabi
Weather in Abu Dhabi
April – May: Abu Dhabi’s spring starts out mild with occasional rain showers. Temperatures rise steadily as May nears, making it an ideal time to hit up the city’s sparkling pools.
June – September: In summer, temperatures can rise as high as 44°C — high time to enjoy the city’s vast network of air-conditioned attractions. Check out one of the luxury shopping centres with indoor ski zones.
October – November: As summer temperatures ease up, enjoy Abu Dhabi’s outdoor attractions with smaller crowds, who arrive in earnest during winter.
December – March: Winters bring warm, sunny weather that’s ideal for relaxing at beach resorts and enjoying adventurous desert treks. Expect higher prices during these balmy months.
Events in Abu Dhabi
Al Hosn Festival (January to February): Get to know Emirati culture at this multi-day event held within the city’s oldest stone building. Food, retail markets and live performances celebrate the region’s artisan traditions.
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (April or May): Shop over a thousand vendors at this sprawling literary festival, where you can also attend poetry readings, debates and book signings.
Sheikh Zayed Festival (November to February): Held in the suburb of Al Wathba, this opulent cultural fest features everything from fireworks and rides to falconry demonstrations and camel races.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (December): Every year, fans from across the globe descend on Yas Island to get their fill of second-hand adrenaline at this epic Formula 1 car race.
The best neighbourhoods in Abu Dhabi
The Corniche
The Corniche is where to stay in Abu Dhabi for tourist-friendly beaches and ample greenspace. You’ll also find children’s play areas, separate pedestrian and cyclist paths, and plenty of cafes and restaurants within easy reach. Backed by an imposing skyline of glittering skyscrapers, this is the Abu Dhabi hotspot you see in glossy magazines and Instagram pages.
Good for: Beaches, parks, cycle paths
Saadiyat Island
Just a short drive from the city is Saadiyat Island, the best area to stay in Abu Dhabi to combine culture and the coast. Saadiyat’s cultural district is home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi art museum and Manarat Al Saadiyat cultural centre. Saadiyat Island also boasts some of the UAE’s finest seafood restaurants. Head down to Kai Beach or Saadiyat Beach. If you’re lucky, you might just spot dolphins or turtles.
Good for: Museums, restaurants, wildlife
Yas Island
Mostly known as the home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Island is also where you’ll find theme parks and waterparks to keep kids young and old entertained. But away from the rides, Yas Island is a tranquil sanctuary, thanks to its pristine beaches and wellness retreats, including Yas Island Rotana. If retail therapy is more your thing, Yas Mall is Abu Dhabi’s biggest shopping centre.
Good for: Family activities, wellness retreats, beaches
Things to do in Abu Dhabi
Beaches
If there’s one thing Abu Dhabi is not short of, it’s beaches. The beaches in Abu Dhabi offer crystal-clear seas, powdersoft white sand and year-round sunshine. Corniche, Saadiyat and Yas Beaches are all popular with families. And Al Bateen beach is ideal for games of beach volleyball and various water sports like kayaking and paddleboarding.
Take in the culture
With a history spanning centuries and a rapidly growing arts scene, it’s no surprise that the museums in Abu Dhabi are as varied as they are world class. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is set to be joined by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2025. Or get a taste of Emirati history with the Abu Dhabi Heritage Village. And you can see an impressive collection of artwork from across the Islamic world at the Miraj Islamic Centre.
Nightlife
Though it’s a little more subdued than neighbouring Dubai, nightlife in Abu Dhabi comes alive with an eclectic mix of bars, pubs and nightclubs. You’ll find swanky beach clubs on Saadiyat Island and larger nightclubs that pump music into the early hours on Yas Island. Coffee lovers will be pleased to hear that Abu Dhabi’s cafe culture extends into the night, as well.
Places to eat
With friendly sharing plates of grilled fish served on a bed of rice, the heart of Emirati cuisine is fresh off the boat. Plenty of restaurants offer an authentic Middle Eastern taste, but with such a global outlook, it’s only right for all cultures to mingle at restaurants in Abu Dhabi. Besides Emirati cuisine, expect Mexican, Italian, Korean and everything in between.
Shopping
Something would be amiss if you came to the United Arab Emirates and didn’t indulge in some retail therapy. Shopping in Abu Dhabi is as varied as you’d expect. Find glamorous malls, centuries-old ‘souks’ (marketplaces) and buzzing night markets to explore. If nothing else, shopping offers an excuse to escape the heat for an air-conditioned mall. Win-win.
Family friendly things to do
There’s no end of things to do with the family in Abu Dhabi. While most of the city and the wider desert area caters well for family activities, Yas Island is where the fun really begins. Here, you’ll find theme parks like Ferrari World, water parks like Yas Waterworld and indoor play centres like Fun Works, inside Yas Mall.
Get ready for Abu Dhabi
Budget
The city’s reputation for luxury can make a budget trip to Abu Dhabi seem challenging. But travelling during shoulder months and focusing on free attractions like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque can save you money. An inexpensive meal costs about 40 Emirati dirhams (AED), as does a domestic beer. But a cappuccino is around half that much, while a short taxi ride starts at under AED10.
Day trips from Abu Dhabi
You can reach the futuristic city of Dubai in under two hours by bus. Among the glitzy attractions that await is the Dubai Mall, which houses 1,200 shops, an aquarium and an aquatic zoo. For something more low-key, head to Al Ain, a 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi, to stroll an oasis filled with date palms fed by an ancient irrigation system.
Getting around Abu Dhabi
Tourists mostly use the free Visit Abu Dhabi Shuttle Bus to get around the city’s eight main areas, including the city centre, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island. An inexpensive bus service runs around the clock to other areas, while taxis are readily available across the city. Car hire is unnecessary unless you’re travelling to Dubai or elsewhere.
