Things to do/see in Abu Dhabi
 

Am considering flying to Europe on Etihad Airways, which means a stopover in Abu Dhabi. However, searches on Google, Tripadvisor etc reveal very little of interest to do or see there. Has anyone any suggestions? We enjoy history, cafe life, markets, good scenery...

Also any interesting day or half-day trips from Abu Dhabi?

dubai is not far.

the united emirates has a good website and forum.
www.uaeinteract.com

Thanks lincasanova. Unfortunately the website didn't have what we're looking for. Had considered flying Emirates via Dubai, but discarded that as being too conspicuously opulent compared with "the real, ordinary people's" Middle East which I had (mistakenly perhaps) hoped to find at Abu Dhabi.

We loved the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, if that helps give some idea of what we enjoy.

I don't think there's a there there in Abu Dhabi.

I sense that, like Sharm al-Sheik in Egypt, there virtually was nothing there until modern economic forces changed them.

"If you're interested in a high-end spa try this: Those who prefer to forgo healing and embrace pure pampering might be interested in the new Anantara Spa at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (www.emiratespalace.com). The centerpiece of the spa is a Moroccan-style hammam with tiled walls, heated marble beds, whirlpools and steam rooms. Next to the hammam is an “ice cave,” which contains a large ice block in the center, loose rock ice strewn throughout the cave and a large ice slab along one wall to cool off."

I'm with sunshine007 - I haven't been to Abu Dhabi so I'm not speaking from personal experience - but I have friends who have lived there and got the impression that it was just a smaller Dubai - nice beaches and hotels, good malls and shopping - that sort of thing. I'm sure you can arrange desert safaris and things like that and there is probably a way to do a bedouin dinner or something similar, but I don't think there is anything like the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul.

Hi twoflower -

I lived in the Middle East for several years and have been to Dubai many times, but not to Abu Dhabi. I too, had the impression Abu Dhabi was more traditional. We had friends who'd go there to prowl the souks and I assumed it was entirely different than Dubai.

Your question piqued my interest, so I did some research and it seems that Abu Dhabi is very much like Dubai, where the official sport is shopping!

There's a Cultural Center that might interest you, and there's always camel racing, desert safaris and falconry, but otherwise, well...

You might have run across these sites already, but they provide some good info on Abu Dhabi:

http://www.visitabudhabi.ae/en/

http://wikitravel.org/en/Abu_Dhabi

Good luck.

Much like Dubai, Abu Dhabi was built out of the sand and appears to be where many of the Embassies of various countries are headquartered.

I had the opportunity during last year's safari, to meet two women from the US Embassy working in AD. They indicated not much happening here (still quite provincial) and when they did take a break were off to Dubai or destinations far and wide outside the Emirates.

I have been to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi (as well as the other five Emirates), and the city center of Abu Dhabi is very difficult to navigate (not pedestrian friendly) and other than a small fort, I don't recall anything historic or particularly interesting in Abu Dhabi (the city). But you can travel thru the desert into Al Ain, which has a nice fort and camel market, and is really in the desert, or venture to Sharjah (a bit more traditional, with a nice souk and museums). But, its not Istanbul.

The most interesting part of the UAE, at least to me, was the Deira and Bur Dubai sections of Dubai (away from the Miami Beach-like Jumeirah area). Deira has several souks, and the creek area at least has the feeling of being in the Middle East. Its also pedestrian friendly.

Michael

Agree with Michael about Deira, Dubai. Very mid-east feeling...fascinating. Never did make it out to the beach, too much to see in Deira.

Glad to hear that there is a there there in Abu Dhabi. The only reason people from Cairo go there is to buy western clothes.

Thanks for helpful responses (but not sure what a "there there" is).

On balance it sounds like Dubai might be a better option than Abu Dhabi. Also Emirates flies daily to Dubai, whereas Etihad flies only 3 days a week to Abu Dhabi with consequently less flexibility for connections on to/from our Europe destinations. This plus feedback from this forum is now pointing us in the direction of Emirates.

"There's no there there" -- what Gertrude Stein said about Oakland

Michael - did you ever get in touch with the hotel in Baku????

Grcxx3

I ended up calling the Old City Inn (they did not respond to emails). Since my visit is not until next August, they told me to book around May (they would not take my reservation this far in advance).

I'm also monitoring azal.az to see when they add their August schedule -- right now they just have flight through the end of March.

But, at least I have my interational tickets from JFK to Baku and back from Yerevan (only 50,000 Delta SkyMiles).

Thanks for asking.

Michael

Michael - Unless something weird happens - I should still be here. Usually get back from the US around the 10 or 11th of August.

I would recommend checking out the Palace Hotel http://www.emiratespalace.com, it is one of the nicest, and most expensive hotels on the planet, also flying Etihad it is important to remember buying from the internet you will be playing full fare. You should call a Etihad consolidator, you will save at least 20% on airfare. I can recommend my travel agent, his name is Adam. (800)613-0200 and the website is

http://www.jett-travel.com

. Good Luck and Keep Traveling!

I've only now seen this thread. I lived in Abu Dhabi until a few months ago, been to Dubai and other parts of the Emirates.

In Abu Dhabi you won't find much of the real people Middle East feeling which you're looking for. There used to be a bazaar there, with all the atmosphere for such a place, but they demolished it to build a modern (and luxurious, of course) shopping mall.

A good day trip from Abu Dhabi is Al Ain, an oasis city. After driving 150 km through the desert (excellent road), seeing red sand dunes, you will find yourself in a green city, full of vegetation.

They have a good and traditional livestock market, and on a Friday morning they have the camel market as well. It is there that you will find the typical Middle Eastern people, people who would wave at you to take a photo of themselves, and they'd be the happiest if you joined them in that picture.

In Dubai there are a couple of places where you would be able to encounter something reminiscent of the traditional Middle Eastern life.

There is the Sheikh Saeed House in Heritage Village, in Burj Dubai (Dubai is split into two parts by the Dubai Creek: Burj and Deira).
This house belonged to an ancestor of the present ruling family (great grandfather) and is now like a museum.

During national holidays, local people come there and something like a traditional market is set up; local women bake bread and sweets, there are traditional dances, people from other Middle Eastern countries come there and show their artifacts or dances.

A couple of hundred meters from Burj Al Arab, the famous sail shape hotel, is Madinat Jumeirah. This is a luxurious mall, but it is made exactly like a city of the 1000 Arabian Nights.

My wife and I used to go there for a walk and amaze at its sight. It has everything, the wind towers, the lamps, the abras (traditional arabian boats), and well, the pricey shops. We'd always stop there for a coffee, however, in one of the courts, to admire the architecture and feel the feeling.

Any more questions, just ask.

I just remembered... another interesting day trip from Abu Dhabi is to Hatta. In fact, on a long day (departure early morning return late evening), you could see the less rich part of the UAE, nearer to the traditional life.

An itinerary could be Abu Dhabi - Hatta - Dibba - Masafi - Fujairah - Khorfakkan - Dibba - Masafi - Dubai (evening for a stop over before the final 155 km, one and a half hour dash to Abu Dhabi).

Another long day trip could be to Sharjah (20 km farther from Dubai, on the same highway from Abu Dhabi), a city where you can see history (there is a historic centre with an old fort), the old fishing port with old fishing boats actually used nowadays as well.