7 Tourist Spots in Abu Dhabi to Experience the Capital City's Wealth
Abu Dhabi is not only the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but it is also the wealthiest of the seven Emirates (Dubai being a close second).
From outrageous and opulent buildings and mosques to world-renowned resorts and play spaces, it is easy to trip and stumble upon something quite grand in Abu Dhabi.
Some years ago, I took a cruise from Dubai that ventured around the UAE to places like Muscat in Oman, Khasab and their glorious Oman Fjords, Dubai and its old town souks, and of course, Abu Dhabi.
In my short stay there we had little time to experience it all, but the wealth of this city was clear the moment we arrived. Experience a little of the richness for yourself at these tourist spots in Abu Dhabi: Sip on 24 karat gold coffee, speed around the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race track, or gain knowledge in the pearl trade history that helped fund such a prosperous city.
The best part about living like the rich and famous for a day? You don't have to spend an arm and a leg. Tours are very affordable, and you can enter some of these places for free. Let's get to it!
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Adorn Your Day in Gold and White at the Stunning Sheikh Zayed Mosque
This is the must see site in Abu Dhabi, hands down. I don't even think it needs an introduction.
Free to enter, there is no need for a guided tour - you can roam around and follow the path around the building.
Get your camera ready, because you will undoubtedly be moved to take about a million selfies in your gold-clad Middle Eastern wear. I just wish my husband was a better photographer!
When you arrive, you will go through security and if you are not dressed properly, you will be provided with a robe or head covering. Shoes are placed in a public shoe bin.
To avoid the loaner accessories, go ahead and bring a scarf or shawl to cover your head and shoulders. Wear a long dress or pants and be conservative.
Remember to be respectful, as this is a place of worship, not just a tourist attraction.
That said, they are aware of the massive tourism, so yes there were bathrooms and refreshments on site.
Take your time exploring. I mean, just look at how incredible this place is. It doesn't look real!
Truly awesome.
To get there, consider getting an all day ticket on the double-decker Big Bus Tours bus. It's a classic experience around the world, and frankly, as you'll learn below in my markets section, you are going to need transportation.
To get to Sheikh Zayed Mosque my husband and I first got dropped off at the Ritz-Carlton across the highway and we had a nice lunch there. But then, we decided to walk across the highway (there's a pedestrian overpass) and then march down in the heat (in my all-black clothes) to get to the entrance.
Ya'll, this is NOT the way to do this. Just get a bus ticket.
Gaze Upon Rare Art at the Louvre Abu Dhabi
What a beautiful property - way better I think than the massive and overcrowded sister property in Paris.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi's architecture was stunning inside and out.
Paintings weren't slouch either - we saw works by Leonardo da Vinci, Van Gogh, Picasso and Jackson Pollock. I'm sure you can spot them below:
Even if you are a little bit curious about art history, then this museum needs to be on your list of things to do.
Get a skip the line ticket so you can breeze right through to the exhibits! For a little bit extra, you can also add on the Etihad Towers observation deck with this ticket.
Head to the Desert for an Epic Desert Safari
I've written about this from Dubai, but guess what? The desert is also super close to Abu Dhabi. So no matter where you begin, you get to have the same experience.
Essentially a desert Safari will include camel rides, dune bugging, sand boarding, a luxe desert dinner and dance show, henna tattooing, animal encounters and so much more.
Honestly I don't know how they get away with the low prices for this amazing excursion. It's a must do whether you are in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
And, don't worry if you aren't into adventuring so hard due to back pain, neck pain or whatever else ails you. You choose your adventure - you only have to opt into the things you want, but they will make stops and accommodations for all items on the list above.
Read about my experience here, then go and book one for yourself from one of the many tour operators departing Abu Dhabi.
Indulge your Need for Speed at Yas Marina Circuit
When I first met my husband, I didn't realize he was into racing. He had suggested visiting this Yas Marina Circuit because it is famous for Formula 1 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Since then, he has dragged me all over Monza in Italy and to several Ferrari Museums to celebrate his love for the speedy sport.
If I had indeed known of his fervent love, we would have visited for sure. But, alas we did not. Perhaps you can! There's guided tours all the time. Have fun for us, yea?
Drink 24-Karat Gold Coffee at Emirates Palace
Honestly I didn't do this, and I didn't know about it. As gimmicky as this is, I'm on board with it. I purchased 24K gold face creams in Dubai, because - why not? So I feel like the same line of thinking applies here - why not?
Visit a luxurious palace, drink on some real gold flakes in your coffee, and take a ton of photos in the process.
There are several tours offering this, take your pick based on what else you would like to see for the day, or start with this one as a launching point for your research.
Learn about the Pearl Industry at Qasr al Hosn
We all know that Abu Dhabi is rich in oil, but the pearl trade was an incredibly prosperous endeavor for the city, founding economic growth between the late 1800's and on through the early 1900's, until the discovery of oil changed everything.
This fort is iconic in Abu Dhabi as being one of the oldest structures dating back to the 1790's. It's a museum explaining the pearl trade (among much more of the cities' fascinating history) and the location also plays host to an annual festival that happens late January to early February.
Because of this festival we did not enter on our visit.
Qasr Al Hosn is a great reminder of the pearl diving industry, and is an excellent example of wealthy roots in Abu Dhabi today.
Just a Ferry Ride Away: Visit Luxurious Sir Bani Yas Island
Although until I started re-researching this I thought it was MSC's private island, it is in fact a full service island that once belonged to a Sultan. There are luxury hotels, beachfront villas, and even an wildlife safari on this island.
You can arrive by water taxi (if you are staying at one of the Anantara hotels on the island), by Sir Bani Yas Island Ferry (2 hours from Abu Dhabi), by cruise ship (what I did), or there is even an airport on the island! Learn more about the island here.
Sir Bani Yas Island Stay Considerations:
Around $300 a night: Anantara Desert Islands Resort & Spa
On the beach Arabian luxury, around $650 a night
Cruising to Sir Bani Yas Island
Ships send tender boats to shore, where MSC passengers can have a beach day with full buffet BBQ lunch. Options for shore excursions include mangrove kayaking, beach activities, and the Sir Bani Yas Island Safari.
The water was tremendously clear and turquoise, but the beach was very exposed to the elements. Expect little shade!
Called the Arabian Wildlife Park, this is one of the most memorable safaris I have ever been on.
All manner of gazelles and deer-like creatures wandered around, but the most impressive of the animals to me were the big cats - we even saw this one having just finished a meal. Yikes.
If you have the ability to take this tour through the cruise line, or on your own booking, this is an absolute must and if you ask me, is the reason Sir Bani Yas Island is worth visiting.
Other Tourist Spots in Abu Dhabi (Souks and Markets)
There's the fruit, vegetable and date souk and the carpet souk. You can also visit the Central Market and the Mina Fish Market, where you I understand you can pick out your fish and they'll cook it up for you. When we visited it was quiet and empty and seemed to cater more to locals.
Don't be disappointed though if you've been to some of the Dubai Souks or the souks in Marrakesh, you may have something specific in mind for your markets adventure. As my memory serves, the Abu Dhabi souks and markets were quieter shopping areas, without a lot of hawking and craziness.
We enjoyed the date souk most, primarily because of the beautiful dates we got to snack on for the rest of the day as our souvenir.
We browsed the carpet souk, but again it was kind of a strange and quiet experience - I think perhaps because all of these places were spread out, not piled into a one-alley market maze.
All are wonderful options for shopping and browsing, however based on my experience you will need to arrange for transportation to get to most of these places.
I thought we could walk it - but jaywalking laws and dodgy busy highways made our adventure feel more like a game of Frogger.
I honestly thought we were going to get arrested for jaywalking. You really don't know.
So after walking the beautiful corniche for awhile, we ultimately gave up. When we tried to get taxis, they were hard to find. Scratch that, they were nearly impossible to find, perhaps because it was a Sunday, but Friday is also their holy day (so keep that in mind for closures during your visit!).
My recommendation for seeing the souks and markets in Abu Dhabi would be to arrange for a private chauffer service in advance and save the hassle of transportation. You'd be surprised, it's not too expensive!
With transportation I think I would have enjoyed these market experiences better. Hoofing it around to each market felt exhausting, limiting, and a little disappointing once we got there.
All that said though, I do think the markets are worth visiting, but expect to spend about 30 minutes maximum at each place.
All in all, a day in or around Abu Dhabi is well spent in the lap of luxury without really having to search too far for it. Enjoy your travels!
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