Travel to Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi, Dubai

The capital of the Emirates lives for the moment on its oil and finance sector. The hotels are few (around 25) and the seaside tourism has not yet been developed. Yet Abu Dhabi suffers no shortage of assets with a beautiful seafront, with fine sand and turquoise water and natural islands, a little like Venice. Some are connected to the city by a dam or a dyke, such as the one that hosts the Marina Mall and the Heritage Village. The latter includes a museum of traditional life, a restaurant and a swimming area along the Creek.

Others are accessible only by boat or by helicopter, such as the Lulu Island (whose ochre sand dunes might soon be bustling with hotels and private villas) or the more distant already welcoming mass construction of Fairmont real estate villas. Abu Dhabi does not need to build artificial islands because it has 200 natural islands along the sandy coastline stretching across 249 miles.

By 2015, the coastal landscape (walk along the Creek, the arm of the sea between Abu Dhabi and its islands) will have completely changed. The building of many hotels and business buildings is planned; the aim is to triple the number of annual visitors, making it rise to three million. By way of comparison, Dubai already has more than 6 million tourists per year.

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pros

•  Life is quieter than in Dubai (less traffic).
•  Good prices for shopping.

cons

•  Few restaurants and little nightlife outside the hotels.
•  The oasis of Liwa (the most interesting site in the Emirate) is 124 miles away.

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map United Arab Emirates

Weather Abu Dhabi - choosing the best time to go

Visit Abu Dhabi

• To see

  It is from the Liwa oasis, located 137 miles south-east of Abu Dhabi, that the explorer Wilfried Thesiger left to cross the Arabian Desert (the famous "Empty Quarter", which is the most arid desert in the world). Since the late 1950s, Liwa has hardly changed and is better for it! Its blossoming palm grove is fed by an underground river. Here you can go for a stroll, have a picnic in the shade, go hiking on foot, camel back riding or visit the old renovated fort.

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  To do

  There are three major golf courses in Abu Dhabi. The Al Ghazal Golf Club islocated 400 meters from the airport and can be reached straight after landing at the airport, even if you are on a transit flight. The Abu Dhabi Golf Club by Sheraton has an 18 hole and a 9 hole course in the district of Al Nakhl Sas, 20 minutes from downtown. The Abu Dhabi Golf and the Equestrian Club has a 9 hole course in the district of Mushrif, near the centre. You can also hike and practice equestrian sports at the numerous facilities as well as using the tennis courts and swimming pools. Attention, the greens of Abu Dhabi are not all green; the 18 holes of Al Ghazal are on a sand course.

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  To think about

  The Abu Dhabi Shopping Festival began in 1998, two years after the first of the Dubai Shopping Festival. As for the timing, it takes place throughout the month of March, once Dubai has finished its own trading frenzy, which begins just before Christmas and ends in the first days of February. What are the differences between the two festivals? In Abu Dhabi, you go especially to make purchases 5whereas Dubai's is more about the spectacle) and there are sale prices on luxury goods (jewellery, watches, leather goods), which are more affordable.

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• To avoid

  The best option is to slide down a slope of 20 meters, because the sand that descends with the skier quickly makes you put your foot on the brake. However, the famous "dune bashing" in 4x4s up the fringes of the Rub Al Khali (the Arabian desert) is thrilling. Remember to tighten up your belt even though the vehicle is usually padded. Learn more at your hotel to book the trip. Departure in the late afternoon and see the sunset from the top of a dune. City dwellers will understand what silence is out here.

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  To try

  The specialties of the Emirates are not easy to find in restaurants because local people cook at home, and when they go out to eat they prefer to eat differently. The favorite food from the western cuisine is Italian food, then the Japanese sushi and sashimi which are extremely popular, followed by Chinese and Thai recipes. To eat traditional Middle Eastern food, choose a Lebanese or an Iranian restaurant.

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  To bring back

  There are few local crafts. To get a glimpse, go to the Women's Craft Center. Otherwise, there is no longer a traditional souk in the city. Some street markets do exist, but they only offer imported goods (mostly from Iran). The shopping malls have jewellery shops and electronics stores (which pffer good prices, especially during the Shopping Festival in March). The rest of the prices are the same as in other international capitals.

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Country guide

United Arab Emirates, All you need to know!

• Practical information 
• History 
• Culture and traditions 
• Useful Addresses 
• Events 
• Climate 
• Food 
• Souvenirs 

Hotels reviews by the Easyexperts

Dubai, still the best adult playground

Dubai's over-the-top hotels are well-known for their ultimate decadence and despite the uprising of several cities which have tried to develop such an infrastructure, no other place has succeeded in making anything that comes close to the emirate's extravagance. We loved it so much the first time that ...

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Abu Dhabi in pictures

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The Address Dubai Marina

 

Score 8/10

Sarah Radcliffe 25/07/2011 : "Beautiful hotel - looks very grand and everyone's so friendly! The rooms are gorgeous, but the bar can be full of chavs in evenings."

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Al Hamra Village Golf Resort

 

Score 7/10

susan humphries 11/03/2011 : "Comfortable clean room with a view of the golf course.Main hotel by the sea but the resort is miles from anywhere, an hour from Dubai. "

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Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah

 

Score 8/10

Latika Patel 21/10/2010 : "Stunning hotel, loved the artificial lake! Over 40 restaurants, we were spoiled...great beach with view of Burj al Arab! Loved gardens!"

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Hotel reviews Dubai

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