U.A.E – Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, UAE

One word for this city – Mosque ! Abu Dhabi has one of the biggest and most fabulous picturesque, modern and colourful Mosques I have ever seen  – it is world famous. So if you do nothing else get yourself down there at the special tourist visiting days/times. I couldn’t stop taking photos of it at every angle (actually got 124 of them)…captivating. The city also has the usual groupings of massive skyscrapers all so recent and actually very stylish. The tallest has a top floor observation deck for views over the whole city and the Gulf. There is a magnificent Corniche sea-front promenade with beach – warnings about sea snakes though, (got sun burnt after walking the entire length) and one of the best 5 star hotels in the world. It is also  rumoured to be building what will be the biggest airport in the world, when it is finished ….. everything is on a huge scale here !

I Visited Abu Dhabi U.A.E as part of my 4 country, 5 city tour of the Southern Gulf area, specifically to Muscat in Oman (click here), Dubai in U.A.E (click here), Manama in Bahrain (click here) and Doha in Qatar (click here).

I had little knowledge of this city or even the country before my visit. Yes, I had heard of the excess of mega structures (along with its neighbour Dubai), the wealth ostentatiously shown in flash super cars, gold iPhones and million-pound watches etc, so how would humble me engage with this show of opulence.

I had trepidations that I would find everything so expensive and beyond reach, that the locals would look down on my non-millionaire status and that I would actually quickly get bored here. How wrong I was!

I stayed in a wonderful 5-star hotel that cost me the same as a 3-star one back home (hotels are not actually that expensive). Yes, the top range 5-star hotels eg Emirates Palace cost hundreds per night but many including mine were under £60 per night. I found hotels that had bars serving alcohol – how naïve I was to think that alcohol was banned. My hotel even had a happy hour each night that made my favourite tipple of vodka and tonic, for a price less than I would pay for it in the UK, and in opulent surroundings too!

I saw skyscrapers that were actually really stylish and inventive rather than the concrete and glass plain economical ones I was used to and there was even a huge beach. Taxis were not expensive (and plentiful) and the streets actually full of guest workers (well dressed and polite) as I found out that the population of U.A.E is two thirds foreign workers.

In all, I enjoyed AD as it is called for short. Not masses to see – but attractions are being added yearly and it has a different feel to its glitzy, over-blown Dubai neighbour. For me, Abu Dhabi, compared to Dubai, was more of a family city, of understated wealth, less ostentatious but clearly more subtly wealthy. It has more unique attractions e.g. the Ferrari centre at Yas Island, Waterworld and the Modern Mosque. See my post on Dubai, only 140km away here.

Getting from Dubai bus station to Abu Dhabi bus station

I had flown in from Doha, Qatar, (click here for review), a short flight away, to Dubai airport and after a quick Metro ride from the airport to Metro station Al Ghubaiba I arrived at Al Ghubaiba bus station just outside the stop. Its a bit chaotic when busy but head towards the outside ticket office and queue to get your ticket to AD.

However, we were kept waiting in the heat at the bus stop as there were delays and a huge queue for the intercity coaches to Abu Dhabi was building up. No info was offered and some passengers were getting quite angry at the well over an hour delay, as no buses were arriving to take us and no-one was explaining why. One bus official, clearly a guest worker, even jokingly said “ I don’t know, I only work here, it’s not my country” when a fellow passenger asked why there was a huge delay. Not helpful but I actually found this reaction was not normal and the people (local or not) are genuinely helpful and friendly.

Eventually we got on a modern air-con coach when two suddenly arrived at once and we all boarded – just like London I laughingly thought to myself, so the world is not such a different place abroad! The drive through Dubai on my way to AD was great.

I was mesmerised looking up at the skyscrapers, taking pics and amazed at the heights and designs. My fellow passengers were amused at my intrigue and excitement and I had to explain that while I had seen tall buildings in London, China, New York etc I had never seen so many, so high, so spread out and in such intricate shapes and designs as these. I was passing through Dubai on my way first to Abu Dhabi and would then return for 3 days here after AD so it was just a taster of what I was to adventure into in greater depth later in the week. See my review of Dubai here.

I eventually arrived into AD bus station and easily caught one of the waiting taxis next door straight to the hotel.

Transport in Abu Dhabi

Transport in Abu Dhabi is interesting. If you want to see everything the city has then you will probably have to get many taxis form place to place. They are easy to flag down, metered (some may try to negotiate with you instead) and generally modern and air conditioned. Try to travel to and from a well-known location/hotel/attraction, as taxi drivers often do not know names of specific streets and then guide him from there or walk to the place you want nearby. I did this often and it worked well.

As yet there is no Metro/tram or subway system and car is king here. Buses are available but only the guest workers seem to use them and the network is large-ish. I never used them as the few places I wanted to see were an easy enough quick taxi drive away and I had limited time to wait around for buses which the timetables say come along roughly every 30 mins some less.

Waiting outside in the heat can also be a put off. Buses are blue coloured, modern and air conditioned so a great way to get around if you have the time and know where to get on and off. For bus info and routes click here.

Where to stay in Abu Dhabi

Where to stay in Abu Dhabi is an interesting question as I mentioned earlier. If you are only visiting one part of the city for a specific reason e.g. to see Yas island and the Ferrari world or Waterworld then book near there.

The coastal hotels are miles away and you will be involved in a long, long drive to get there. If you are wanting to be near the Corniche sea promenade (me) then book there and taxi/walk around the area e.g. to the Marina Mall, Etihad Towers for the observation deck/Emirate Palace or if you are only to see the Mosque then book near there. If you are to see more, than expect to travel a lot (remember there’s no Metro/train or subway system in AD).

There are so many great hotels in Abu Dhabi, 4- and 5-star ones abound and unless you are in the market for ultra-luxury (and appropriate cost) then getting a good quality and comfortable hotel is so easy. It is more about where your hotel is located for what you want to see and do. Many people have told me that they have dropped to really inexpensive 3-star places and still got really great hotels and service, so plan well, read the hotel reviews in advance and it does not have to cost a lot here, despite my previous fears.

Where I stayed in Abu Dhabi.

I stayed at the 5-star Corniche Hotel. It was absolutely perfect and I would return again without a doubt. The price was the cheapest of all the 5-star hotels in AD and actually cheaper than most 4 star and was just where I wanted it to be – aptly on the Corniche. I was sceptical at the price and was ready to accept a less than average hotel and service but quite the opposite. I have checked several times since and it is still a great value option and the reviews are still generally as good as mine was.

I entered into the marble and chandelier bedecked grand atrium and was guided by a dutiful concierge to the check in area. Modern hotel outside but styled on polished marble, gold and mirrors internally so gives a sense of grand opulence.

Loved the hotel and staff, the first hotel in the five that I stayed in around the Gulf that seats you at a desk in a comfy chair with the receptionist and checks you in peacefully rather than make you stand at the counter and wait while they do the processing. It made me feel valued and welcomed.

Room was very big with a large seating area and 2 couches with a coffee table – and this was a basic room! View was fabulous across the water and the park facing the sea. I felt the opulence of the room as soon as I entered, comfy bed, extremely quiet, great air con, wifi great everywhere in the building.

There were three restaurants but I tried the main large restaurant only and it was very good (I had the buffet service) and the staff were excellent. The Cristal bar was amazing, wood panelling and comfy leather chairs made it look and feel like a grand gentleman’s club in London. They have a happy hour on Saturday (and today was Saturday … yyaaayyy …), the barman was so friendly and chatty and drinks at a price that were cheaper than UK – unusual in UAE!

Taxis wait outside to take you anywhere and with no Metro/trains they are needed as I mentioned earlier.

Nearby streets have some restaurant options and some good stores for clothes shopping but here you are in a local area not an expensive Mall so I enjoyed wandering and soaking up the real life of inhabitants of AD in a very safe atmosphere. I thoroughly recommend this hotel.

What to in Abu Dhabi.

There is a fair amount to see but not a lot culturally or historically as AD is a modern city. First on my list was the Corniche. This is a modern, pedestrianised promenade that extends from one end of the sea frontage, near the port right up to the end at the Etihad Towers/Emirates Palace/Presidential Palace area.

Corniche promenade in Abu Dhabi.

My intention was to walk the whole length, even though it was in the high 30s and the sun was belting down. So, with sun protection and sunglasses on with shorts and t-shirt, I set out.

The walkway is really wide and filled with gardens, play areas, fountains, shaded seating under classic Arabic inspired shelters, ice cream stalls and a few cafes. Its backdrop is the huge lines of skyscrapers – my hotel was one of them – and the front was facing Lulu island and the Gulf.

It has an enormous beach, something totally unexpected but few people were out in the scorching heat. I was tempted to go on the beach and walk along in the surf edge as I had recently done in Muscat Oman – see review here, but the I saw the public notice warning that sea snakes and jelly fish could be present and that was deterrent enough ….. I’ll just enjoy the view from the promenade, thank you!

I walked on the walkway beside the sea front but across the way is a huge linear park full of gardens, lakes, grassed areas, shelters, cafes and trees that must be just as delightful to walk in but without the nearby sea breeze or water views.

I loved the walk and the views. Particularly as there were few people about and in areas I was the only person walking. I love my walking so just accepted the fact that folk don’t go walking in the heat here (mad dogs and Englishmen etc!) and as car is king, I guess everyone drives.

I walked for ages, rested at the beautiful grassed areas on benches, continued, repeated and repeated until I finally started to reach some seriously tall building that looked like mega apartment buildings. Stylish and set in their own ground, jealousy reared its ugly head and the thoughts of living here came to mind

I was feeling a bit sunburnt and wondered how my face was doing in the scorching sun. I re-applied sunscreen from my mini bottle I brought and felt more at ease. I later looked up my route and was amazed that I had walked the entire 6km length of the Corniche. Even I was surprised at that length but it did not feel that long (my aching legs might have a different view though) as I was kept entertained by the changing scenery along the way.

When I mentioned this at the hotel concierge the next day they were amazed and said they only knew of guests who had cycled that route due to its length – told you I enjoy my walking!

Etihad Towers 300 observation deck.

I knew I was headed to the Etihad Towers as there is an observation deck on the 74th floor that I wanted to visit, and that building was approaching. The site has three almost equal height buildings and a further two lower ones. It is set across from a bay with wide views down the city, so I was excited to see just what was going to be revealed to me from such a height.

I arrived at a really high-end Mall with chandeliers and gold frames – think Louis Vuitton, Aston Martin, Manolo Blahnik, Cartier, Bulgari and you have the picture. In my shorts and t-shirt, I stood out too much as a non-shopper and just a bedazzled tourist and so it was only a quick visit but I got a real sense that wealth definitely resided around here.

So, after passing Jumeirah Hotel Lobby Lounge with its massive panoramic windows (how do they clean such massive panes of glass?), I headed towards the lifts.

The lifts were off to one side and I took my pic of me in the mirror watching the lift rise to the 78th floor as I passed the 28th floor, ears popping at the speed we were travelling.

Ping!, goes the lift and the doors open to a glass-walled, huge, circular observation deck, 78 floors up I was 300 metres up from the ground, looking over the expanse of the city drifting off into the horizon. The ticket is around £20 to enter but you get a voucher valued at around £12, which you can use at the observatory café and that got me a much deserved coffee and cake and a long rest in a comfy chair gazing out the wall-to-ceiling windows.

The view was somewhat hazy on the day – hence the haze in my pics, but what a view.

I saw into the gardens of the nearby huge Presidential Palace complex and also the ultra-luxurious Emirates Palace Hotel.

Once down from the observation deck I walked past the massive square structure that forms the gateway to the Emirates Palace Hotel but no further. You need to be resident to even go in this hotel as it is so exclusive. .

You can however get a glimpse into the private beach it sits on and the main building as you walk across the bridge to the island setting of the nearby Marina Mall.

Marina Mall.

I wanted to visit the nearby well-known Marina mall – not that I’m into shopping per se but I’d heard it was also full of restaurants, a cinema, cafes, entertainment etc so a quick perusal was necessary.

Yep, it was all that and the outside areas were well laid out with scenic views across the waterways to the towers of the AD skyline and back towards the Emirates Hotel on the coast. However, apart from the opportunity to rest, I would say it was just like many other Malls I’ve seen and depending on what you want, may not be worth the walk to get to.

However another reason for going here is that I knew it had a taxi rank – I certainly didn’t want another 6 km walk home.

Back at the hotel there was time to relax in the pool in the still 32 degree heat under the shade of the canopy with its views from the loungers across the Capital Park opposite and more skyscrapers. After an evening meal at the hotel main restaurant and a cheap happy hour drink in the bar, I was ready for bed in my fabulous room.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Next day there was one thing on the agenda. It’s a big site and I was warned it takes time to get there and back. I also knew that the guided free tour is long but so informative and there is plenty of free time afterwards to re-enter and wander at will. I was off to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a few kilometres away from the hotel.

Reception called me a taxi and off we sped down the main road and onto a major highway with luckily no hold ups.

To say this Mosque is pretty does not do it justice, it is architecturally amazing.

It’s constructed with blazing-white, shining marble with columned highlights of gold and a theme of the indigenous plant life of the kingdom on its marbled walls and floors.

Catch a guided tour at the Mosque.

There are free guided tours that you tag along to at appointed times so check out on their very informative website here before to ensure you arrive on time. Visiting hours are quite wide but check on the website for Friday and Ramadan timings as they change from the norm. The free group tours are at certain times only and are first come first served and last 45 minutes. But you can try pot luck, as I did, and luckily got a place.

There are between 2 and 5 tours per day depending on the day so do check you arrive in time. I did the trick of being there for the first tour of the day, knowing that there was a second one that particular day an hour later. If I had to wait then that would have been fine but I managed to get in first but did see several people arriving well after me getting booked onto the next one as mine had filled up.

I found the guides really interesting, for the more detailed info that you may not pick up on a solo visit. Guides are very polite and helpful but was aware that I was moving according to their schedule and with 20-30 people around me the photo shots could be hard to get.

I would often have to wait for the mass to move away to get a good shot and then hurriedly catch up with them afterwards. However, the tour was a great introduction and then I went solo afterwards to get more shots of what I really wanted and knowing what was important, fact-wise, to take in.

Some of the flower patterns are so big and intricate that you have to stand back to get the full picture and they are so expertly fitted together it looks like they were painted onto the walls and floors.

Having seen the Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat 2 weeks earlier and gushed about its beauty I was finding myself thinking the same about this one. It’s in a very different style and format, with the addition of water features but just as captivating.

Ok, now for some facts about this Mosque. It has 82 domed white roofs, was finished in only 2007 and covers 30 acres. The Prayer Hall holds 7,00 worshippers but with the external overflow patio area can accommodate 40,000 worshippers.

The carpet made in Iran, weighs 35 tonnes and is named as the largest in the world. It has seven Swarovski crystal chandeliers, one of which is the third biggest in the world.

When you exit the Moaque you may wonder how you are going to get back as it is not in a built up area and stands majestically on its own in its own gardens.

I found that they were plentiful taxis in the car park area waiting to take tourists and worshippers away. Alternatively, make arrangements for your hotel taxi to pick you up after a couple of hours here. That’s exactly what I did.

So, that brings me to the end of my stay in AD and tomorrow I was heading back to Dubai to explore that city.

My advice if visiting AD, is to try to link it in with its neighbour Dubai. The reason I say this is that you will see the difference between two major U.A.E cities – one more glitzy and bold and the other more sedate and understated. Both have skyscrapers, with little, historically and the car is king. Both leave an impression and are not to be missed however.

April 2017.