Abu Dhabi travel guide

Where Modernization and Tradition Meet

This capital and second-largest city of the United Arab Emirates has changed more in the past eighty years than in the preceding two millennia, and its petroleum-funded spirit of modernization and diversification remains strong. The city is currently building no less than six world class economic, cultural and sporting developments, including Masdar City, touted as the world’s first zero-emission urban zone. Travelers from all around the world visit Abu Dhabi to enjoy its abundant coastline, affordable luxury hotels and high-end shopping outlets, but there is more to find here than rest and creature comforts. The waterfront area’s main attractions are the Corniche, a newly-renovated pedestrian thoroughfare that gives stunning views of Abu Dhabi’s skyline, and its extension, the Breakwater district, which is home to Heritage Village. Here, visitors can catch a glimpse of traditional Arabian village life—complete with old-fashioned wells and recreated desert watchtowers—from a time when the Emirates’ main industries were fishing, nomadic herding and small-scale agriculture. For more adventurous travelers, Abu Dhabi offers excursions into the desert, which range from leisurely sunset picnics and overnight stays to high-adrenaline 4 x 4 tours through dried river beds and massive sand dunes.