During my cruise in the Persian Gulf, I had the chance to visit several cities. Dubai, of course, with its endless skyscrapers including Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world on which I had the chance to climb, but I was also able to visit Abu Dhabi. This city, less touristy, less publicized and much calmer than Dubai surprised me a lot. Abu Dhabi is a city that lends itself well enough to a stay of a few days or even a visit from Dubai for the day.

Visit Abu Dhabi: Some information to know

Abu Dhabi is a city, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, but it is also the name of one of the seven emirates that make up this country. The richest of all. Indeed Abu Dhabi entered a new area after the 1960s with the discovery and exploitation of the riches of its subsoil. Indeed, it is with oil (of which Abu Dhabi has 9% of world reserves) and natural gas (of which Abu Dhabi has 5% of world reserves) that Abu Dhabi was able to become the city it is now.
Abu Dhabi is a rich city and it shows. You can’t miss the famous 7-star hotel welcoming the most important and wealthy with rooms costing tens of thousands of euros a night, the Emirates Palace Hotel. This hotel has a private beach built with sand imported from Algeria. It testifies to the wealth that circulates in the city.
Besides this hotel, you will find many buildings there, like the famous Etihad Towers, huge shopping centers, the most modern museums and crazy projects.
Let’s go for a little visit to Abu Dhabi and its essentials.

What to do in Abu Dhabi: the essentials of a visit to Abu Dhabi

Visit Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, the 8th largest in the world. Its construction lasted nearly 12 years and cost 400 million euros. It can accommodate 40,000 people. She is of rare beauty, one of the most beautiful in the world. Its interior decoration is very rich, with the largest chandelier in the world, 10 m in diameter and more than 12 tons. The mosque also has the largest carpet in the world, over 5,600 square meters.
The mosque is open to non-Muslims every day of the week except Friday. To visit the Abu Dhabi Mosque you can go there directly or opt for a guided tour of the city which will make you discover the main places of Abu Dhabi including the Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

Abu Dhabi, World Capital of Culture

While Dubai is aiming for the title of world capital of tourism within a few years, Abu Dhabi covets the title of world capital of culture and is giving itself the means to do so. Indeed, projects linked to culture are multiplying and are part of a more global project, Abu Dhabi 2030. Abu Dhabi has quite simply dedicated an island to receive these cultural projects, Saadiyat Island. You will soon find:

The Zayed National Museum

The Zayed National Museum project was originally a project carried out in partnership with the British Museum in London. A project unveiled in 2010 which was originally due to see the light of day in 2013. A few complications prompted the British Museum to withdraw from the project. We do not know, at present, if the project will see the light of day.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi

In the image of the project in partnership with the British Museum, the Louvre Museum has also joined forces on a “Louvre Abu Dhabi” project. A project initially started in 2007 which saw the light of day at the end of 2017. The atypical architecture of the building was entrusted to the famous architect Jean Nouvel.
Since 2009, the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum has been purchasing numerous works in order to enrich its permanent collection. There are objects dating from antiquity but also more recent until the 21st century.
The museum is located on Saadiyat Island about ten kilometers from downtown Abu Dhabi. If you wish to visit Louvre Abu Dhabi, it is possible to purchase your skip-the-line tickets in advance online. Entrance costs a little less than € 20.

Le Performing Arts Center

The Performing Arts Center is the artistic center of Abu Dhabi, a city of the arts. This center, whose construction has not yet started, should include 5 theaters, a concert hall, a music hall or an opera house. It will have a very particular shape. Its creator wanting to give an organic and vegetal side to this building. It is planned on the same island as Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi’s new cultural district.

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

The Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi will be the 6th (and largest) Guggenheim Museum. After Berlin, Bilbao, Las Vegas, New York and Venice, Abu Dhabi will soon inaugurate the largest Guggenheim museum in the world with an area of ​​30,000 square meters. The construction of this museum is scheduled for 2018.

Yas Island, leisure above all

In addition to these places devoted to culture, mainly located on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi recently created an island dedicated to leisure. This island hosts the craziest attractions, it is Yas Island. This island aims to host the craziest attractions in order to be entertained. It already hosts some world famous places.

Abu Dhabi and its Formula 1 circuit

First of all there is the famous circuit of Formula 1, the Yas Marina. Each year, a stage of the Formula 1 world championship takes place on this circuit. Like all the buildings in Abu Dhabi, this circuit has a very particular design because it passes under a hotel, also very design. Every year at least in November, the best Formula 1 drivers compete on this 5.5 km long circuit. The circuit also hosts motorcycle GP races.
It is possible to visit this Formula 1 circuit for around thirty euros.

Ferrari World d’Abu Dhabi

Close to this circuit you cannot miss the famous Ferrari World. Indeed, it is on this island that Ferrari has decided to set up its indoor amusement park. Opened in 2010, it has a very elaborate design with the largest roof in the world, 220,000 square meters. This park has many roller coasters, including the fastest in the world as well as the largest Ferrari logo in the world. An amusement park that will delight young and old alike with thrilling attractions!
Entrance to Ferrari World costs around 70 €, it is possible to buy tickets on the internet in advance.

Yas WaterWorld, Abu Dhabi’s water park

Let’s continue our journey a bit to head towards one of the largest water park in the world. The Yas WaterWorld. A huge 15-hectare water park with close to 43 attractions including a 238-meter-long water slide. This incredible water park hosts the Flowboarding World Championship every year. The park is divided into 8 zones, each with their own particularity. This park has received many distinctions including that of the main attraction of the Middle East in 2013, it was also elected among the 12 best water parks in the world!
The park was designed to respect sustainable development standards.

Where to sleep in Abu Dhabi?

Several places are to be favored if you are looking for a place to sleep in Abu Dhabi, the first being the Corniche, Corniche Road, a promenade of several kilometers long which runs along the sea. This place constitutes a first choice place to stay in Abu Dhabi.
Even if Abu Dhabi is full of overpriced hotels, it is quite possible to stay inexpensively in Abu Dhabi. I can recommend two ideally located hotels, the Novel Hotel City Center and the Sofitel Abu Dhabi. These two hotels offer great services for reasonable prices, at less than € 90 per night.
If you have a slightly more comfortable budget, you can head to Al Maryah Island which has some very nice hotels without spending several thousand euros on a room. This is the case of Rosewood Abu Dhabi or the Four Seasons.

My opinion on Abu Dhabi