Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. - A Travel Guide
Last Updated: August 7, 2026
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ABOUT ABU DHABI | SHOULD I GO? | WHAT TO DO | WHERE TO STAY | WHERE TO EAT | WHERE TO PARTY
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Sheikh Around the Clock
The forever-growing Abu Dhabi is becoming more and more popular with tourists and now I know why.
Abu Dhabi's fast becoming the stop-over of choice for travellers moving between Europe and the west to Asia and Oceana. With the airport less then 20 minutes from the city and plenty to do it truly is worth visiting.
There is more to see and do in the city than you may first think. Granted, a lot of the sights are visual rather than explorative, but they are worth the visit. That said, you'll easily fill a 48-hour stop-over.
Visiting from the UK or the likes of India, the noticeable difference comes in the form of traffic. In as much as, the road networks are efficient, sensible, and well maintained. The traffic lights are only where necessary, and the roads are all 3 to 4 lanes wide. Not once did we come close to a traffic jam, and it's a pleasant change from the congested western cities.
The city and its central business district lie on dozens of islands. Unlike most cities of the world, Abu Dhabi is growing in terms of area, and fast. New landmasses appear from the sea on an almost daily basis. It's unmissable, as you travel around the city.
Everywhere you go, you'll see the name Sheikh Zayed, and you'd be forgiven for thinking, who is he? With this in mind, I'll give you a quick rundown. Born in May 1918, Sheikh Zayed is the founder and president of the UAE. He became ruler of Abu Dhabi for many years before his death in November 2004.
My Time in the Desert
Overall, I found that three days exploring Abu Dhabi was a good amount of time to see everything I wanted.
Moreover, the best way of seeing the city, in my opinion, is to take the hop-on, hop-off bus. There are two in the city, and they both meet at regular times throughout the day outside the Grand Mosque. This allows you to finish one tour and jump over to the other, which is brilliant. Firstly, not only will you see the whole city, but one bus will not leave until the second arrives. Thus, giving passengers time to leave one tour to join the other.
My favourite activity, by far, has to be a desert 4x4 safari. Despite not getting to drive the 4x4, I had an immense smile on my face from start to finish. Once we got to the desert, we checked out a few camels, before diving up into the dunes. The exhilaration of being thrown around in the 4x4's was brilliant. The guy drove it like he was in a stolen vehicle in a police chase.
Additionally, the day finished in a beautiful desert oasis, with food, drink and some great entertainment as night fell. In summary, it was a fantastic end to a brilliant trip.
Finally, I must mention the heat. Whilst I ate well, I lost weight purely from sweating. As our main UAE page suggests, if possible, I'd avoid August, as the temperatures regularly reach over 45 degrees centigrade.
Should I go there
Simply yes.
Similarly to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, if you're stopping over in Abu Dhabi, I'd recommend adding a couple of days. Give yourself a chance to see the city.
There's a lot to do and see in the city, some of which are free to visit. Which in this city is much appreciated, especially after spending so much on taxis, food and drink.
Surprisingly, the free attractions are amongst some of the best the city has to offer. Examples include the mesmerising Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the enchanting Heritage Village. Of course, some of the cities architecture is beyond beautiful and can be seen, free of charge from the streets. Furthermore, there are a couple of wonderful beaches to relax and lap up that burning sun.
If the question was; is it somewhere I'd realistically book a short break? No, because I live in the UK, and it's just too far for that. If, however, I lived within the vicinity, then yes. Although in truth, I'd only suggest Abu Dhabi as a stopover.
My issue with Abu Dhabi is whilst there is culture, it doesn't feel like there is. It's no Thailand or Indonesia, it's more Singapore, by this I mean it's purpose-built, clean and efficient. Whilst beneficial in numerous ways, for me, it lacks history, passion and excitement of a more established city. By the same token, it leaves you disappointed and wanting more.
What to do when Backpacking Abu Dhabi
The city is full of attractions, I say it a lot, but there's something for everyone here in Abu Dhabi. Some attractions in the city demand and earn your full attention as well as a decent amount of your time. Other, however, you can tick off in passing.
Emirates Palace
I'm starting with this one, as it's a bit of a joke here at Far Out.
I want you to bear in mind it was 45 degrees and felt more like 60. I couldn't cope with trousers, so decided long shorts which covered the knee would suffice. Furthermore, just walking the streets was a hardship in the stifling humidity.
This wasn't a problem anywhere but here in the Emirates Palace. I walked up the drive hearing a commotion behind me. To my surprise, upon looking back, I had two security guards chasing me, shouting something with police styled asp's drawn.
Anyway, I wasn't allowed in.
What I can say is that from the outside it looked beautiful and very grand. The public entrance is opposite the Bab Al Qasr Hotel, not the foot entrance off King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street.
4x4 Desert Safari
This, for me, is the jewel in the city's crown, and possibly its saviour. There are numerous 4x4 excursions on offer within Abu Dhabi. I'm sure they all link to the same company or at least offer similar experiences.
I came over all middle-class and got my concierge to sign me up the day before. Although, you could save yourself some cash, and book online.
They picked me up at 1600hrs, and we disappeared into the desert meeting with a number of other jeeps. Firstly, we met with a local farmer and relaxed with his herd of camels. After 20 minutes or so we headed out full throttle into the sand dunes.
Our driver thought he was Lewis Hamilton, with some guests in the back screaming for their lives. It just made me laugh out loud. Nevertheless, the more they screamed, the faster he went, flying over the peaks catching air wherever possible.
After 45 minutes to an hour of dune bashing, and stomach-churning descents, we made it to our dinner destination. It was a beautiful oasis, with palm's little huts and a small waterhole. It was paradise, just like in the movies.
There was an option to ride a camel if you wish, again included in the price. There was also an additional extra in the form of dune buggy racing. Once everyone had done their activities we were all given a wonderful local meal, which tasted fantastic.
Inside there were free snacks, drinks, henna tattoos and sandboarding until as you await everyone's arrival. The real entertainment came in the form of a massive BBQ meal with dessert, followed by belly and tantra dancing.
In summary, this is 100% the best thing there is to do in Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Another gem of Abu Dhabi, and one of the most impressive, inspiring and magic buildings, I've ever seen.
Honestly, this building left me speechless, its sheer size, grandeur and beauty, cannot be put into words. It's even more impressive when you find out that it is one of the free attractions in the city.
Quick heads-up, there is a lot of security checks before entering the building. There are numerous officials and airport-styled screening machine. If anything flags up that they don't like, they will take it off you, including 'professional' zoom lenses.
Once inside, there is a small, expensive cafe and souvenir shop, which is very pleasant.
Nothing can prepare you for the Grand Mosque itself, you will be stunned. Firstly, it's clean to the point that it sparkles like a polished diamond throughout. Every wall, light, pillar, roof, tile, etc glistens rebounding the heat of the sun with a canny ability to make you squint. By the same token, it's easy to see what this Macedonian marble is the best in the world. It's exquisite.
Throughout the building I urge you to look up, the detail in the artwork is phenomenal. Furthermore, the Swarovski crystal chandeliers are outrageously beautiful.
Take your time, take it in, and enjoy every bit of the building. I hope it talks to you as it did me. I love it.
The Heritage Village
The Heritage Village is located on the small island of Al Kasir to the north of the city. The island also encompasses the Marina Mall and Fairmont Marina Residence.
In a word, this little piece of history explains how people survived and thrived out in the desert. The village is complete with workshops, museums and stalls. It's an interesting educational village, showcasing all the utensils used in day to day life within the desert.
Also, it's a stop on the hop-on-hop-off bus and is a great way to spend an hour of your time. If learning about history and the heritage of the local people is your thing, I highly recommend it.
Hop On Hop Off bus
I won't bore you too much with this one, you know what it is.
This, however, isn't cheap, it costs about 150 Dirham (£30). Just as well, then, that most of the attractions it takes you to are free. I will also stand up for it in the sense that, its cheaper than taxing around the city.
Furthermore, I would pay that to save me having to walk in the heat of the Abu Dhabi day.
Where to Stay whilst Backpacking Abu Dhabi
I only stayed in one place, and I have to be honest, I would stay there over and over again.
Aloft Abu Dhabi's central location is easy to find, not to mention it has everything you could ask for. Having flown in from Malaysia early, I arrived at the hotel at 0700hrs. Although, I couldn't check-in until midday.
However, the very friendly reception staff took my bags and looked after them for me. Tired, I headed to the rooftop pool, relaxing in the sun on a lounger. Reception found me at 0815hrs and told me, not only, was my room ready, but my bags were there waiting. The service was impressing me already.
All through my stay, the staff were amazing, the rooms perfect in every way and the breakfast. Wow, words can not describe how good that was. It was one of the best I have had in any hotel. The rooms were large and stylish, not to mention comfortable in every sense of the word,
They waved down taxis, sorted tickets for the bus, and 4x4 safari. Everyone went above and beyond, to make my stay perfect, it was worth every pound. All this for about 250 Dirham (£45) a night, which is nothing in a city that thinks poverty is set at $1,0000,0000,0000.
Where to Eat in Abu Dhabi
I have to be honest here and say I never really ate out in the city. The first day I had lunch at the Grand Mosque. A wrap and a cup of tea, and it cost me 80 Dirham (£17). It was lovely, but not 80 dirham levels of nice.
I decided that evening, to eat at the hotel and it was good, so ate there most of the time. I had as much breakfast as possible every morning to see myself through the day, purely to save money.
My final nights' meal was in the desert during the 4x4 tour. I did not need to eat out. Which, based on prices I was seeing, I think was a good move.
Where to Drink and Party when Backpacking Abu Dhabi
Much like the food side of things, I can't inform you of anything. I wasn't in the country to drink. I was there to explore and do things. Again, based on the prices, it appears to have been a wise move!
There wasn't much going on from what I could see or hear around the city. However, that could be due to the strict laws around drunken behaviour in the streets.
What you'll need to blend in
Supercar for two
The widest of cash machine to fit all the zeros on
Practical local clothing
A love of sand and sun
A pair of trousers in your bag for entry to the Emirates Palace
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