Things To Do in Abu Dhabi

The Capital at a Calmer Pace

Abu Dhabi is the UAE's capital and its largest emirate, ninety minutes down the coast from Dubai. It moves more slowly than its neighbor and spends more on culture: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the presidential palace Qasr Al Watan and, on Yas Island, the biggest cluster of theme parks in the Gulf. The tours below split between full-day sightseeing from Dubai and tickets for people staying in the city.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The mosque holds more than 40,000 worshippers under 82 white marble domes, with the world's largest hand-knotted carpet inside. Entry is free with a timed booking, and the dress code is strict: long sleeves, ankle-length trousers or skirt, and a headscarf for women, with abayas lent at the entrance. The full-day Abu Dhabi sightseeing tours from Dubai include the mosque with a guide plus the Corniche, Emirates Palace and Heritage Village, and they are the most reviewed way to see the city. Late afternoon is the best light; the mosque is lit blue after dark.

Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan

The Louvre Abu Dhabi sits under Jean Nouvel's perforated dome on Saadiyat Island, where sunlight falls through as a "rain of light" onto the plaza. The general admission ticket covers the permanent collection, which runs from prehistory to the present in twelve chronological galleries; allow two to three hours. Qasr Al Watan is the working presidential palace, open to visitors in the mornings and afternoons with its great hall, library and gift collection, and the evening light show on the facade. The five-hour city tour from an Abu Dhabi hotel covers the Grand Mosque and the Louvre together.

Yas Island

Yas Island is twenty minutes from downtown. Warner Bros. World is an indoor park with six themed lands from Gotham City to Bedrock, and it is the family favorite in summer because it is fully air-conditioned. The National Aquarium, the largest in the Middle East, is at Al Qana on the mainland side with a 50-meter walk-through tunnel. Ferrari World and the Yas multi-park passes are on the UAE page.

Desert Safari

The dune bashing desert safari from Abu Dhabi heads to the Al Khatim dunes for a 4x4 drive, camel ride, sandboarding and a barbecue dinner with a belly dance show at camp. Pickup is from city hotels and the trip takes four to six hours in the afternoon and evening.

When to Go

October to April is the pleasant season, with daytime highs in the mid-twenties Celsius. June to September tops 40°C, which is when the indoor parks and museums earn their keep. Most tours here offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.