Abu Dhabi Activities

While Abu Dhabi city itself has few attractions tailored for children, the nearby oasis city of Al Ain has an amusement park, zoo and an aquarium. Within Abu Dhabi, most children occupy themselves at the Corniche, participating in various sports and activities such as cycling and rollerblading. The city has many venues for traditional forms of entertainment including modern theatres, sports centres, swimming pools and beaches.

Abu Dhabi Corniche & Breakwater
The focal point of Abu Dhabi society, the Corniche and Breakwater form a charming and surprising expanse of greenery and coastline that is incredibly picturesque. The safe, traffic-free paved walkways and cycling tracks offer children great opportunities to bike, rollerblade and skateboard, while the grass sections have playgrounds for younger kids. The setting is perfect for family picnicking during the cooler months. Additionally, the Breakwater has a variety of amusement centres.

Al Ain Zoo and Aquarium
Also located in the 'Garden City' of Al Ain is a quality zoo and aquarium which features some of Africa's most threatened wildlife. The zoo is spread out over a vast area and the exhibits are created to be as close to the animal's natural environment as possible. Highlights include Arabian gazelle, Arabian oryx, the African cat exhibit and walk-through aviary. The aquarium, the only one in the world situated in a desert, is equally impressive, with hundreds of species of marine creatures from the Persian Gulf and beyond.

Hili Fun City
Located inland from Abu Dhabi city at the Al Ain oasis, Hili Fun City is an enormous theme park, complete with thrilling roller coasters, enthralling rides, great sporting facilities and fun games. Hili Fun City has something to suit children of all ages as well as being great day out for adults. Phone: +971 3 7845524

As capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi has a wide range of world-class cultural attractions including museums, galleries, historic buildings and edutainment venues. While much of the city is modern and organised, there are still pockets of old streets and buildings that bring back to life the fishing village origins of Abu Dhabi. With the city being small and centralised, most attractions can be reached on foot.

Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation
From the moment of entering this modern Islamic-style building, visitors will be amazed at the excellent range and depth of the foundation's insights into the culture of the region. Located adjacent to the famous Qasr al-Hosn fort, the Cultural Foundation has an acclaimed library, theatre, meeting rooms and an exhibition hall that features a constantly changing programme of interesting events. The building itself is a cultural masterpiece and offers relaxing gardens and stylish courtyards, both internally and externally. Phone: +971 2 6215300; website: http://www.cultural.org.ae/e/

Heritage Village
A great edutainment attraction is the Bedouin Heritage Village, situated on Mussafah road. The village is an accurate recreation of a nomad camp and visitors can explore the tents and buildings, and witness all types of traditional activities such as camel riding and falconry. There is even a souk (market) where you can haggle over all kinds of great shopping items.

Old Souk
If the Heritage Village is not authentic enough for you, try heading to the northwest section of the city, where you'll find the remnants of an old traditional market. This district is known as Old Souk and you can rub shoulders with everyday Arabs as they bargain over a myriad of interesting wares and foodstuffs.

Petroleum Exhibition
Located on Corniche Road East, the Petroleum Exhibition documents Abu Dhabi's transformation from a sleepy fishing community into one of the world's richest cities. There are plenty of insightful exhibits on the early days of oil exploration, with lots of now-and-then photographs and interactive displays. Phone: +971 2 6269715.

Qasr Al-Hosn
Probably the most historic of all Abu Dhabi's architectural heritage, Qasr Al-Hosn is a former residence of the rulers of Abu Dhabi. Dating from 1793, the White Fort, or Old Fort as it is also known, is the city's oldest building and most iconic landmark. After extensive repairs in 1983, Qasr Al-Hosn was opened to the public and features spectacular architecture, collections of artworks and furnishings as well as housing the Cultural Foundation.

Women's Craft Centre
Abu Dhabi is proud of its women's tradition of creating a variety of handicrafts and has set up the Women's Craft Centre to showcase the important role women have in the economy. Fascinated visitors can watch the artisans at work, making perfumed oils, traditional clothing, pottery and baskets. Many of the items can be bought at fixed prices and guests can relax in the on-site restaurant, which features authentic Gulf dishes as well as thick Arabic coffee.

Abu Dhabi has a wide range of international cuisine on hand, with excellent restaurants located mainly in hotels, clubs and popular tourist destinations such as the Breakwater.

While the quality of the international dishes is superb, visitors are encouraged to sample local cuisine, which includes delights such as hummus (a dip made of chickpeas, garlic, sesame, oils and spices), shawarma (meat and salad roll), salads, bread, pastries, rice dishes and grilled meat (except pork, which is only served in hotel restaurants). Vegetarians are very well catered to, with numerous Arab and Indian dishes to choose from.

Many of the souk-type areas have stalls selling local cuisine for incredibly low prices, which are not reflected in the servings. Most establishments in the city are very clean and hygienic, but for those who have concerns eating local food from small vendors, try the acclaimed restaurants at the Heritage Village or the Women's Craft Centre.

Shopping is a national obsession, with many people spending hours each day bargaining for the cheapest prices. Indeed, haggling is expected, so the tag price is often high and rarely what a shopper will pay for in the end. The upmarket malls selling Western fashion labels, such as the Abu Dhabi Mall and Marina Mall, generally do not discount, nor do the retail outlets at some tourist attractions such as the Women's Craft Centre; however, most small vendors and any traditional souk market seller will be happy to engage in an enthusiastic round of bargaining!

The most sought-after items in an Abu Dhabi souk include carpets, tapestries, silk, coffee pots, ornamental daggers, silver and gold jewellery, worry beads, coffee and perfume oils. There is an astonishing array of 'antiques' being peddled, but be wary of their authenticity.

Shop attendants tend to be a little pushy at times, constantly enquiring after a shopper's needs and desires, so be patient, polite and take your time deciding on what goods you are interested in before starting negotiations regarding price.

Old Souk, in the northwest section of the city, is the most popular traditional market and has all kinds of goods from food and textiles to precious metals and electronics. Another popular market area is along Al Nasr Street, which features jewellery stores and antique shops.

March is the best time for serious shoppers, when the fantastic Abu Dhabi Shopping Festival is held. The event has an amazing collection of items at some of the cheapest prices you'll find anywhere.

Although searing heat and suffocating humidity are the order of the day in Abu Dhabi during the summer and early autumn, the climate is cooler and drier during the rest of the year, allowing visitors to comfortably partake in a range of exciting outdoor activities.

Camel Safari
A unique way of touring sites of interest around Abu Dhabi is by camel safari. There are many tour operators in the city offering trips of various lengths to a variety of stunning destinations such as the inland desert oasis communities of Al Ain and Liwa.

Dhow Cruising 
What better way of sightseeing the lovely Gulf waters and numerous islands that surround Abu Dhabi than from the deck of traditional Dhow? These sailing vessels of ancient design are very seaworthy and stable, providing a comfortable, quiet means of exploring the intriguing network of channels and passages that are teeming with birdlife and marine creatures.

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
The magnificent waters of the Persian Gulf are home to an astonishing variety of fish, sea mammals and other marine life, making scuba diving and snorkelling very rewarding pursuits. The coastline around Abu Dhabi is dotted with small islands with shallow lagoons and channels that are perfect for tranquil snorkelling, while coral reefs, wrecks and deep water trenches make for some excellent scuba diving of all levels. Dive schools and equipment rental outlets can be found in the city.

Wadi Bashing
While not a favourite activity of Greenpeace activists, driving a four-wheel drive at crazy speeds along dry stony riverbeds is exhilarating and great fun for those out for adventure. A number of tour operators within Abu Dhabi can arrange trips to suitable areas within an hour of the city.