Abu Dhabi is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates or UAE; and is also the capital city of the UAE. Abu Dhabi has much to offer the visitor from shopping to sporting activities, cultural events and points of interest to tourist attractions and fantastic marine life to name but a few.



Abu Dhabi is a bustling modern city and offers all of the attractions you would expect, with fantastic shopping experiences, vibrant night life, many cultural attractions such as museums, concert halls, theatres and an exciting collection of art galleries. Abu Dhabi however is also very proud of its traditional Bedouin history and culture and as such you will find many opportunities exist in the city to view and experience this ancient culture as well.

Many tourists and visitors to Abu Dhabi do not realise, until they arrive, that Abu Dhabi has a wonderful rich and varied environment which includes a natural archipelago of over 200 islands situated just off the coast. These islands, some of which are currently being developed into tourist resorts and property developments, offer numerous and varied experiences for visitors. Visitors to the various islands will find everything from ecologically preserved islands that house world class nature reserves to islands that specialise in water sports and even an island that is seen as the sporting capital of the emirate which houses a formula one race track along with numerous golf courses and equestrian sporting arenas to name but a few.

Sport plays a huge part in the lives of residents of Abu Dhabi and almost every sporting activity you can imagine is available in the emirate. Equestrian sports have been enjoyed and played in Abu Dhabi for centuries as the horse was a very important part of the Bedouin lifestyle, this relationship continues and still thrives today with the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (the most well known and respected of numerous equestrian centres in the emirate) being located 10 minutes from the city centre. Golf and cricket also enjoy growing popularity in the emirate with several clubs located throughout the emirate. Naturally water sports of all varieties are available especially in the islands and coastal areas of Abu Dhabi. Four wheel driving is another favourite pastime in the emirate with several organisations offering tours of the dunes to visitors.

Abu Dhabi has a wonderful collection of parks, gardens and zoos that showcase the varied ecology of the region. The city has over 20 small parks scattered throughout with play equipment for children and young families. Sheikh Khalifa Park is a wonderful park filled with traditional Arabian architecture and landscaped gardens inspired by the great gardens of the world where visitors can lose themselves among the fountains and beautiful plants.

There are many historical places of interest to visit in Abu Dhabi, from the 200 year old Al Maqtaa Fort to the Heritage Village located on the Abu Dhabi breakwater where you can see and experience the traditional Bedouin culture and way of life with reconstructions of Bedouin goats hair tents and an encampment, traditional mud brick housing and a traditional fishing village. The Heritage Village also has several craftsmen still working in the traditional manner for visitors to observe.