Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. The slick and modern capital of the U.A.E. presents a fascinating mixture of tradition and progression. Tracing its rich history back to around 3000 B.C., Abu Dhabi maintains a more distinctly Arabian ambiance than glitzy Dubai.
Abu Dhabi houses federal government offices, is the seat of the United Arab Emirates Government, home to the Abu Dhabi Emiri Family and the President of the UAE, who is from this family. She is home to important financial institutions such as the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and the corporate headquarters of many companies and numerous multinational corporations not forgetting that she’s one of the world’s largest oil producers.
I only got to spend a couple of hours in the city and in those few, i was immensely impressed. But first i think (if you intend to visit for the first time) you should know that;
- If you’re a female visiting Abu Dhabi, clothing that covers your shoulders and your legs from your knees should be worn whilst visiting public places and most importantly, the mosque.
- A tour of the Grand Sheikh Zayed Mosque is a must.
- PDAs are not permitted in Abu Dhabi. Holding hands is tolerated, but anything more than that may be offensive to the locals and could get you into trouble with the law.
- Bringing a camera with you is a must,again, bring a CAMERA with you.
A visit to Abu Dhabi is incomplete without a tour to the ferrari world.
As we drove through the city i couldn’t help but notice directions to a couple of islands and i got curious. Its good our guide was well equipped. I found out that Abu Dhabi is home to more than 200 islands and upcoming man made islands too. Some of the islands worth a mention are the likes of;
The Yas Island which is one of the major tourist attractions occupying around 25,000 hectares of land is home to the world biggest indoor theme park the Ferrari world, water parks, resorts, hotels, golf courses, residential areas etc. You’ll never really tell you are in an island,probably i expected more of a wasini experience but well,UAE’s infrustructure!
The Coconut Island which is set just on the tip of Abu Dhabi. The island is rightfully named so because it has many coconut palms on the island as well as in the water lagoons
Saadiyat Island which happens to be just a 7 minutes drive from Abu Dhabi. It is home to developing national museums, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Nurai Island which is the most exclusive private island of Abu Dhabi. The island is home to green plush oasis with private beach front mansions and water villas all which come with state of the art facilities. I was told one could visit the island on private yacht, a helicopter, boat, chauffer driven car etc. It was built with the sole intention of providing utmost privacy to its residents.
Dalma Island which is a heritage island which has kept its old Arabian spirit intact. It is a heritage sanctuary with the ancient dhow wooden boats docked on the shore, with its population of people doing pearl culture, ancient residential communities; mosques etc are still intact amidst the modern villas, homes, malls and infrastructure.
Thank you for stopping by,till next time, cheers
Ray
Travel by Ray 
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