Past, present and future
That Abu Dhabi city is the capital of the UAE has often come as a surprise to visitors. For years, neighbouring Dubai grabbed the headlines, with Abu Dhabi earning a reputation for being more mature; more sedate. There’s no doubt that this perception is changing, however. Fast becoming the cultural hub of the Middle East, and with a determination to see its way to a self-sustaining future built on the arts and eco technology rather than its well-known oil riches, the capital, and the wider emirate, is stepping out of the shadows with the spotlight firmly in its sights.
What never fails to amaze is the speed with which the city established itself. Photos from as little as 40 years ago depict a conurbation that could barely be described as a village, let alone a town or city. With strong traditions of camel herding, pearl diving and fishing, beach huts became a hub as early as the 3rd millennium BC, with more prominent rule established in the 18th century by the Bani Yas tribe. The year 1958 saw the discovery of oil in the emirate and, under the wise guidance of the universally loved Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (founding father of the nation), came the inevitable rise to wealth and prominence.
Abu Dhabi has garnered plenty of international media attention in the last two years, initially through the impressive launch of the Yas Marina Circuit and subsequent induction into the Formula One calendar. It is hoped that the city’s ‘2030 Plan’, which encompasses the developments of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the remainder of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, as well as the building of an improved public transportation system and the entirely carbon-free Masdar City, will give it major world city status within years rather than decades.
For now, however, the city is buzzing. Cranes dot the skyline and labourers are hard at work, busily meeting deadlines. This is certainly a city in transition; quite how the changes will manifest themselves is a story yet to be told.
How to get around
The capital has a cheap and efficient bus service (www.visitabudhabi.ae), though most people navigate via taxi. Taking the metred silver cabs rather than the old white and green cabs will guarantee comfort and, more importantly, safety.
What to do while you’re here
With great cities come great sights, and Abu Dhabi is certainly not short on those.
Manarat Al Saadiyat: The first operational arts centre to be built on Saadiyat Island, the future home of the city’s cultural district, is a must-see destination for visitors and residents alike. Also housing a permanent interactive gallery detailing the city’s past and future, the current exhibition has been pulled together from New York impresario Larry Gagosian’s private collection, including work by Andy Warhol and his pop-art cronies. Absolutely not to be missed. Free, open daily 10am-8pm; Sheikh Khalifa Bridge, Saadiyat Island (02 406 1400; www.saadiyat.ae).
History and culture: The city is in a constant state of progress. Ironically, the same goes for many of its historical institutions, too. The main cultural attraction comes in the form of Heritage Village (02 681 4455), on the Breakwater, near Marina Mall. Part museum, part working village, a number of artisans and craftsmen sell traditionally made goods and perfumes and the story of the city is told in the museum. Alternatively, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (02 575 5155) hosts groups interested in finding out more about the symbol of the UAE and how they were used by the Bedouin; a particular highlight is getting to hold one of the birds. The main cultural draw, though, is surely the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (800 555): a remarkable building at the very heart of the city, between the bridges. Daily tours (from 10am, except Fridays) take groups of visitors around the mosque, educating them about Islam and UAE culture, for free.
Beaches & islands: Abu Dhabi is unique among the emirates in its wealth of islands. More than 200 of them, varying in size and level of habitation, lie just off the coast. Small wonder that hopping from island to island is one of the emirate’s more popular pastimes. You can hire a boat – with captain – from a hotel beach club or one of the marinas.
The large island opposite the corniche is Lulu Island, a man-made landmass that’s famous for having been built with no real purpose in mind. Now it appears that it will be filled with housing, and is due to be linked to Abu Dhabi by a number of bridges and tunnels, but if you can make your way out there yourself, the beach is still currently open to the public, daily, until 8pm at night.
Motor about three miles (five kilometres) south of Abu Dhabi and you’ll come to Futaisi Island, an inhabited island, some 15 miles (40 kilometres) square, which is privately owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan. Home to old quarries from which stone for Abu Dhabi’s forts was once dug, the island is now a tourist retreat and nature reserve. Boats run to and from their office (02 666 6601) in Al Bateen Marina at 10am and 5pm. Once there, you can rent a chalet and ride horses. Some 240km west of Abu Dhabi, near Jebel Dhanna, is Sir Bani Yas Island, which can be accessed only with a tour arranged by the Desert Island Anantara Resort & Spa (02 801 5400) on the island. It’s worth the extra money, though, as you will find cheetahs, giraffes and ostriches among the gazelle and oryx that call this their home.
Ferrari World: We are sooooo excited about Ferrari World. Why? First of all, at 86,000sqm, it’s the largest indoor theme park in the world, all contained in a climate-controlled dome, meaning that it’s open for thrill-seekers to use throughout the seasons. Then there are the rides and attractions themselves, the calibre of which has never been seen before in the Middle East, including Formula Rosso – currently the world’s fastest roller coaster. Couple these with the Ferrari brand – now a byword for design expertise and the high-rolling lifestyle, from its Formula One team to the life of the company’s founder Enzo Ferrari – and you’ve got an experience that will mean fans of the famous prancing horse logo will be impelled to visit. Plus, it’s next door to the circuit so you won’t need to go far. www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com.
Factfile: The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
How big? At a whopping 7,119 sq m, the mosque is home to the largest hand-woven carpet in the world. Above this also hangs the world’s largest chandelier, weighing between eight and nine tonnes. The 24-carat gold-plated chandelier is inlaid with thousands of Swarovski crystals.
How many? The mosque has 1,096 columns in its exterior and 96 columns in its main prayer hall. These are embedded with more than 20,000 marble panels encrusted with semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, red agate, amethyst, abalone shell and mother of pearl.
What’s that sound? The tomb of the late Sheikh Zayed is next to the mosque. Attendants constantly recite the Qur’an over his grave and you can hear them as you pass. This is the one part of the mosque where photography is forbidden.
