Sir Bani Yas Island
This natural island some 250km south-west of the city of Abu Dhabi is a great place to visit. It’s a bird sanctuary and a wildlife reserve where you can go on safari and try kayaking, mountain biking, archery, hiking and snorkelling. It’ll take you a while to drive and you’ll need to get a boat over to the island as well, whereas you can fly there from Al Bateen in under 40 minutes with Rotana.
Flights from Dhs200. www.rotanajet.com.
Muscat
You could drive here in around five-and-a-half hours (and it is a lovely scenic trip along the coast) or you can hop on a plane in Abu Dhabi and be there in about an hour. While you’re there, we strongly recommend visiting the new Royal Opera House, plus don’t miss the seaside town of Shatti Al Qurum as well as taking in Jabreen Castle, which dates all the way back to 1670.
Flights from Dhs500. www.etihad.com.
Doha
It’s an epic road trip that would take you at least six hours through Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, or take a flight there from Abu Dhabi in the first two weeks of October to see Italian opera singer Alessandro Safina in concert, plus renowned artist Damien Hirst is presenting the largest collection of his works ever seen at Al Riwaq Exhibition Space from October 10 (www.mia.org.qa).
Flights from Dhs900. www.qatarairways.com.
