Free and easy
You’re on a budget and want an Eid break for no expense
1 Get a change of location by ‘couch surfing’ with www.couchsurfing.org. There are loads of sofa stays on offer in the capital and around the emirates. Better still, open up your own couch to visitors and make a new friend.
2 Lulu Island is a peaceful and pleasurable enough spot, weather permitting. You can swim, but we don’t recommend it with all the Jet Skis powering about. Alternatively, head to the free public beach, just past Emirates Palace.
3 Take a trip to Islam: Faith and Worship. This free exhibition held at Emirates Palace features 161 relics, works of art and items of worship from Turkey’s national museums. What better time to explore the story of Islam than during Eid? 4 The Sheikh Zayed Mosque may be shut for Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, but for the rest of the holiday you’re free to explore the sights of one of the most extraordinary buildings in the Middle East.
5 Make like the locals and dangle your fishing rod off the Corniche. You’ll not get much more than the odd tiddler, but there is some good bank fishing to be had at Bain Al Jessain, near the mosque.
6 Indulge in a bout of free karaoke at Tambayan, our favourite crazy Filipino bar, where the DIY singing goes on from noon to 2.15am.
7 Ride an abra (traditional wooden Arabic boat) around the Souq Qaryat Al Beri – it’s complimentary and makes for a romantic sunset cruise.
8 Walk somebody else’s dog. Volunteer at Strays of Abu Dhabi to give a needy pooch a bit of exercise – what more charitable way is there to spend your Eid and get some fresh air to boot? Call 050 130 7392.
Family friendly
You want to keep the kids entertained, but also have a good time yourself
1 The instructor’s skydiving tot is inspiration enough to hurl your little ones on the mercy of the fan. Kids will love it as umpteen-thousand horsepower of fan blasts you and your kin up to 10ft in the air. Contact SkyVenture (02 443 6333) at the Abu Dhabi Fitness Centre.
2 See the city from a different angle? Find your sea legs? Shout ‘Ahoy shipmate’? Whatever your reason, why not take a Corniche cruise for up to six people along the city front, beginning at Hilton Abu Dhabi, for just Dhs425 per person. Call 02 692 4324 for more information.
3 Catch the end of the Ramadan and Eid Festival at Adnec. There’s plenty to buy and entertainment for the kids, too.
4 Noukhada Adventure Company arrange kayaking trips into the mangroves as well as jaunts to nearby islands. Visit www.noukhada.ae or contact 050 721 8928.
5 Visit the Emirates Auto Museum: a huge private car collection stored in a giant pyramid garage. It’s free, but you will need to find an attendant to open it up. Located near Hameem, exit E11 on the Tariq Strait. Visit www.enam.ae for directions.
6 Celebrate Eid in Le Royal Méridien’s Layali El Hilmiya tent. Not only are there children’s activities, Arabic music and a belly dancer, but a pool, yes a pool, in the middle of the tent. Fancy a dip? Call 800 101 101.
7 Take a trip to the Al Ain Wildlife Park’s night zoo (adults Dhs15, kids Dhs5), when the park stays open until 10pm. Our advice: check the times for when the bird show starts before visiting.
8 Share a churrascaria dinner at InterContinental’s Chamas over Eid (Dhs195 per person), where the Oliveira Group samba dancers will also be playing on September 23. Call 02 666 6888
Have an adventure
Money is no object; you just want to have some fun in the scorching UAE sun
1 Have yourself a Dh19,999 Eid ‘bargain’ at Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi. For the price you’ll get not only a royal suite, but an entire floor to yourself. From September 20-24, price includes suhoor. Call 02 697 9000
2 The deep-sea fishing starts picking up again in September. It’s not cheap, but that’s the price of catching the biggest sailfish you’ve ever seen. Be ready for an early start, though. Contact Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters on 050 614 6931.
3 Why go to Mauritius when Sir Bani Yas island nature reserve is on your doorstep? Stay on the island and experience game drives, snorkelling, kayaking and hikes. They will even make you a picnic to eat on the island. Heaven! www.desertislands.com
4 Absolute Adventure offer mountain biking trips around Dibba for a minimum of two people, starting from September. Prices begin at Dhs350 per person – it might just be doable in late September, for hardcore pedallers. Visit www.adventure.ae.
5 Rent yourself a test drive in a Lamborgini Gallado with Meet Speed. At Dhs1,000 per hour, you might want to be quick. Lucky you’re in a Lamborgini, then. Call 055 667 7333.
6 Swim with dolphins. You’ll need to go to Dubai, but you don’t expect the dolphins to come to you, do you? Head to the Dubai Dolphinarium (04 336 9773) and have a private dolphin swimming session for Dhs1,600.
7 If you consider yourself too manly to swim with dolphins, why not kill some crabs instead? Go crab hunting at the Flamingo Beach Resort in Umm Al Quwain for Dhs170. Call 06 765 0000.
8 Go Abu Dhabi island hopping with Belevari Marine (050 661 2176). You can hire them to take you around the islands surrounding the city – they can even drop you off on one for an overnight stay. Don’t forget your tent – or to tell them to come back and pick you up the next day.
Two’s company
You’d like to get away with your other half, but without the hassle of travelling
1 You might be staying in the city, but you don’t have to stay home. Book a room via www.expedia.com and stay at some of the city’s top hotels for half the normal cost, with prices starting from Dhs350 per night.
2 Rent a Jet Ski from InterContinental Abu Dhabi (Dhs350 per hour, 02 666 6888) and explore the waters around the capital at high speed.
3 Afterwards, unwind with a couple’s treatment at Emirates Palace’s Anantara Spa (02 690 9000), with prices starting from Dhs650 per person.
4 If you prefer something a little more adventurous, try a 4×4 mountain safari. It’s a three-hour round trip starting out from Dibba courtesy of www.adventure.ae.
5 Save a bit of cash, get the bus to Al Ain (Dhs15 each) and have a sunset picnic on Green Mubazzah, in the foothills of Jebel Hafeet. Once the sun disappears, you can rent one of the chalets and stay over.
6 Alternatively, back in the capital, take a romantic dinner cruise on either Shuja Yacht (02 666 6888) or the Al Dhafra Cruising restaurant (02 673 2266) and see the city while you eat.
7 Take an atmospheric sunset stroll along the Corniche. What more could you ask for?
8 The drinks may be a bit on the pricey side, but, from September 22-25, DJ Ravin, of Buddha Bar fame, returns to the Yacht Club. Dance the night away with your loved one.
