Editor’s Note: Currently, Abu Dhabi is open to tourists, but COVID-19 necessitates the following: International travelers are required to be under self-quarantine for 14 days; tourists with negative COVID-19 test results are required to remain under self-quarantine for 14 days and to undergo a second test on day 12. For more information, go to tcaabudhabi.ae or visitabudhabi.com.
Abu Dhabi has a Thing for New
“New” is everywhere in the capital of the United Arab Emirates: in the Star Trek-y Etihad Towers, in the shadows of the dual monoliths of the St. Regis Hotel, in the shadowless brilliance of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, even in the no-safe-place-to-put-your-eyes Qasr al-Watan presidential palace.
There is so much “new” that the whole city seems to have appeared overnight — which it pretty much did. For much of history, the southeastern shores of the Persian Gulf were empty; Abu Dhabi was essentially a mud fort and a handful of fishing villages on a smattering of islands. And then, in 1972, oil went into production and presto!
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then the local emir, saw the future and it was barreling down like a runaway train. So, he built a city to accommodate it, and Abu Dhabi was born. Today, Al Nahyan is the father of a nation where foreigners outnumber natives nine to one, and a 40-year-old building is “historic.”
City Slickers
To enjoy Abu Dhabi is to enjoy very modern pleasures. Food! Wine! Entertainment! Name-brand shopping! Arabian culture is ancient, but as Abu Dhabi doesn’t have much of a past, it hurls itself into the future.
And it does it island by island: Yas Island? For family entertainment and the site of the Yas Waterworld aquapark, Ferrari World, and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, where kids can meet their cartoon idols. Saadiyat Island? More highbrow and where the Louvre Abu Dhabi rises out of the sea, and sublimely groups its collections by subject rather than origin. And Al Maryah? Get out your credit card, this is the restaurants-and-shopping island. And then there is Abu Dhabi Island itself.
As the oldest “neighborhoods,” the fish and date markets line the waterfront, but they are the heart of an oil kingdom. Dubai has flash, but Abu Dhabi has power; the architecture is impressive with a level of dignity to it. Blending several Islamic styles, the resplendency of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque captures the harmonies of the mu’azin calling the faithful to prayer and the notes are tangible. Less exalted, but more eye-opening, is the brand-spanking new capital building, the Qasr al-Watan. “Qasr” means palace, but no one is living there; it’s used purely for state events and for Instagram stories with a frenzy level. It’s what you can do with unlimited cash!
Magic Carpet Ride
But even unlimited cash has limits. Step outside Abu Dhabi and the land changes from grassy to lunar to utterly Martian, because you’re in the desert. But not just any desert; this is the Rub’ al Khali which translates to “the Empty Quarter,” harkening to the Muslim creation story when God divided the world into fourths. The first three were peopled, but the last, a 250,000-square-mile scorched stretch of sand, was left uninhabited. This void birthed a wealth of myth: of ‘Ad, the great-grandson of Noah and progenitor of the Arabs; of Iram of the Pillars, an Atlantis-like city that sank into the desert overnight; of fire spirits called djinn who may or may not grant you a wish and make the dunes sing.
From the stately opulence of Abu Dhabi, a lone highway braves that void. Follow it, and out of the desolation, appears the Qasr al Sarab. A resort forged out of the dreams of Arabia, it mimics a 12th century Arabian fortress, but with a genie’s clap of Arabian Nights romanticism. My room was a luscious blend of dark woods, infinite thread counts, and Persian carpets, and with dawn, I looked out upon a dune scape in shades of gold. I sand-surfed all next day and conquered them!
A dinner of rib-eye washed down with a Barolo felt wrong but I submitted and afterward walked among Arabesque battlements. It was a new moon and the light sparkled in the night sky. It was so quiet that I felt the vastness wash through me.
Have you ever been to a place where you had to remind yourself you were “really there?” Yes, Abu Dhabi was just like that.
The country code for United Arab Emirates is +971.
What to Know:
Abu Dhabi, like the rest of the region, is socially conservative (particularly in or around mosques). Women must wear pants, or full-length skirts and blouses, plus a headscarf. Men can get away with short sleeves, but no shorts.
Where to Stay:
St. Regis Abu Dhabi — Housed in twinned towers overlooking the cerulean Persian Gulf (or “Arabian Gulf”), the property lives up to the St. Regis reputation. Discerning luxury hunters have their own beach (the Nation Riviera), butler service, six restaurants, a cigar room, and even a perfumery. And the rooms are over the top. Nation Tower, Corniche, P.O. Box 60476, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. +9 712 694 4444. marriott.com
Emirates Palace — The Emirates Palace revs the opulence quotient to the max; cappuccinos are even topped up in gold. Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, West Corniche Road, United Arab Emirates. +9 712 690 8888. emirates-palace
Qasr al Sarab — Arabic for “Palace of the Mirage,” this property fully embraces desert architecture and Arabian motifs to a fantastic effect. More of a retreat, the al Sarab is the world’s most Instagrammed hotel, and the accolade is earned. The food is astounding, the spa luxurious, and the landscape primordial. Falcon displays, camel rides, and a genie’s lamp full of other options are on the roster. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara P.O. Box 131277, 1 Qasr Al Sarab Road. +9 712 886 2088. qasr-al-sarab-abu-dhabi
Where to Eat:
Al Waha — The best rib-eye hands down! Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, 1 Qasr Al Sarab Road. +9 712 886 2088. qasr-al-sarab-abu-dhabi
La Toscana — I know, it feels strange to be eating Italian in the UAE, but once you have a forkful, it will all make sense. Nation Tower, Corniche, P.O. Box 60476, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. +9 712 694 4444. marriott.com
Le Cafe — The quintessential café of the Emirates Palace, this wall-less rotunda exudes resplendence and the gold sprinkled cappuccinos are priceless. Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, West Corniche Road, United Arab Emirates. +9 712 690 8888. emirates-palace/fine-dining
Mezlai — A monument to Emirati culture and desert decor, Mezlai revels in a diverse local cuisine that includes foods from sea, oasis, and land. The airy space recalls a royal Bedouin tent. Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, West Corniche Road, United Arab Emirates. +9 712 690 8888. mandarinoriental.com/abu-dhabi
The Terrace on the Corniche — This is the go-to at the St. Regis with breakfast buffets that are astounding and dinners on the patio that are to die for. Nation Tower, Corniche, P.O. Box 60476, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. +9 712 694 4444. marriott.com
Suhail — The rooftop grill at the Qasr al Sarab with views (and food) that will blow your mind. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara P.O. Box 131277, 1 Qasr Al Sarab Road. +9 712 886 2088. qasr-al-sarab-abu-dhabi
What to See & Do:
Brunch — A city tradition, lasting a full 48 hours from Friday to Sunday. It’s not unusual for people to hit several locations before lapsing into a food coma.
Eastern Mangroves Promenade — This green space offers an arboreal escape from Abu Dhabi’s city hustle. If you’re lucky, you may spot manatee-like dugongs. Visit Abu Dhabi.
Louvre Abu Dhabi — Designed by Jean Nouvel, the 86,000 square feet of gallery space bridges the artistic paradigms of East and West, the Old World and the New. Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. +971 600 56 55 66. louvreabudhabi.ae
The Galleria — A premier shopping/eating experience on Mariyah Island, the three-level Nation Galleria is full of international luxury brands. Restaurants Loca and Roberto’s are perfect stops to refuel. thegalleria.ae
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — The biggest mosque in the UAE, and with all the white marble, the brightest. The cavernous prayer hall has the world’s largest carpet. Named after the founder of the country, it’s a tourism spot as well as a place of worship. Book a tour to get the best experience. Note: proper wardrobe and demeanor are strictly enforced. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, PO Box 94944, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. +971 2 4191919. szgmc.gov.ae
Qasr Al Watan — The “Palace of the Nation” houses the Emirati Cabinet and Federal Supreme Council. Designed to house state functions, as well as being a museum and library, this is showcase architecture at its most blinged-out. Al Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi, PO Box 128717, United Arab Emirates. +971 600 544 442. qasralwatan.ae