Abu Dhabi

You’ve never been shopping like this. Abu Dhabi offers a huge range of shopping outlets and products to peruse during your trip, from high-end jewellery to one-of-a-kind Arabian antiques. Prices for carpets, textiles and gold are particularly favourable.

Major shopping malls abound, including the The Galleria, located adjacent to Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, and Yas Mall, the capital’s largest shopping mall and UAE’s second largest. For traditional goods, visit Al Ain Souk or Souk Al Zafrana.

The Hotel would be happy to recommend many more shopping destinations based on your interests.

No leisure trip to Abu Dhabi is complete without a visit to the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Adorned with 82 white domes, more than 1,000 columns and 24-carat gold gilded chandeliers, the mosque has enough space to host 40,000 worshippers.

Distance from the Hotel: 20 kilometres
Travel time: Approximately 20 minutes

Other culturally significant attractions to explore during your trip to Abu Dhabi include the 19th-century Al Jahili Fort (approximately a two-hour drive from the Hotel) and Qasr al Hosn, the emirate’s first permanent structure, located just a 15-minute drive from the Hotel.

For a convenient mode of transportation that lets you fully take in the sights of Abu Dhabi, consider reserving a seat on a guided, two-storey Big Bus Tour bus.

Experience some of the most luxurious golf experiences in the Middle East during your trip to Abu Dhabi. Managed by world-renowned golf resort management organization Troon Golf, Abu Dhabi Golf Club features 27 championship holes and over 162 hectares of land, carved out of the desert and dotted with ornamental trees, shrubs and saltwater lakes. The course, designed by Peter Harradine, boasts strategically placed bunkers and spacious greens, creating a challenging but fair setting.

After golf, visit the iconic Falcon Clubhouse, which is indeed built in the shape of a falcon. The building’s “wings” span out wide and peer over the ninth and eighteenth holes.

Distance from the Hotel: 22 kilometres
Travel time: Approximately 30 minutes

Also managed by Troon Golf, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club offers another memorable golfing experience. Set on the edge of the Arabian Gulf, the 317-acre (128-hectare), par-72 course offers stunning water views, and each hole presents a unique landscape and challenge for golfers.

Distance from the Hotel: 13 kilometres
Travel time: Approximately 20 minutes

Go on a local desert excursion for a genuine taste of Arabian adventure. Empty Quarter, or Rub al Khali, is the world’s largest sand desert, located approximately an hour and a half south of Abu Dhabi. Drive a 4x4, go sand skiing or ride a camel among the majestic sand dunes. Local tourism companies even offer tourists authentic barbecue meals, henna tattoos and belly dancing performances. Ask the Hotel to help plan a desert adventure during your stay.

Visit one of the notable UAE zoos for memorable encounters with fascinating wildlife. At Emirates Park Zoo, kids will love meeting Madu and Rada in the Elephant Encounter, witnessing flipper stands during the Sea Lion Show, feeding giraffes and more.

Distance from the Hotel: 43 kilometres
Travel time: Approximately 30 minutes

Located an hour an a half from the Hotel, Al Ain Zoo boasts over 4,000 animals and offers a variety of wildlife experiences and educational programmes. Meet the UAE’s iconic animals, such as the Arabian Oryx and Sand Gazelles in the sand-bearing Arabian Exhibit, or watch your child ride a camel at the Children’s Zoo.

Distance from the Hotel: 162 kilometres
Travel time: Approximately 1.5 hours

Another family-friendly tourist attraction is the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, where you can get an educational tour (provided in multiple languages) and an up-close interaction with the falcons. As the national bird of the UAE, falcons hold a special place in Arabic history and culture, representing strength, courage, pride and grace. Falconry is a cherished pastime in the country. The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is the largest falcon hospital in the world and a worldwide leader in falcon treatment.

Distance from the Hotel: Approximately 50 kilometres
Travel time: 35 minutes

This unique “edutainment” (educational and entertaining) experience highlights the pearling industry’s history in the Gulf region. A tour with Abu Dhabi Pearl Journey includes sailing in a traditional Jalboot with local snacks, including gahwa, or Arabic coffee. Passengers watch an instructor demonstrate how traditional pearl diving was completed, and how crews could last up to four months on the sea at a time. Passengers will then learn how oysters are opened with a maflag (an authentic oyster knife) and get to keep any pearls they find inside.

Distance from the Hotel: Approximately 10 kilometres
Travel time: 12 minutes

Head out on a guided kayaking adventure among the picturesque mangrove forests. During your tour, look out for indigenous wildlife, including herons, crab plovers, sandpipers, cormorants and, if you’re lucky, flocks of pink flamingos.

Distance from the Hotel: 16 kilometres
Travel time: Approximately 25 minutes

The capital’s largest water park, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, is spread across 15 hectares (37 acres) with 45 rides, slides and attractions suiting a variety of adventure levels. Highlights include the Bubble’s Barrel, the world’s largest surfing sheet wave and the Dawwama mega-funnel. The park is located on Yas Island, next to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

Distance from the Hotel: 31 kilometres
Travel time: Approximately 30 minutes

Covered by its iconic red roof, Yas Island’s Ferrari World is the largest indoor theme park, featuring numerous rides inspired by the core values of the luxury Italian brand – passion, innovation and quality. The park boasts Formula Rossa, a Guiness World Record-breaking rollercoaster that accelerates guests up to 240 kilometres (150 miles) an hour. Other notable attractions include Speed of Magic, a 4-D virtual simulator, and the Galleria Ferarri car display.

Distance from the Hotel: 36 – 48 kilometres, depending on the route
Travel time: Approximately 45 minutes

Discover breathtaking views of the Abu Dhabi skyline from a two-storey Dhow cruise. The Dhow, a traditional Arabic boat once used by traders and merchants among the Gulf area, offers many modern amenities for today’s cruise goers, as well as food and beverages. The Hotel will be happy to plan a tour with Abu Dhabi Dhow Cruise for you.

Another option for water enthusiasts is Belevari, which offers yacht charters, catamaran tours, electric “eco-donut boat” rentals, speedboats and island tours. Let the Hotel plan a private charter for you, and witness the stunning gulf scenery from a luxury vessel.