Also, try visiting as many of its unique attractions as possible. Start with ready-made UAE tour packages, then ask your destination manager to customise them according to your preferences and preferred schedule.
Here are 10 places worthy of inclusion in your Abu Dhabi tour itinerary.
- Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is the go-to theme park for roller coaster enthusiasts. It features one of the globe’s fastest roller coasters, Formula Rossa, the roller coaster with the tallest non-inverted loop, Flying Aces, and a one-of-a-kind esports arena with GT and F1 racing simulators.
- Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is a mega-waterpark, the largest water theme park in Abu Dhabi. It has three incredible body-speed slides: Jebel Drop (the steepest slide, which drops you almost straight down from a height of 10 stories), Liwa Loop (a looping, closed-chute slide accessible via a floor hatch), and Hamlool’s Humps (an open-chute slide with two humps to interrupt your descent and momentarily lift you off the slide).
- Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is an indoor theme park, the largest in the region. The mega theme park is also fully air-conditioned for your comfort. The rides are inspired by your favourite Warner Bros. World movies, comics and television shows. You may also meet your favourite pop culture characters, such as the Flintstones, the Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, Batman, and Tom (the cat) and his archnemesis, Jerry (the mouse).
- SeaWorld™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is the world’s largest indoor marine life theme park. This is the go-to place in Abu Dhabi for learning about and understanding life under the ocean. It has eight realms that reflect different types of marine ecosystems, including the Abu Dhabi Ocean, the Tropical Ocean, the Arctic, and Antarctica. Here, too, you’ll find Endless Ocean, a massive, multi-species marine aquarium with more than 68,000 animals. Don’t forget to try the Manta Coaster roller coaster on your visit.
- CLYMB™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
CLYMB Yas Island, Abu Dhabi is an adventure hub that offers two activities: indoor skydiving and indoor climbing. The indoor skydiving flight chamber at CLYMB is the tallest and widest in the world. It offers five indoor climbing experiences, from bouldering to The SUMMYT™, the tallest indoor climbing wall in the region. Note that children are welcome to try skydiving and wall climbing.
- Qasr Al Watan, Al Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi
Qasr Al Watan is the presidential palace; actual government work is being accomplished here. It’s open to the public, which is a good thing because it’s spectacular. It’s opulent, extravagant, and all that you expect a royal palace to be, but every piece of marble, every bit of stained glass, and every sculpture is a tribute to the rich culture and heritage of the Emirati people and the Arab world’s contributions to human knowledge and civilisation.
- Emirates Palace, West Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi
Emirates Palace is a Mandarin Oriental hotel and an architectural masterpiece. The palatial landmark, built on an area of one million square meters (100 hectares), has 114 domes. The architecture is primarily in the Arabian style, with Andalusian influences, and the combination of materials (natural stone, gold, and mother of pearl) creates beautiful textures.
The interiors are adorned with tens of thousands of square meters of 24-carat gold leaf gilding. This is why the Palace has an in-house gold-leaf specialist for maintenance. The exterior has primarily golden hues, a nod to the desert sands of the UAE.
- Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is a universal museum, the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula. Named after the Musée du Louvre in France, this museum is the fruit of the cooperation and collaboration between the governments of France and Abu Dhabi. One of the museum’s defining features is the (seemingly) floating roof, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. It has been crafted from 7,850 stars of varying sizes, arranged at various angles across eight layers to allow dappled natural light to filter through and bathe the museum complex’s interior.
- The Abrahamic Family House, Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
The Abrahamic Family House symbolises the need to bring different people and cultures together. It’s one block with three places of worship, each one holding actual worship services:
- Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque
- Francis Church
- Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue
- teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
teamLab Phenomena is a technologically forward art collective that is home to interactive and multi-sensory artworks. Using modern tech and the varied expertise of programmers, animators, mathematicians, artists, and architects, teamLab immerses guests into the art pieces and encourages them to touch and perceive how the art responds.
An Abu Dhabi City Tour Itinerary
The easiest way to explore the city is to book an Abu Dhabi City tour. An excellent sample itinerary would include pick-up from and drop-off at your Abu Dhabi hotel in a private car, lunch and a whole day spent visiting various city landmarks, including:
- Qasr Al Watan: The UAE’s presidential palace made of white limestone and granite and exhibiting various artifacts and works of art. You’ll learn about the UAE's history and future direction on your visit.
- Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental: Get a rare photo opportunity in this lavish and grand hotel, which is adorned with 22-carat gold leaf, more than a thousand crystal chandeliers, and over a hundred domes.
- Qasr Al Hosn: Qasr Al Hosn, which used to be a watchtower and then the ruling family’s home, is now a historical landmark. It’s the oldest stone building in the city.
- House of Artisans: Learn about traditional Emirati crafts through exhibits, live demonstrations and workshops. This attraction is located in the Qasr Al Hosn District.
- Lunch at Otantik: Otantik is a traditional Mediterranean restaurant. It uses classic recipes and traditional techniques for an authentic Mediterranean dining experience.
- teamLab Phenomena: See above.
- Abrahamic Family House: Also located in the cultural district of Saadiyat Island, Abrahamic Family House is a complex with three houses of worship to showcase the peaceful co-existence of the major Abrahamic religions: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: This is the largest mosque in the UAE. It has the world’s largest carpet, massive crystal chandeliers, marble domes beautifully mirrored by the reflective pools, and an exterior lighting system that changes from white to blue according to the lunar cycle.
- Wahat Al Karama: Marvel at and get your photo taken with the 31 massive tablets clad in aluminum as your backdrop in this war memorial and national monument.
Note: Getting a package tour? Abu Dhabi City package tour itineraries can change without prior notice due to seasonality and other factors.
Explore Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is a unique marriage of the distinct Arabian culture and the philosophy of cosmopolitanism, of tradition and innovation. The above places highlight this beautiful fusion. Visit them to experience Abu Dhabi.