*We've asked our guest blogger, Uzy Nwachukwu, to share her recent travel experience to Abu Dhabi on our BudgetAir.co.uk Blog.

Exploring Abu Dhabi: My travel experience

I recently had the pleasure of exploring the UAE (United Arab Emirates) capital, Abu Dhabi. For those of you who don’t know, Abu Dhabi is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and the second most populous city after Dubai, located south-east of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf.

Where to visit when visiting Abu Dhabi?

• Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
• Louvre Abu Dhabi
• Qasr Al Watan
• Ferrari World
• Polaris Drift Sprint (Yas Marina Circuit)
• Emirates Tours & Safari (Half-Day Desert Safari)

1. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

You cannot go to Abu Dhabi without visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque! Firstly, entry is free (so you have no excuse) and more importantly - it is one of the world's largest mosques, with one of the most exquisite architectural structures, no surprise considering it cost 2 Billion dirhams ( ~400 million gbp) to build. The attention to detail was phenomenal! Something I urge you to experience in person.

👠 Dress code: What should I wear when visiting the Grand Mosque?

• Women: hair must be covered and long sleeved clothing and long bottoms must be worn. An abaya can be provided at the entrance which can be worn on top of your clothes.
• Men: long bottoms (no shorts)

💲 Does it cost to enter the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque?: It's free, but online booking is recommended.

🚕 How long does it take reach the Grand Mosque from Yas Island? It takes approximately 30 mins via taxi from Yas Island.

2. The Louvre Abu Dhabi

For the art lovers, I highly recommend a visit to the Louvre. If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering how it has the same name as the famous Louvre museum situated in Paris and the answer is the UAE government paid the French government $525 million dollars to use the name for 30.5 year!

Located in Saadiyat Island, it is the largest art museum in the Arabian Peninsula. After 10 years of construction, It was established in 2017 as France’s largest cultural project abroad. This immaculate structure was designed by architect Jean Nouvel.

Personally, my favourite part of the museum had to be the dome structure! I was fascinated by the light and shadow play casted by the perforated dome and made sure to arrive around midday so I could see the best light play. I also loved views of the dome front the outside where it is surrounded by beautifully blue water, It is just surreal. There are also 12 galleries which showcase human creativity.

The museum is also home to the prestigious French brasserie, Fouquet’s restaurant open for a relaxed fine dining experience - which I will definitely be going back for!

👞 Dress code: What should I wear when visiting the Louvre Abu Dhabi?:

• No set dress code

💲 Does it cost to enter the Louvre Abu Dhabi?: 60 AED for Adult / FREE for children under 18* (*Children under 3 years are not allowed not permitted into the Auditorium other, exception for when family events are held)

🌊 How much does it the kayaking tour around the museum cost?: 126 AED per person

🚕 How long does it take reach the Louvre Abu Dhabi from Yas Island?: It takes approximately 20 mins via taxi from Yas Island.

3. Qasr Al Watan

Unsurprisingly, the Presidential palace, Qasr Al Watan, is one of the UAEs most iconic landmarks. It can be found at the end of the pristine Corniche road and lies next to the Emirates Palace. This building was initially to receive political and religious leaders, but later opened to the general public in 2019 to show case UAE heritage.

The architecture was extraordinary. No wonder it has been listed as one of the best landmarks in the world. You can expect to pass through a security check upon entry at the visitors centre. You are then transported to the Presidential Palace by a bus where you are free to roam about. A booked tour should take you approximately 2-3 hours. You can find a restaurant, and souvenir shop located within the palace.

I arrived at the palace around midday. Which in hindsight wasn’t the best time in my opinion, only because of how intense the sun was. It meant I wasn’t able to enjoy the exterior as well as I would have liked to.

On the bright side, the interior was pretty empty which gave me the opportunity to admire the intricate design work without any distractions which was priceless.

👠 Dress code: What should I wear when visiting the Qasr Al Watan?:

• Ladies: long sleeved shirt (no crop tops) and long skirt or bottoms
• Men: long bottoms (no shorts)

💲 Does it cost to enter the Qasr Al Watan?: 60 AED for Adults / 30 AED for Children* (* 17 years or younger)

🚕 How long does it take reach the Qasr Al Watan from Yas Island?: It takes approximately 45 mins via taxi from Yas Island.

4. Ferrari World

To my fellow adrenaline junkies, you could take a visit to Ferrari World. An indoor theme park located on Yas Island, in Yas Marina mall. Home to the world's fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa. Honestly, I couldn’t be staying around the corner from the fastest ride in the world and not give it a go.

When I visited, it was actually very quiet. Probably due to covid and schools being in sessions, but I’m not complaining... I loved it like this. I managed to get on Formula Rossa twice due to the lack of queues.

For me there were only two other exciting rides after Formula Rossa and after that I was ready to go home.

Personally, I don’t think the indoor theme park was worth the money as it is targeted more towards kids, but if you have little ones and fancy a family day out there is something for everyone. With that being said, although I thought it was a bit over priced, I still really enjoyed my experience and now have bragging right considering I survived the fastest ride in the world, not once but twice BACK TO BACK!

👞 Dress code: What should I wear when visiting Ferrari World?:

• No set dress code

💲 Does it cost to enter Ferrari World?: 295 AED for Adults / 230 AED for children* (*Children aged 3 years or younger can enter for FREE)

🚕 How long does it take reach Ferrari World from Yas Island?: It takes approximately 5 mins via taxi from Yas Island.

5. Polaris Drift Sprint (Yas Marina Circuit)

Another recommended visit for my fellow adrenaline junkies, riding a Polaris RZR. A driving experience like no other, located within the Yas marina circuit. You get trained by a professional, then you can take the wheels for a spin on a wet course.

I enjoyed this experience more than I expected considering I am an overly cautious driver, but after being reassure that the Polaris was not able to flip over I was confident enough to let loose!

👠 Dress code: What should I wear when visiting the Yas Marina Circuit?:

• No set dress code

💲 Does it cost to enter the Yas Marina Circuit?: 249 AED for drivers over 19 years* (*Driver's licence required. Additional conditions may be required.)

🚕 How long does it take reach the Yas Marina Circuit from Yas Island?: It takes approximately 10 mins via taxi from Yas Island.

6. Emirates Tours & Safari (Half-Day Desert Safari)

Touring the desert in a jeep was a surreal experience. It started off with dune dashing which will have your heart in your throat (this was my favourite part)! Probably better then a rollercoaster ride in my opinion.

Followed by a visit to a camel farm just before watching the sunset from the dunes. We then arrived at a traditional Arabic camp in which we had the opportunity to sand board and camel ride. I opted out of sand boarding because I didn’t want to get dirty if I’m being honest. After a short ride, we had a flavoursome and filling dinner. The lights were turned off for a while for some star gazing and the night ended with a memorable belly dance.

👞 Dress code: What should I wear for the desert safari tour?:

• No set dress code

💲 How much is the half-day desert safari?: 220 AED per person

🚕 How long does it take to get to the venue for the desert safari from Yas Island?: It takes approximately 1 hour from Yas Island (Shuttle pick-up).

When is the best time to visit Abu Dhabi?

• April - May
• September - October
• (For best weather...) December - March

Where did I stay during my stay in Abu Dhabi?

The W hotel, Yas Island. Only 10 minutes away from Abu Dhabi airport. This 5 star hotel is located within the Yas Marina circuit - offering spectacular views of one of the worlds most advanced formula 1 circuits.

Good to know when visiting Abu Dhabi during Covid

Due to covid, in order to access public centres in Abu Dhabi, a green status on the Alhosn app is mandatory. A green status is given to fully vaccinated people and is valid for 30 days with a negative PCR test. Those exempt from being vaccinated can also obtain a green status on the app as long as they have a negative PCR which is valid for 7 days. When the PCR test is no longer valid, the status on the app will change to grey and access to public places would be denied.

Wearing a covid mask is mandatory at all times except when seated and at a restaurant and when standing to take a photo. Those who don’t comply risk being fined 3,000 AED.

Flying with Etihad Airways

I had the pleasure of flying with Etihad Airways. Genuinely speaking, it was my best flight experience to date. From the smooth check in, to the warm welcoming from the cabin crew. The plane interior stood out to me. I really liked the brown aesthetic. Oh and I haven’t even gotten to how delicious the food on board was.

On my way home, I flew business and my experience was surreal. I didn’t feel like I was flying at all, that’s how comfortable I was. I spoke about enjoying the food in economy but the menu in business was so prestigious. Quite frankly, at some points I wished the flight was longer. Although I wasn’t tired on the flight back, I wanted to try out the ‘bed’ for experience sake and oh it was so cosy! My heart sunk when the landing announcement was made and we had to put our seats in landing position. I just wished I had a bit more time.

To conclude, I had an amazing 4 days in Abu Dhabi. The only thing I would change is the duration I had stayed, I wish it had been longer. There were so many more things I wish I had done ie beach visits but I find that saving something to come back for can be all part of the fun of travelling!
Now that you are interested, compare flight fares to Abu Dhabi on BudgetAir.co.uk!

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