Storm the desert and souk up some action

Abu Dhabi by Teresa Machan

Seaside: the corniche is popular with cyclists, rollerbladers and picnicking families

Storm the desert and souk up some action

There’s more to capital than you think

When I mentioned to a friend living in Dubai that I was visiting Abu Dhabi, he sounded confused.

“What do you want to go there for? It’s a sunnier version of Bognor or Skeggy,” he said.

Flicking through a guidebook on the flight over and reading about the Al Ain Morris Side – Abu Dhabi’s own merry band of Morris dancers – I feared he could be right.

But the reality was different. Dubai tends to view its sister emirates as poor cousins when it comes to tourism. Even the national airline, Emirates, ignores Abu Dhabi, its own capital.

But while Abu Dhabi may lack the ‘Las Vegas effect’ of Dubai, scratch the surface and there’s far more to the emirate than a bustling coastal capital where big-buck oil deals are struck and the odd Morris dance takes place.

Comprising 86% of the United Arab Emirates’ total land mass, Abu Dhabi encompasses 200 islands, rolling sand dunes and miles of desert. Vast areas lie undiscovered – including virgin dive sites and wildlife reservations, home to gazelle and oryx in the Empty Quarter.

The modern city of Abu Dhabi is noticeably green, with no less than 20 parks, while the Liwa region boasts spectacular, jaw-dropping dunes up to 270 metres high.

The emirate’s second city is Al Ain, which, with its buzzing souk and desert oases, is one of the UAE’s hidden gems.

Visitors are guaranteed the all-important beaches, five-star facilities, offshore sandy islands and excursions – but with the added bonus of a slice of the real Arabia. This makes the destination particularly attractive to fully inclusive tour clients and the repeat visitor market interested in venturing further afield.