Abu Dhabi is the capital of the seven-member United Arab Emirates (UAE). With a population of 921,000, it is the second-largest city in the United Arab Emirates. Fifty years ago the city was not much more than a fishing village with a fort, huts and above all, the desert. Today, it is one of the world’s largest producers of oil and is a cosmopolitan metropolis experiencing rapid development and appealing to tourists from Europe and across the Middle East. The city has a more laid-back atmosphere and is more authentically Arab and less westernized than the other major UAE city, Dubai. TABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction to Abu Dhabi Overview Culture Location & Orientation Climate & When to Visit Sightseeing Highlights Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque Emirates National Auto Museum Dune Bashing Khalifa Park Eastern Mangroves Lagoon National Park Women’s Handicraft Centre Heritage Village Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital Al Maqtaa Fort and Palace Formula One Race Track Dhow Harbor and Iranian Souk The Corniche Masdar City Recommendations for the Budget Traveler Places to Stay Al Ain Palace Centro Yas Island Grand Continental Flamingo Ibis Abu Dhabi Gate Hotel Park Inn by Radisson at Yas Island Places to Eat and Drink Trader Vic’s Bravo Al Arish & Al Mina Restaurants Café Arabia Yas Beach Hilton Jazz Bar Places to Shop Red Sea Antiques Souk Al Zafarana Al Jimi Mall Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre & Gold Centre Hamdan Centre
