Visit Abu Dhabi
The capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi is the largest and wealthiest emirate of the seven that form the country.
Before the discovery of oil in 1958, Abu Dhabi relied heavily on pearl diving, fishing and date cultivation. In recent years, however, oil wealth has been used to transform the city into a modern, rapidly expanding metropolis that makes headlines around the world, sparking interest from travellers and investors near and far.
Despite this rapid transformation, history, heritage and culture are still very important to
Abu Dhabi and there are many ways in which
Abu Dhabi visitors can experience this for themselves.
The Heritage Village, for example, is a re-creation of Bedouin life and has
displays, a small museum and souk.
Al Ain, the 'garden city', is the heritage hub of the emirate with its historical forts, date plantations and multiple museums. Al Ain sits at the base of Jebel Hafeet, the emirate's highest peak, and is also listed for possible inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Abu Dhabi city is also pushing a cultural agenda of its own. Saadiyat Island's Cultural District will soon be home to the Louvre and Guggenheim museums in addition to a maritime museum, national museum and performing arts centre.
