As the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi is more traditional than nearby Dubai, and also much more compact. Unlike the sprawling nature of Dubai, Abu Dhabi has one discreet downtown area along the water, and most of the best shopping and attractions are in or near the area.
If you can only visit one it might be better to choose Dubai, but if you have time for both you might be one of many visitors who prefers Abu Dhabi.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi make up almost 100% of the tourist region of the United Arab Emirates, and Abu Dhabi is actually more interesting in many ways. The city has a very modern downtown area, but the culture is distinctly Emirati.
Since both cities are filled with foreign workers from around the globe, the food scene is amazing and much of it is quite affordable.
Some amazing attractions on the edges of town are also worth a look, including Ferrari World and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
| Population | 920,000 |
| Area | 920,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+4 |
| Currency | UAE dirham |
| Airports | Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) |
There’s a long sandy beach along the Corniche, which is the road and path that goes along the coast.
The must-see attraction is the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, which is free to visit for non-Muslims except Friday and Saturdays. There are free tours that are very worthwhile as well, but only at set times.
The shopping malls are also worth a look since prices are generally very reasonable and some of the designs are unlike anything you’ve seen outside of the Middle East.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 86.65 - 116.62 |
| 62.94 - 125.61 |
| 58.04 - 141.96 |
| 110.63 - 172.75 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | - |
With a reputation as one of the richest cities on earth, you might expect everything here to cost a fortune, but it really doesn’t. Most of the residents are foreign workers who often make quite low salaries, so there are plenty of cheap Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern restaurants if you look around a bit. Almost every hotel has a restaurant and usually a bar (or two) and these tend to be more expensive than the chain restaurants and fast food places in the mall food courts.
Just as in Dubai, alcohol is restricted only to hotel bars (and airport duty free shops). Even a glass of beer is expensive, and wine and spirits cost more, of course.
| Budget breakfast | Look for Indian, Chinese, or kebab shops for cheap meals around the clock. | $3.81 - $5.99 |
| Budget lunch | Same advice as for breakfast, although there are also fast food chains at the malls that are budget friendly as well. | $6.27 - $9.54 |
| Budget dinner | Assuming a sit-down dinner, for best value you have to avoid hotel restaurants and follow locals. Lebanese places are great value. | $9.54 - $16.35 |
| Pint of beer in a bar | Alcohol is only served at bars that are attached to hotels, and nothing is ever cheap. | $7.63 - $12.26 |
The hop-on, hop-off bus tour of Abu Dhabi is highly recommended as it connects all of the most interesting areas within a few hours. It’s a great way to orient yourself to the city, and it’s surprisingly efficient since Abu Dhabi is well built for motor vehicles.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 75 | 57 | 0.3 |
| February | 77 | 58 | 0.8 |
| March | 83 | 64 | 0.6 |
| April | 91 | 69 | 0.2 |
| May | 100 | 77 | 0.1 |
| June | 102 | 80 | 0.0 |
| July | 105 | 84 | 0.0 |
| August | 105 | 85 | 0.1 |
| September | 102 | 80 | 0.0 |
| October | 95 | 74 | 0.0 |
| November | 86 | 66 | 0.0 |
| December | 78 | 60 | 0.2 |
Abu Dhabi is obviously in a desert but it’s also along the Persian Gulf so it actually gets a bit humid in the summer months to go along with scorching heat. January can actually get a bit cool, especially at night, and foggy as well. At least you can safely leave the umbrella at home.
| 21 Mar | 6:26am | 6:34pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:35am | 7:14pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:11am | 6:20pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:02am | 5:39pm |
You’ll find most of the huge chain hotels represented in Abu Dhabi, and quite a few independent hotels that are even nicer. Unlike in Dubai, Abu Dhabi has no ‘cheap’ hotels or hostels. Standards are high in the larger hotels so value is still pretty good as long as you can afford a room.
Unsurprisingly, the high season for Abu Dhabi hotels runs more or less from November through April and the low season runs from May through October. Prices are lowest in the hottest months of July and August, which are really, really hot.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| - |
| 86.65 - 116.62 |
| 62.94 - 125.61 |
| 58.04 - 141.96 |
| 110.63 - 172.75 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | - |
Most visitors fly to Abu Dhabi through it’s huge airport that serves as the main hub for Emirates airlines. Flights can be quite cheap as there are dozens of competing airlines connecting the largest cities in Europe and Asia through Abu Dhabi.
If you start your trip in Dubai you can take a bus to Abu Dhabi in about two hours. Buses are frequent and they leave from several different places, going to several different places in Dubai.
The main downtown area of Abu Dhabi is easily walkable, although not so easy in the scorching summer months.
There is no metro system, so most tourists take taxis when they are going more than a few blocks. Fortunately, Abu Dhabi taxis are fairly inexpensive, well regulated, and safe.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 20.44 - 24.52 |
| Public bus from airport to city center | 1.09 |
| 3km taxi ride in Abu Dhabi | 1.91 - 3.00 |
| Public bus ride in Abu Dhabi | 0.54 |