Abu Dhabi (18-07-2025):
United Arab Emirates:
Abu Dhabi
Singapore:
Singapore
Malaysia:
Langkawi
Kuala Lumpur
Thailand:
Chiang Rai
Chiang Mai
Sukhothai
Bangkok
Vietnam:
Hanoi
Halong Bay
Phú Quoc
History of Abu Dhabi in a few lines:
Origins:
Abu Dhabi began as a small Bedouin settlement on a coastal island in the Persian Gulf, inhabited by nomadic tribes engaged in fishing and pearl diving.
18th Century:
The Bani Yas tribe established the first permanent settlement, becoming the basis of the present-day city.
19th Century:
Abu Dhabi established itself as a regional trading center, although its economy depended mainly on fishing and the pearl trade.
20th Century:
The discovery of oil in 1958 radically transformed the city, boosting its economic and urban development.
1971:
Abu Dhabi led the formation of the United Arab Emirates, becoming its political and administrative capital.
Present:
Today it is a modern metropolis, known for its cutting-edge architecture, museums such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and its role as a financial and cultural center in the Middle East.
It's the city of copies; we find the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Five Towers of Madrid, and so many other things…
We deliberately took a 15-hour layover to give us time to see everything, and honestly, you can skip it. In fact, we didn't spend that much time there because of the extreme heat and humidity.
If you decide to visit and have hand luggage, you can leave it, as we did, in a left luggage facility outside airport security but inside the arrivals terminal, for the modest price of €15 per bag (which is almost more expensive than the flight! 😅). It operated by the hour, and to top it off, the staff weren't exactly the friendliest.
Right there we met another couple who were also making that long stopover to explore the city: la_hormiga_curiosa. We decided to share a Careem (the local Uber) to visit the places we had listed in our guidebook.
We met:
Tremendous humidity combined with exorbitant heat.
The water on the beach was quite dirty and, without exaggeration, around 320º, maybe 425º 🤣. There are free drinking fountains with fresh water on the beach. There's a lifeguard, although it was deserted; we were the only ones who went in, but the sand in the water (which was somewhere between green and brown) was muddy.
Prices for everything are sky high.
It is a city of pure ostentation created for the tourist.
Sheikh Zayed Mosque: It is pretty, however., You have to be fully covered and no transparency is allowed. Men must also be covered; short sleeves and shorts are not allowed. In other mosques they lend you clothes at the entrance, but don't worry about this one because they already have several shops right at the entrance where you can spend money since they don't lend you anything.It cost us 95.00 AED for both of us). There are shops all along the lobby that leads to the entrance of the mosque, like a shopping mall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3-sSF–dME&list=PLqBZ9NQYfM8ZqY3Ou21n5dpFWNsYmdvcX
How to get to the city?: Careem App (our Cabify, Uber) or on public transport where you have to buy a transport card and can be recharged at any bus stop, although for the price of Careem it is more worthwhile to have them drop you off at door to door.
(Interesting note: the awnings are enclosed and air-conditioned).
Don't get a coffee at the airport: €6 each for a regular one.
Confirming that the beaches in Abu Dhabi are disgusting, from the sand to the incredibly dirty water, which is, without exaggeration, 250º. We have to say that the hotel beach... Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, It was pretty cool:
Flight: The price is not valid because it was a layover and from there we were going to Singapore, but for reference I add that it was €760/person round trip with Etihad Airways (an amazing company, planes and staff).
Travel insurance: Heymondo (Tranquility trip for 22 days): €80/person.
Information obtained from the web https://www.exteriores.gob.es
Passport: The maximum stay is 90 days.
Visa: We didn't have to apply for any visas.
Travel insurance: In this case we were traveling with Heymondo For €3 more, it gave us much greater coverage than IATI, and our total trip was 22 days.
Vaccines:
Mandatory: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travelers aged 9 months and over from countries with a risk of disease transmission, and for those who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country with a risk of disease transmission.
Recommended: none
Badge: Dirham (AED).
Payment card/currency exchange: we always go with Revolut y N26.
Roaming: NO Yes, so if you have your data enabled, you might get a nice little gift to take back with you. We recommend it in Asia. Airalo with better plans than Holafly.
GPS: Maps.me Download the maps for Spain and they work great offline, whether you're on foot, by car, or on public transport.
Translator: It's gotten us out of a few tight spots; it's a translator that doesn't require an internet connection, just download the language before you leave and you're good to go. Offline translator.
International driving permit: It is necessary because it does not belong to the EU. It order through the website DGT. Although the best thing is to move with Careem, It's like Uber but it's very affordable.
The international driving permit costs €10.51. The good thing is you can order it online and pick it up without an appointment. It took a couple of days for ours, and when you go to pick it up, it's a cardboard permit like the ones they had 20 years ago.
Practical tips for traveling to Abu Dhabi
If you're traveling to Abu Dhabi from Dubai, one of the most convenient options is to go by car or bus in about 1 hour and 30 minutes, something often overlooked in favor of booking package tours. Furthermore, transportation between the two cities is very easy and allows for hassle-free combined visits. Abu Dhabi is one of the most comprehensive destinations in the Gulf, ideal for combining culture, modern architecture, and desert experiences in just a few days.
