Abu Dhabi
An island capital built around a fort of 1761, a white mosque of eighty-two domes, museums on Saadiyat, and a business-jet airport inside the city.
- Arrival
- Zayed International · AUH
- To the city
- About 30 km east of the centre
- Private jets
- Al Bateen Executive Airport, on the island
- Best time
- November to April
The city
The fort, the mosque and the islands.
Abu Dhabi began at Qasr Al Hosn, a fort built in 1761 that is still the oldest building in the emirate, and the city has spread out across its islands from there. Further out stands the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, white marble under eighty-two domes. Offshore, Saadiyat has become a quarter of museums, from the Louvre to the Zayed National Museum, opened in December 2025.
Come between November and April. Days are in the mid-twenties to low thirties and the Gulf stays warm enough to swim, from about 21 degrees in winter. From May the highs reach 38 degrees and more, and stay above 35 until October.
Arriving
An airport for airlines, one for jets.
Airlines fly into Zayed International, thirty kilometres east of the city. Business jets use Al Bateen, the old city airport on the island itself, about ten kilometres from the centre.
- Doha 45 min
- Riyadh 1 h 20
- Delhi 3 h 20
- London 7 h 25 long-range jet
- Johannesburg 8 h 25 long-range jet
When to go
November to April.
Dry almost all year and very hot in summer. November to April is the season, with highs between 24 and 33 degrees and a little rain in winter. The sea runs from 21 degrees in January to 33 in high summer.
- 24° J 7 21°
- 25° F 21 21°
- 28° M 15 22°
- 33° A 6 25°
- 38° M 1 29°
- 39° J 0 31°
- 41° J 0 33°
- 41° A 1 33°
- 39° S 0 33°
- 35° O 0 31°
- 30° N 0 27°
- 26° D 6 24°
What to see and do
Days in and around Abu Dhabi.
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Landmark
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Eighty-two domes in white marble, and a hand-knotted carpet covering more than five thousand square metres.
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Landmark
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Jean Nouvel's museum on Saadiyat, where sunlight falls through the dome as a rain of light.
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Landmark
Qasr Al Hosn
The fort where the city began, and Erth, a starred Emirati table within its grounds.
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Culture
Zayed National Museum
Opened in December 2025, Foster + Partners' building with five falcon wing towers tells the story of Sheikh Zayed and the land in six permanent galleries.
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Culture
Qasr Al Watan
The working presidential palace has been open to visitors since 2019, with a 37 metre dome, a chandelier of 350,000 crystals and a library of over 50,000 books.
Official site -
Racing & sport
Yas Marina Circuit
Home of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009, the 5.281 km track runs driving and passenger experiences, karting and venue tours.
Official site -
Nature
Jubail Mangrove Park
Boardwalks and kayak routes lead through a protected mangrove ecosystem, the emirate's first education and leisure destination of its kind.
Official site -
Wildlife
Al Wathba Wetland Reserve
Greater flamingos gather in this reserve set up by Sheikh Zayed in 1998 and listed as a Ramsar wetland in 2013.
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Wildlife
Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital
Some 11,000 falcons a year pass through this hospital, opened in 1999, which began taking visitors on tours in 2007.
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Desert
Al Khatim Desert
Off the E22 towards Al Ain, low dunes and old alluvial valleys are where local operators run dune drives, camel rides and evening desert safaris.
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Golf
Yas Links Abu Dhabi
Kyle Phillips laid out this links course on the western shore of Yas Island in 2010, and it hosts the DP World Tour's Abu Dhabi Championship.
On the calendar
Dates to plan around.
Dates as published by the organisers. Runways, hotels and slots fill early around these weeks: the sooner we know, the more choice you have.
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2–5 Nov 2026
Energy
ADIPEC
Annual energy industry exhibition and conference at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi, focused on oil, gas and the energy transition.
ADNEC
In 4 days
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5–8 Nov 2026
Golf
Abu Dhabi Championship
DP World Tour Rolex Series play-off event at Yas Links, now held in November ahead of the season finale in Dubai.
Yas Links
In 7 days
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12–15 Nov 2026
Golf
DP World Tour Championship
Season ending event of the DP World Tour, which decides the Race to Dubai, on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course, Dubai, about 104 km away
In 2 weeks
-
25–29 Nov 2026
Yachting
Dubai International Boat Show
Annual boat and superyacht show organised by Dubai World Trade Centre, held at Dubai Harbour.
Dubai Harbour, Dubai, about 105 km away
In 4 weeks
-
4–6 Dec 2026
Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Round 24 of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, held at Yas Marina Circuit.
Yas Marina Circuit
In 5 weeks
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7–10 Dec 2026
Finance
Abu Dhabi Finance Week
Four day financial event hosted by Abu Dhabi Global Market, with 75 events across eight stages in its 2026 edition.
ADGM, Al Maryah Island
In 6 weeks
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7–11 Dec 2026
Technology & AI
GITEX Global
Technology exhibition held in Dubai, moving in 2026 to Expo City Dubai and to December, with a summit day at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Expo City Dubai, Dubai, about 96 km away
In 6 weeks
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21–24 Jan 2027
Golf
Dubai Desert Classic
DP World Tour Rolex Series event played on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club.
Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, about 106 km away
In 3 months
Where to stay
From the Corniche to the Saadiyat beaches.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Domes by the hundred over a 1.3-kilometre private beach, two starred restaurants, and the only hotel in the city with two MICHELIN Keys.
- Rosewood Abu Dhabi A knife-edged tower on Sowwah Square, its shape taken from the art of falconry.
- Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island One bridge from the business district, with a rooftop pool over the water.
- Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers Glass towers above Corniche Beach, with a whole sixtieth floor given to one suite.
- Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Rooms and villas on a beach away from the centre, with three infinity pools.
- Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island An all-inclusive resort of 288 rooms with a waterpark and villas with their own pools, holding one MICHELIN Key.
- The St. Regis Abu Dhabi In Nation Tower on the Corniche, where the Abu Dhabi Suite takes up the 48th and 49th floors.
- The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi Five pools and 376 rooms on the beach, with the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club alongside.
- The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal Fifty-two acres on Al Maqta Creek facing the Grand Mosque, with the Bedouin Spa in a building of its own.
- Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi Every room has a balcony or terrace on the water, and traditional boats ply a canal through the grounds past the hotel's own souk.
- Fairmont Bab Al Bahr At the entrance to the island, with a private beach facing the Grand Mosque and a steakhouse under Marco Pierre White's name.
- Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl At the western end of the Corniche, 368 rooms and suites and sixty serviced apartments with balconies.
- Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi Inside the slanting Capital Gate tower beside the exhibition centre, with its pool deck and spa on the 19th floor.
- Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas Thirteen beachfront villas with their own pools sit beside 327 rooms on Saadiyat's nine kilometres of sand.
- Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche Its 280 rooms look over the Gulf from Corniche Road East, and the grill restaurant is on the eighth floor.
- Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort Open since 1979, one of the first international beach hotels in the emirate, with a lagoon pool and a British pub.
- Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana A dry hotel of 443 rooms opposite Emirates Palace, on a private beach of two hundred metres.
- Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi Linked directly to Abu Dhabi Mall, between downtown and Al Maryah Island, with a private beach and some twelve bars and restaurants.
- Le Méridien Abu Dhabi Resort A city resort on a 200-metre beach close to Abu Dhabi Mall.
- Park Rotana Abu Dhabi Behind Khalifa Park on the Eastern Ring Road, a business hotel of 318 rooms.
Where to dine
Three starred tables, two at the Palace.
From the MICHELIN Guide 2026, shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these restaurants.
- Erth One Michelin star Emirati $$$ Qasr Al Hosn
- Hakkasan One Michelin star Chinese $$$$ Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
- Talea by Antonio Guida One Michelin star Italian $$$$ Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
Elsewhere in United Arab Emirates
More reasons to come.
Flying to Abu Dhabi?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.