4 Things To Do In Abu Dhabi On A Layover
Abu Dhabi is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates and also holds the distinction as the nation’s capital. Abu Dhabi is far less busy than its neighbor Dubai but still holds sway with its world-class attractions. After romping through Manchester and Liverpool, we decided to stopover Abu Dhabi on the way back to Malaysia since my wife’s cousin was working there.
While we took our time by spending a few days to visit these places, I feel all four of them can be done on a one-day or overnight layover. So, here’s four things to do in Abu Dhabi on a layover.
1 – Learn About Abu Dhabi’s Past At Heritage Village
Our first stop was the UAE Heritage Village. It is a reconstruction of a typical oasis village that includes a fort, a bazaar and a mosque. We decided to prioritize the Heritage Village because the complex is mainly open-air and gets a generous amount of the scorching Middle Eastern sun. Another reason I wanted to visit this place is to sample life before oil was discovered on this part of the Arabian Peninsula.
The Heritage Village is on a peninsula on Marina Island, facing the Arabian Gulf on one side and the Corniche on the other.
We entered the village through a pair of battlements into a courtyard of beautifully laid stone paths and frolicking date trees. We took a sharp right into a house where fabric weaving was being made. We saw nice-looking tapestries of red, white and black hanging on a wall outside and a loom with colorful fabric inside. A lady was busy weaving but she did not seem bothered so we just had a quick looksie.
The rest of the Heritage Village does look like a perfect recreation of a Bedouin outpost. Across the artisanal village is a mini souk where souvenirs and handicrafts are being sold, from the customary men’s thobe to the made-in-China fridge magnets. There was also a mini petting zoo when we realized the kids were chasing a flock of roaming chickens and ducks back to their coops!
At the other end of Heritage Village is the “administration building” converted into a museum of artifacts and heirlooms. The museum has a nice collection of old photographs of Abu Dhabi back when it was a scattering of villages by the coast. These were followed by remnants like woven camel harnesses and saddle and a gorgeous display of pearl necklaces and bracelets.
UAE Heritage Village also has replicas of ancient civilizations of which the 4,000 year-old settlement of Umm al-Nar is closer to home. Just 20 minutes away from the city center, the earliest known inhabitants of UAE used was involved in fishing and copper smelting. They used to trade as far as Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. The Heritage Village has replicas of above-ground tombs where each chamber kept several bodies.
UAE Heritage Village
Google Maps
Entrance fee: free
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Saturday – Thursday); 3:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m (Friday)
Read Also: 3 Amazing Day Trips From Abu Dhabi
2 – Get Lost In Louvre Abu Dhabi
If you have the shortest of short layovers, make Louvre Abu Dhabi the only place you visit. This floating museum on Saadiyat Island is divided into twelve galleries with an overarching theme of the similar “characteristics shared by humanity throughout history.” The museum showcases mind-blowing exhibits drawn from Louvre Abu Dhabi’s own collection together with loans from French, Emirati and regional museums.
I love how the museum is curated where the galleries are arranged chronologically from the dawn of civilization and each section talks about the commonalities found within that era. The first gallery talks about the creation of villages as precursor to empires. Although these settlements formed in different locales like the Near East, Central America and China, each society has a developed their own concept of belief and rituals.
I have to admit – I have never been to the Louvre in Paris but my observation here is the exhibits are perfectly arranged within the given space to impeccable lighting. The way the Winged Dragon sculpture is placed eye-level on a pedestal or the ceremonial armor of the Shishido family tucked in a dark corner with a beam of light shining on it shows the curator knows how to make each artifact stand out.
And the fact that most of the exhibits are not enclosed in a glass box gives us the feeling of being up close to history!
The form of expression changes as we go through the ages – sculptures give way to paintings and Louvre Abu Dhabi has an impressive collection like the majestic portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte Crossing The Alps by Jacques-Louis David and a solemn self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh. The final room even featured Ai Wei Wei’s “Fountain of Light,” a curvaceous steel structure lighted up by 32,400 light crystals.
The last part of Louvre Abu Dhabi is an architectural wonder by itself. I felt we entered into another part of the “brain,” an open void showered by lights from the network of stars above. Architect Jean Nouvel designed this “rain of light” as a tribute to the palm trees that filter the sunlight creating streak-like patterns on the ground. Louvre Abu Dhabi is truly a spectacle from the moment you step foot to the moment you leave the grounds.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Google Maps
Entrance fee: AED 60 (Adults,) AED 30 (Children 13-22 years)
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Tuesday – Wednesday, Saturday – Sunday); 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Thursday – Friday)
3 – Go For Gold At Emirates Palace
After all that walking, it’s time to take a break with style!
Emirates Palace is a luxurious five-star hotel serving one of the most extravagant cup of coffees in the world – an espresso topped with gold flakes. Not to be confused with a real palace (the UAE Presidential Palace is just down the road), the Emirates Palace boasts 394 residences, all mainly furnished in gold and marble. The hotel has 115 domes and painted with different shades of brown to resemble colors of the desert.
The inside of Emirates Palace is as grand and opulent as it can be. The main dome towers into an aesthetically pleasing geometric balance and shape. I swear I could look at how harmonious the patterns are all day. The place to sip my gold coffee is at the lounge of Le Café, which serves an assortment of pastries, sweets and cakes besides claiming to have the best afternoon tea in Abu Dhabi.
At the price AED 73 ($20 / RM85), the Emirates Palace Cappuccino comes with frothy fresh milk with a sprinkle of 23-karat gold flakes. Once the tray arrived, I was at a loss at how to consume it – should I stir before sipping the whole lot or do I consumer the gold flakes and coffee separately? On the other hand, our little one wanted ice-cream so his chocolate came with a 23-karat gold film.
While my son couldn’t care less about his gold film, I finally decided to savor my gold flakes bit by bit while sipping the cappuccino. While the gold just tasted like any other flakes, at least we got to savor just a teeny bit of the high life.
Read Also: Travel Diary: How To Maximize 3 Days In Istanbul, Turkey
4 – Wander Around The Spectacular Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
If you still have a few hours to spare, do visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque for all its splendor. Named after the founder of the UAE, this white-washed masjid took about a decade to complete using 3,000 workers and 38 contractors from around the globe! The mosque draws inspiration from Mamluk, Ottoman and Fatimid architecture with its multiple domes, minarets and a central courtyard.
While its exterior is comparable to many other greats mosques in the Muslim world, the finishing touches makes Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque a class above the rest.
The “whiteness” comes from pure white marble while corners of the mosque are beautified with panels of Iznik tiles. The inside is no different as seven Swarovski crystal chandeliers, weighing from two to 12 tons, illuminate the main prayer hall. What I find unimaginable is the mosque’s carpet – the largest hand-knotted carpet in the world at 5,700 m². The whole process of designing, knotting, transporting, trimming and weaving took up to two years!
One of my favorite parts of the mosque is the arcade adorned with 1,096 columns. The top part is a gilded representation of the date palm tree while etched flowers decorate the length of the columns. This “field” of flowers were hand-crafted using the Pietra Dura technique where precious stones like lapis lazuli, amethyst and abalone shell were inlaid. If you have been to the Taj Mahal, you would recognize that the same technique was used to decorate the inner chambers of the mausoleum.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Google Maps
Entrance fee: free
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Saturday – Thursday); Friday 4:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Where would you go if you had a layover in Abu Dhabi? What would be your top place to visit if you only had a few hours to kill? Sound off in the comment section below!
The heritage village seems interesting. It is surreal to see how Abu Dhabi (or UAE as a whole) looked like before they found oil. Just a simple life.
The Louvre – is it safe with kids around since some of the artifacts are not in glass box?
During our Eurotrip we transited at Abu Dhabi but it was for a short 4 hours. So, did not manage to go out and explore haha
As far as safety is concerned at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, each gallery has security so just make sure you monitor you kid from touching any of the exhibits.
I enjoyed my day visit at Abu Dhabi last year. Particularly, the Louvre and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. But I was taken aback when I enter the underground shopping mall connected to the Grand Mosque!
Wait, there’s a mall connected to the Grand Mosque? They really love their shopping, don’t they?