TimeOut Abu Dhabi – April 24, 2019

50 things to do

18 April 24 – 30 2019 timeoutabudhabi.com

O From Dhs5. Open Sun-Thu 7am-10pm, Fri-Sat 8am-

10pm. Dihan Street, Muroor (02 621 7323).

31

Go on safari at Sir Bani

Yas Island

This island safari park is so super cool. Home

to a whole host of free-roaming wildlife like

cheetahs, giraffes and oryx, you can get there

by taking a boat or a 50-minute seaplane

ride from Yas Island. You can explore this

incredible place by taking a wildlife drive

through the park, going on a nature walk or

on a horse ride. There are also three Anantara

hotels on the island if you want to turn your

visit into more than a day trip.

O Prices vary. Sir Bani Yas Island, off coast of Ruwais

(02 801 5266).

32

Get your culture fix at The

Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

We’re all jealous of those lucky people who

get to go to university at NYU Abu Dhabi, but

at least we get to enjoy the fantastic facilities

at The Art Center. Offering Àlm screenings,

dance performances, poetry readings and

musical recitals, there’s always so much to

see and experience.

O Prices vary. NYUAD Campus, Saadiyat Island

(02 628 6868).

33

Take in the Abu Dhabi skyline

at The Corniche

This eight-kilometre stretch of beach has free

public areas, parks, playgrounds and loads of

cool cafés and food trucks. Walking, jogging

or cycling along the waterfront also lets you

take in some of the most iconic buildings in

the capital such as Emirates Palace and The

St. Regis Abu Dhabi. You’ll also be able to get

some amazing pics of the white sands and

blue waters. You can hire a bike for a whole

day for Dhs20 from bikeshare service Cyacle,

and afterwards you can recover with a snooze

on the public beach (which is free to enter).

O From Dhs20 (bike hire for 24 hours). The Corniche,

http://www.bikeshare.ae (800 292 253).

34

Go on an adventure in

The Empty Quarter

Every Abu Dhabi resident should take a trip

into the Empty Quarter at least once, if only

for to get some incredible pictures of the huge

sand dunes. The amazing landscape looks like

a Àlm set, and indeed scenes from Star Wars:

The Force Awakens were shot here. Head out

on a desert safari to try dune bashing, camel

riding and experience a traditional Bedouin

barbecue dinner.

O Tours are provided by various companies, including

Desert Rose Tourism (50 177 7458).

35

Get educated at

The Heritage Village

This quaint recreation of a traditional Emirati

village lets you watch demonstrations of

traditional crafts like metal work, pottery,

weaving and glassblowing. The nearby beach

offers pretty views of the city’s skyline, and

there’s also a replica fort, souk and mosque,

plus a couple of goats and a camel for the

animal lovers among you.

O Free. Sat-Thu 9am-4pm; Fri 3.30pm-9pm. Near

Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Corniche Breakwater

(02 681 4455).

Yas Marina and sail toward a diving site one

nautical mile away. While on board, you’ll

listen to folkloric pearl diving stories and join

the hosts in singing along to age-old Emirati

songs. You’ll then be taught traditional

pearling and diving methods to harvest real

oyster shells from pearl beds in the depths of

the Arabian Gulf. This is a cultural experience

not to be missed.

O Dhs500 (adults), Dhs250 (kids under 12), free (kids

under eight). Wed-Fri, 8am-1.30pm. Yas Marina, Yas

Island (054 445 5515).

30

Relax with a cup of karak at

Shay Madhboot

Karak is just one of those things that you

have to try while you’re here. We can also

guarantee that once you do, you’ll be totally

hooked. Sweet, creamy and beautifully

spiced, karak makes every other cup of

tea you’ve ever had seem totally rubbish in

comparison. We’re afraid it’s time to say bye

to those blended bags that you used to think

were the greatest. Shay Madhboot serves an

exceptional cup of chai, and savouring

a steaming mug of it while chatting with

your fellow karak lovers is a blissful way of

spending an afternoon without having to push

the boat out.

“It’s a

cultural

experience

not to be

missed”

Serdal Pearl Diving

The Empty Quarter

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