BEYOND TRACK LIMITS
DON'T MISS...
While hardly off the beaten track, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is well worth a visit. The collection itself is a bit too 'let's get one of everything' for my tastes, but the building itself is sensational, and worth theprie of entry on its own.
EAT LIKE A LOCAL...
While AbDab is heaving with high-end restaurants branded by big name chefs, it would be a shame to visit the UAE and miss out on traditional Emirati cuisine. One fun -- and inexpensive -- way to get the local experience is with a visit to the Al Mina Fish Market. Open from early till late, you can buy your fish in one end of the market, and for a few dirhams more have it cooked in front of you on the other side of the building. Some of the chefs have sopace for you to sit and eat, while others are takeaway only. Each one has his own blend of herbs and spices to try...
THE SUNDOWNER...
AbDab is very much a car place, and they're zero tolerance on drink driving, which makes it lucky that the local norms mean every cocktail menu is filled with a selection of interesting non-alcoholic drinks if you're the one behind the wheel. A pretty spot for a drink at sunset -- and a short hop from the Louvre -- is the Sadiyaat Beach Club, which is pen to non-members and has several bars and cafes to choose from.
Around Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
It's easy to dismiss the UAE as being selection of 5* and 6* hotels interspersed with shopping malls and theme parks, and for the first few years I spent visiting AbDab I'm ashamed to say that I did. But some local friends introduced me to Abu Dhabi below the surface, and there's a lot more to the place than meets the eye.