Natural Beauty of UAE: Abu Dhabi without Make-Up

This sand-swept corner off the Persian Gulf is much more than just tall buildings and businessmen.

Main image credit, Flickr: Mohannad Khatib

With a reputation that anchored Abu Dhabi firmly in the shadow of neighbouring Dubai, this vertically-spoiled city was once considered – perhaps with some justification – to be a soulless and man-made land of millionaires. Things started to change, however, when Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan followed in his father’s footsteps to become the crown prince of Abu Dhabi. One of his immediate decisions was to carry on his father’s legacy and expand on the greenery of the city, something which has become manifest even in the midst of Abu Dhabi’s tallest towers where Sheikh Zayed Road is completely lined with palm trees. In truth, this is just scratching the surface of Abu Dhabi’s natural appearance; dig a little deeper and you will find that this sand-swept corner off the Persian Gulf is much more than just tall buildings and businessmen.

Photo credit: by tom$

One of the first temptations for any visitor is to visit the beach, and this is not something that anyone should readily deter you from. This is especially true as Abu Dhabi is home to The Corniche, which stretches for about seven miles along Corniche Road. While it is close to Marina Shopping Mall and isn’t completely detached from the city, it does offer a welcome retreat, which is most enjoyed while bike riding down the designated boardwalk. People can hire bicycles here so you can cycle down the entire stretch and take in Abu Dhabi’s view of the waterfront. The best time for this is in the early morning, when there is a unique sense of seclusion in what is normally one of the city’s busiest areas.

Also on the waterfront is the Souk al Beri, which, as a classy shopping mall, is another example of the interesting juxtaposition of natural landscape within the city-centre. The magnificent and wholly Arabian mall overlooks a decorated garden area, complete with a small lake, which gives a peaceful setting to relax in and take in the wonderful view of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque; the eighth largest mosque in the world and largest in the UAE.

Photo credit: by Abdul Awaes

Retreating further from the gaze of Abu Dhabi’s skyline, however, and you will inevitably come across some of the best parks in the Middle-East. The most famous of which is undoubtedly Khalifa Park, whose landscape boasts canals, fountains, and waterfalls; lake lovers will not be left disappointed either. Abu Dhabi Golf Club offers a huge area of serene greenery and is one of the more relaxing ways to get to grips with a city oasis. Old Airport Garden is perhaps the quietest, with a shady area covered with tress and decorated with ornaments.

Emirates Palace has arguably the most impressive garden in Abu Dhabi, as is to be expected from a royal residence. It helps that this particular royal is fond of nature and has subsequently devoted a massive area to perfectly green slants and colourful flowerbeds for the people of the city to enjoy. While this garden stands as testament to the rapid rise in prosperity, the Eastern Mangrove Lagoon National Park serves as a reminder of the city’s humble beginnings. Taking up a stretch of five miles, this area is home to 200 fish and 50 bird species. The park has been maintained and expanded at considerable expense to preserve what is a natural habitat for 75% of its residents.

Photo credit: by anaadi+

Wandering further afield from the heart of Abu Dhabi, there lies the expansive and largely untouched desert. This exotic countryside is now more accessible than ever and the Qasr al Sarab is an embodiment of this feat. This is a sensational luxury resort in the middle of the Liwa Desert that introduces visitors to one of the most uninterrupted areas in the world. The hotel offers Liwa desertcamel rides and even a swimming pool overlooking desert wildlife grazing in the shade. For a more temporary visit, Phoenix Tours will take you to drive over and on the sand dunes in a safari-style adventure.

On the road from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, a sure way of gauging the progress of the journey is in the trees; the number of which is directly proportional to the proximity to the latter. This is what gives Abu Dhabi its identity and what is gradually pulling the city from the shadows of its glamorous neighbour. Therefore, this is why visitors should refrain from keeping their necks constantly craned in awe of the cloud-hugging buildings and make sure to look around and see Abu Dhabi’s face with no make-up on.