Unearthing Abu Dhabi
The richest of the seven emirates, Abu Dhabi is an oasis of luxury, discovers Karl Mansfield
There are more than 200 stores in the giant Abu Dhabi Mall, the largest in the emirate, and I seem to have found the only trader stunned by the idea of a haggle.
“My boss won’t let me,” he confesses, looking rather nervously to his left – so we both ponder his starting price of £15 for a beige pashmina shawl.
Shopping is a big attraction in Abu Dhabi – either in designer boutiques or in colourful local souks, the latter of which tell you more about this curious country carved out of the desert.
On my first evening, at the fruit and vegetable souk, I simply couldn’t resist Abu Dhabi dates with almonds covered in chocolate, at 45 Dirham (about £9) per box. Tantalising for the tastebuds.
Despite its modern shopping malls, there are small signs of the past here, too. In the Heritage Village, not far from the marina, there is a Bedouin encampment and songs performed by around a dozen men in long white kaftans.
Another carefully preserved building is Al Jahili Fort, with a museum in the centre of Al Ain. It was built by Sheikh Zayed I in the 1890s and the museum houses a collection of gold coins and pendants beneath its striking tower.
For art lovers, free exhibitions are staged at the magnificent Emirates Palace Hotel, which has gold leaf on its walls and glittering Swarovski crystals adorning its door handles.
Some Britons take one look at the white sands and spectacular buildings in a state sitting on 10 per cent of global oil reserves – and check in for a long stay.
Businessman Peter Samaha, 29, who moved from England to Abu Dhabi in 2005 to handle property sales and lettings, told me: “Life here is much quieter and easier than in London. I live five minutes from my office and five minutes from the beach.
“Here we have obvious attractions; the beach and year-round sun. On top of this we have the desert. People go off-road dune bashing, exploring wadis (oases), searching for fossils or camping in the desert.”
Two events have transformed the image of Abu Dhabi, richest of the seven emirates in the UAE, in recent years. It led the way in bailing out Dubai, when its neighbour’s boom turned to a fearsome bust.
Secondly, it’s sinking millions into Manchester City Football Club thanks to its oil-rich owner and member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
Wealth on this scale, however, is not immediately apparent on the wide open roads from the international airport to the Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri.
Although large cars and white Toyota Corolla taxis jostle on the bustling roads, traffic jams are a rarity in this part of the world, where daytime temperatures hit 38C in May. Demand is high for taxis, as cheap as 70p per journey, although most drivers restrict their journeys to the limits of the Corniche, one of its main thoroughfares.
High quality food is another feature of Abu Dhabi city: a main meal at a hotel or restaurant costs around 70 Dirham (£12.96) with typical dishes including Arabian bread, salad, houmous, grilled shrimp and the white local fish. Western dishes are included on most menus, particularly in hotels.
At Shangri-La Hotel, which overlooks the large white Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, luxury is standard, along with superb rooms, food, views and service.
We swam in the hotel pool and walked on the small beach nearby as the sun beat down, and ate exquisitely-prepared evening meals, from Chinese-style dishes to Hammour – a delicious fish.
Looking out at night from my room across the twinkling city lights was simply mesmerising.
If it’s relaxation you’re after, it’s easy to get away from the city to Sir Bani Yas Island, named after the tribe which once roamed across its desert surface.
The following day, a 30-minute catamaran ride whisked us across to the Anantara Desert Islands Resort & Spa.
This island is still a work in progress. Recent additions include the Arabian Wildlife Park, covering 65 per cent of the island and an African Wildlife Park, covering 22 per cent.
At the entry to Anantara resort, a guide explains that for every visitor who arrives, a mangrove is planted on the island.
It’s a nice touch and with activities including snorkelling, kayaking, mountain biking or relaxing with an aromatic massage, finding things to fill your time isn’t a problem.
But you can’t escape signs that this paradise is almost completely man-made, apart from the weather.
The palms and bushes lining the roads have water pipes running to the base of each one, while the grass also has to be watered – a far cry from the roots of the country which are grounded in the nomadic Bedouin tribes.
The highlight of this stage of our tour was a remarkable safari, with air-conditioned 4X4 vehicles to make our guided game drive a little more comfortable.
In this offshore wildlife sanctuary – a vision of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan – you find an amazing mix of animals, including the reem, the oryx antelope and cheetahs.
Perched on the top seat of an open-sided Land Rover, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that an ostrich was swiftly approaching.
But our South African guide explained the animal was simply “curious”. Only a few metres further away were a male cheetah and a collection of 15 giraffes, all facing the same way like statues.
Leading our safari was 31-year-old Moez Ben Mrad, who explained: “Before his Highness came to the island there was one dense collection of about 30 trees, including palms just down the road from the resort.
“Now, we have around 3.5 million trees on this island, a desalination plant, and we use eight million gallons of water a day. The whole island, believe it or not, is bigger than Abu Dhabi city itself.”
Much about Abu Dhabi is hard to grasp. Running along the soft white sands of the island as waves lapped against rocks on the last evening of my trip, I decided I would have to return to this fascinating piece of paradise.
Karl Mansfield was a guest of Destinology. Call 0808 256 5754 or visit www.destinology.co.uk
Written by: Karl Mansfield, Press Association
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