Ferrari World
One of Abu Dhabi’s latest extravagant, Ferrari World is a must for motorsport/speed enthusiasts. The worlds first indoor theme park is also home to the worlds fastest rollercoaster.
Corniche
Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, running along the northern shore of the main island, is the focal point of the city and the main draw for its residents. It has undergone a massive redevelopment involving extensive land reclamation, resulting in an impressive 6km of landscaped gardens that include cycle and pedestrian paths, cafes and restaurants.
Corniche Beack Park
Completed in summer 2008, the Corniche Beach Park offers – in exchanges for a small fee – lifeguards, beach showers, sun umbrellas and clean sand. A large refreshment area with shops means you can happily spend all day here.
Sheikh Zayed Mosque
One of the largest mosques in the world, with a capacity of 40,000 worshippers, the white ethereal mosque commands the access to he main Abu Dhabi island, rising between the Maqtaa and the Mussafah bridges. Non-Muslims are allowed inside – the only mosque in the UAE where this is the case – and women are issued black abayas free of charge to cover them from head to toe.
Heritage Village
This outdoor museum attempts to recreate aspects of Abu Dhabi’s past, with displays of the ancient Bedouin lifestyle and an interesting collection of traditional folklore treasures.
Currency
The currency is the UAE dirham (Dh), also know as the AED (Arab Emirate dirham), and is divided into 100 fils. Notes come in denominations of Dhs5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000, with just three silver coins: Dhd1, 50 fils and 25 fils.
Seasons and Climate
Some 15,000 years ago, most of what is now desert was grassland. The climate was a great deal wetter then, and huge rivers cut out the deep wadis and canyons. Today rainfall is less than 110mm (4 1/3in) per annum and the only water that occurs naturally is found in springs.
Culture
The true culture and character of the UAE is elusive. Each of the seven emirates is different, and each is changing continuously. The character of each individual Emirati ruler has an enormous bearing on the character of his emirate, but the issue of culture is also clouded by the vast numbers of foreign workers who now outnumber Emirati nationals by more than three to one.
