Abu Dhabi attractions

Ready to get sand in all your cracks? This action-packed Arabian excursion will do it. Ride the dunes in a 4x4 and see what it really means to go ‘off-road’ in the desert. After your adrenaline-pumping 'dune bashing' thrill ride you’ll get up close and personal with falcons, eagles and more at a stunning falconry display. You’ll be hungry after all that action. Sit back and relax with a traditional Arabic BBQ and some belly dancing as the sun sets over the desert. There’s no better evening in Abu Dhabi.

For the full Lawrence of Arabia experience, you can catch local camel races just outside the city limits. In lieu of Peter O’Toole, these hump-backed athletes are ridden by robotic jockeys, which the owners control from speeding SUVs. If you thought camels were slow, sedate animals, the sight of dozens of them galloping about a dusty racetrack is certainly a spectacle! Just be careful with your camera – photographing strangers is technically illegal, but many will be happy to pose with their prized racers.

Set the alarm clock for ‘early’ because the best time to experience the desert is the morning, before the temperatures climb to boiling point. This desert morning safari takes you out to experience some dune-bashing at sunrise, with little to no other tourists to spoil your view! Hurtle, race and bump in a 4x4 with an experienced guide and then see some cute baby camels at a real Bedouin camel camp. Opt for the optional camel trek for bonus bragging rights.

The UAE are notoriously expensive, especially for travelers who’ll be eating out a lot and snapping up souvenirs for friends back home. One way to claw back some value is to hit up the local ‘souks’ – the sprawling markets where you can find everything from hand-crafted local jewelery to super-cheap street food. Never settle for the asking price, as haggling is considered an integral part of culture, and vendors will instinctively overcharge tourists.