In Abu Dhabi encounter shiny sky scrapers, falcons and gold espresso, all in sooner or later

I skilled it by fortuitous acts of kindness — on the Corniche seaside, Pakistani driver Faisal went out to his means to make sure that I style Kashmiri nun chai, and Yaser Saeed Neyadi, Head of Public Engagement Unit on the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, makes an attempt to make me really feel at residence by waxing eloquent on Malayalam cinema, and Jallikattu. Cinema is a common language, however listening to about such a distinct segment a part of the medium from such an surprising supply isn’t a surprise when one turns into conversant in cultural convergence that’s Abu Dhabi.

While the wealthy heritage inherited from the nomadic Bani Yas types the core way of life of the Emirate, it has opened its arms to the variety introduced in by immigrants from all over the world, forming the right cultural confluence.

On one aspect of the Emirate is the Louvre, operating in partnership with the French Louvre, which homes a breath-taking assortment of reveals. From works tracing the origin of human societies to masterpieces of up to date artwork, the Louvre provides a complicated trendy look to the Emirate. I stood just some inches away from canvases painted upon by the likes of Vincent Van Gogh and sculptures carved by the likes of Auguste Rodin.

The handicraft pageant coincided with my go to to the town of Al Ain, which is a three-hour drive from Corniche. I noticed a celebration of the methods of the Emirati life with shows of Ayaala, which is a type of communal dance to have fun victory in wars with songs of affection, tasted conventional coffees, and skilled falconry too. These two sides of the Emirate spotlight what it represents: embracing modernity, whereas maintaining custom alive.

I additionally visited the well-known Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a grand spectacle of spirituality. From canoeing by the Jubail Mangrove Park at sundown to tasting the grandeur of the Emirate with a gold espresso on the Emirati Palace, every expertise acquainted me with a unique facet of Abu Dhabi.

Cultures appear to converge on the eating desk too. I strive beautiful delicacies from internationally. There are Lebanese delicacies, equivalent to kaftabatata (beef and potatoes) and eggplant fatteh (a sort of salad) at Zali, a restaurant which describes itself as an ode to Beirut, its colors, tradition and flavours. I additionally order genuine French beef bourguignon and poached pears on the Fouquet’s, a French fine-dining restaurant on the coronary heart of the Louvre, which retains according to the Fouquet’s which opened on the Champs-Elysees in France in 1899. Then there may be conventional Emirati delicacies, like margooga (a sort of hen stew) and luqaimat (a dessert much like gulab jamun) at Erth, an genuine Emirati restaurant which explores the bounty of elements and storied culinary range of the Emirate.

Yas island, an emblem of human perseverance is a jewel in Abu Dhabi’s crown. Its theme parks, which magnetize guests in hordes all 12 months spherical, makes up a fraction of what it represents. The man-made island’s predominant attraction is its calm regardless of the group. I additionally had the prospect to go to the Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World at Yas Island, and the truth that I couldn’t discover any experience with a wait time lower than an hour, on per week day, demonstrates the group the parks entice. While Ferrari World presents an adrenaline rush for journey fans with its curler coasters and vertical drops, Warner Bros. Museum has rides and actions with themes impressed by its films and reveals.

Ferrari World, which is designed to carry 10,000 guests at a time, welcomes a median one-million guests in a 12 months with its distinctive journey rides, Italian-themed eateries and procuring alternatives for Ferrari fans. Warner Bros. Museum, which has similarities in grandeur and expects practically 1.4 million guests per 12 months, provides a wholly completely different expertise, with its uniquely crafted experiences that followers of DC comics and individuals who grew up watching Loony Tunes and Tom And Jerry, might get nostalgic with.

“Abu Dhabi is proving to be an more and more standard vacation spot for Indian travellers, each for leisure functions in addition to a thriving place to do enterprise. Currently, India is the biggest marketplace for Etihad when it comes to inbound passengers to the UAE. Abu Dhabi’s year-round sunshine, wealthy tradition and heritage, and incredible vary of tourism actions make it a must-visit vacation spot”, says Arik De, chief income and industrial officer at Etihad Airways, the nationwide airways of United Arab Emirates.  

“In 2024, we expanded our community in India by including three new locations, that means we now join 11 Indian cities to locations worldwide by way of our residence in Abu Dhabi,” Arik provides. Etihad airways now operates 181 flights per week to India, and Arik expects to hold practically 3.5 million passengers from India to Abu Dhabi and past this 12 months.

“The Abu Dhabi Stopover product can be fuelling this development, as we’ve seen a 476% development in friends selecting so as to add a complimentary one or two night time keep at a premier resort in Abu Dhabi as they journey with Etihad. This distinctive stopover programme encourages repeat visits, as friends get a style for the superb expertise that Abu Dhabi has to supply,” Arik says.

(The author was in Abu Dhabi below an invite from its Department of Culture and Tourism.)