TOP 10 MUST TRY IN ABU DHABI

During my recent vacation in Abu Dhabi,  I have been impressed by so much things to see and try in this remarkabale country. My impression of  this place was limited to desert sand, camels & people walking around in traditional Arabian attire only & it feels to be like the sandbox was such one boring place. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Abu Dhabi is still a gigantic metropolis with world-class attractions for the world to see. The best thing about them are their desert safari, water complex and theme park that amazed me until now. Taxis are cheap and plentiful and getting around is very easy.

So for all the aspiring tourists: Here’s my top 10 must try in Abu Dhabi. There's so more to visit, eat, experience & try but this top 10 are all my personal experiences oin Abu Dhabi that you shouldn't miss out. 

Sand Dune Bashing 

Book a desert safari drive with one of the many tour operators in UAE. This 4x4s is a powerful off road vehicle to let you experience a roller coaster ride for a more social extreme sport to try in Dubai.

Try half-day desert safari tour for AED 180.00 by Sunshine Travel & Tours. 

INSTAGRAM FEBRUARY 2014

The month of February was such a big breakthrough of blessings & travel dreams that went into reality for the year 2014. It was also a tough season wherein I went into a roller coaster of personal & emotional issues & conflicts that made me realised I'm entering the new era of my adulthood stage, needed to be strong & mature in facing challenges & reality of life.

Most often people will ask me why I often travel & go overseas mo of the time. Wanna know why? Aside from travelling as my ultimate passion in life, I'm also taking it as a chance to see the world & comeback with a renewed spirit and a new set of eyes that can see things from a different perspective.

  

Anyways here's the photo diary of my food & travel experience for February 2014. Keep on reading my blog for more details. As the saying goes, "Not all those who wander are lost!"

Just TRAVEL & REFLECT.

GOLD ATM Machine in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

JUNSUI BURJ AL ARAB RESTAURANT

When it comes to dining experience, this international restaurant located in Burj Al Arab, Dubai will be the best restaurant in the world I have tried so far with amazing food, quality service beyond words that is worth to come back again.

Imagine yourself eating the best of Asian specialties offered from 12 live cooking stations with an excellent service & nice environment. We have tried the breakfast buffet here & experienced the best meal I ever had. The Asian buffet food is unbelievable having the best & freshest food from around the world. The food was indeed exceptional while having the excellent service & nice environment.

PURE PLEASURE- The rich flavours of Far East Asia delight diners at Junsui, which means "Pure" in Japanese. Bathed in Swarovski crystals, this stylish dining room and cocktail lounge offers an opulent setting for a spectacularly flavoursome culinary journey. 

There are 12 live cooking stations with various masterpiece coming to life before your eyes; a team of no less than 45 chefs dreams up mouth-watering creations from a diverse selection of only the finest ingredients. Drawing on influences from Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and Korean dishes, the open plan kitchen makes for truly interactive dining at its finest. Come & witness the creation of a meal you'll always remember.

ABU DHABI 2014 VIDEO BLOG

Abu Dhabi trip was one of my most memorable trip of 2014. So here's a short travel video blog I made to sum up my awesome experience in the sandbox. You can also follow my vide blog via my Vimeo account at https://vimeo.com/dadafab. Watch out for more video blogs coming out soon. Enjoy life better through travel to all my blog followers.

Follow the link- https://vimeo.com/93826528

DUBAI MUSEUM

A visit to any country will not be complete without visiting it's National Museum. I'm so lucky to visit Dubai Museum that showcases it's short yet rich culture. The museum offers the best part of the history of United Arab Emirates with its authentic Arabian history & the life of old Dubai.

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON DOWNTOWN HOTEL DUBAI

Our stay in Dubai was exceptionally memorable not only for the experiences and memories we had but definitely because of the accommodation while we were in the sandbox. We're lucky enough to get great discount in this hotel managed by Sheraton company where my friend's sister was working. We stayed in this hotel for 5 days and we had the best stay in this tourist haven you should definitely book when you get the chance to visit Dubai. 

The Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai is strategically located for business and exploration, only a few minutes away from Dubai International Airport, nearby to 2 Dubai Metro Stations, and within easy access to the most important business district and local attractions.

Step out for great local shopping and exploration with Bank Street, Burjuman Mall, traditional souks & historic sites just a short distance away. Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai International Financial Centre, World Trade Centre, Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, and Jumeirah Beach Park are also a short drive away, being the ideal choice for both business & leisure travellers.

Room Selfie @ Four Points by Sheraton.

YAS WATER WORLD ABU DHABI

YAS Waterworld Abu Dhabi is the largest waterpark in the capital of United Arab Emirates. Spread over 15 hectares, the waterpark features a thrilling range of 43 rides, slides & attractions. Four rides will be one-of-a-kind rides that have never been seen in a waterpark. 

YAS Waterworld Abu Dhabi's theme is based on a legend that represents local Emirati culture & heritage. Visitors will be able to enjoy attractions that follow the adventures of the waterpark's main character Dana- a young Emirati girl in search of a legendary pearl that brought prosperity to her village. Building on the legend, the park will have  a unique pearl diving attraction that showcases the role of pearl diving played in the UAE's rich history.

This is one of the best tourist destination I will definitely recommend when you visit Abu Dhabi. YAS Waterworld is a great place to hang out & have fun with friends as they offer the some wild & out-of-this-world water rides & attractions. We rented a cabana that gives you all the needs & comfort you need from food, cooling fan, comfortable reclining chairs & even fresh fruits & refreshments at a very affordable price range. It's a ride all you can basis, so you can try all the amenities until you get tired from all the thrill & fun this theme park can offer.

YAS Waterworld is divided into 9 zones for it to live the ultimate adventure. Their opening hours are from 10AM to 6PM daily. Travel time from Dubai Marina is approximately 45 minutes and approx. 30 minutes Abu Dhabi. For more informations, please go to www.yaswaterworld.com or call +971  2 414 2000. Now go out there  and have an amazing adventure.

Tot's Playground and Yehal Infants Pool.

EMIRATES PALACE PRESIDENTIAL HOTEL

One of the most stunning hotel I visited in UAE is this hotel named Emirates Palace Residential Hotel. It is once the home place of the Sheik of Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. 

It is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi. This hotel amazed me with its structural design and of course the gold (literally pure gold) covering most of the hotels interior art forms & design details from the walls, chandeliers & pillars.

It was here where I first saw the first Gold dispensing ATM machine, how cool was that. From inside & outside of the hotel vicinity, you will just fall in love with its natural beauty & I hope one day I can also check in myself in this amazing hotel.

The Emirates Palace Presidential Hotel.

ABU DHABI MALL & WORLD TRADE CENTER MALL

Travel will never be complete without shopping. UAE is known for their extravagant shopping malls that you shouldn't miss. We were able to visit Abu Dhabi Mall & World Trade Centre Mall for a day. What else would be better than window shopping, food tripping & having coffee after a whole day of shopping therapy.

We were also able to visit the SOUK Market which was the traditional market place of the Arabian culture. We were again amazed with all the must buy items from souvenirs, foodies & traditional handicrafts. So here's some of the awesome photos taken that I wanna share with everyone.

Wooden architecture of Abu Dhabi Mall.

SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE ABU DHABI

Shaek Zayed Grand Mosque is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of United Arab Emirates. It was initiated by the late president of UAE Shaek Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and is considered to be the key for worship in the country.

As the country's grand mosque, it is the key place to worship for Friday gathering & Eid prayers. The mosque was constructed from 1996 to 2007. It is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates & the eighth largest mosque in the world. The mosque size is equivalent to the size five football fields approximately. During Eid it can be visited more than 40,000 people.

It was named after the founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nhayan who is the first president of the UAE. Zayed had a keen interest in the history of the Arabian Peninsula. In the Arabian Desert, Zayed learned courage & chivalry. The experience that Sheikh Zayed had growing up in a harsh environment had  a tremendous impact on shaping his exceptional personality. He was known for his patience, insightfulness & optimism but the central trait of his personality was wisdom.

Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque was a dream in the heart of Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. The  Mosque is an expression of a visionary leader who believed that nothing is impossible & conceived that  the most gracious achievements start from the heart. 

The Shaek Zayed Grand Mosque.

AL MANSOUR DHOW DUBAI

What a great experience to spend the first night of our Dubai experience at Al Mansour Dhow Dinner Cruise by Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai Deira Creek. From Abu Dhabi, we spent 2 hour bus ride to Dubai. From IBN  Batuta Station, we went straight to our hotel in Four Points by Sheraton in Bur Dubai. We got ourselves some good rest & went straight to Dubai Deira Creek for an exciting dinner cruise. We got this awesome deal at cobone.com for only 75 dirhams ($30 SGD) or around Php 1,100 pesos. You just make online payment same with Groupon, then present your coupon, then you will be welcomed by hospitable staff aboard the majestic wooden hand crafted dhow for an amazing dinner cruise experience. The two hour cruise will let you experience the sight, sound & taste of true Arabia.

Majestic view on the open deck of our Dubai first night Dhow experience.

FERRARI WORLD ABU DHABI

Ferrari World is a Ferrrari amusement park on YAS Island in Abu Dhabi. It is considered to be the largest indoor amusement park in the world. It officially opened in November 2010 and is home to Formula Rossa, the world's faster roller coaster at 240 km/hr.

The iconic roof of Ferrari World was designed by Benoy architects. The central park is situated under a 200,000 sq. meters roof making it the largest in the world & has the largest Ferrari logo ever made. The centre of the roof is marked by a 100 metres glazed funnel. 

Attractions:

Formula Rossa- accelerate up to 240 km/hour in less than 5 seconds in a true F1 experience aboard the world's fastest roller coaster.

Fiorano GT Challenge- Kump into a Ferrari F430 Spider as two competing GT coasters race to the finish line.

Scuderia Challenge- Experience the ultimate state-of the-art racing simulators on a variety of Ferraris, solo or with a group.

Bell'Italia- Enjoy a refreshing change of speed as you explore a miniature Italy, in a small-scale 1958 Ferrari 250 California.

Made in Maranello- Cross the gates in Maranello and into a tour of the historicFerrari factory to see how a Ferrari is born.

Driving with the Champion- Live the dream of the sitting shotgun with a racing champion in this motion-based simulator.

Galleria Ferrari- Get up close and personal with the ultimate display of Ferrari cars, hailing from Maranello and top collectors from around the world.

V12- Journey into the heart of a 12-cylinder Ferrari 599 engine in this exciting flume ride.

DESERT SAFARI ABU DHABI

Discover the Spirit of Abu Dhabi for an ultimate desert life experience.

This was one awesome once in a lifetime experience to finally witness & experience the Desert Safari where you will truly experience the true desert of Abu Dhabi. We booked a half day safari tour for only 180 Dirhams by Sunshine Travel & Tours which I highly recommend for every dollar you spent was worth the experience. Out tour started at 3PM where tour service fetched us straight from our hotel & made our way for an exciting drive over the sand dunes. Watching the sunset from the dunes, visiting the camel farm & visiting an Arabic camp were just so amazingly memorable. 

Our journey continued in the Arabic camp where varieties of activities including henna painting, sand boarding, Shisha & the infamous belly dancing. After which, they served us with Arabic BBQ dinner as sunset started with local music for a night you will never forget & you will be treated to traditional Arabic hospitality with coffee & dates served as they have been foe centuries & continue to be served in Emirati home today.

Sunshine Travel & Tours

P.O. Box 46806, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Tel: +971 2 444 9914 / +971 2 444 7228

Email: sunshine@adnh.com

adnh.com

Top of the world at Al Khatim Desert during sunset.