Abu Dhabi Day Trips: Dubai in 90 Minutes, Arabian Oryx on Sir Bani Yas Island & the Empty Quarter
Extend from Abu Dhabi in every direction—Dubai's Burj Khalifa in 90 minutes on the Emirates Road, the world's tallest dunes at Liwa gateway to the 650,000 km² Empty Quarter, Sir Bani Yas Island's freely roaming cheetahs and 10,000 flamingos (Sheikh Zayed's island wildlife reserve), the 4-hour drive to Muscat through UAE-Oman mountain border country, and Ferrari World's 240 km/h roller coaster on Yas Island year-round.
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Day Trip to Dubai – 90 Minutes of Contrast
Dubai is 130 km from Abu Dhabi—90 minutes by road on the Emirates Road (E611) or Sheikh Zayed Road. The two cities represent different philosophies of Gulf development: Abu Dhabi is the oil-rich, culturally serious capital; Dubai is the hypercommercial, spectacle-driven trading hub. The Burj Khalifa (828 metres, the world's tallest building), the Dubai Mall (the world's largest by total area), and Palm Jumeirah are the essential Dubai landmarks. Day trips from Abu Dhabi to Dubai are straightforward; the Bus Express between the two cities costs AED25 (€6) and runs every 30 minutes.
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Liwa Oasis & the Empty Quarter
The Liwa Oasis, 250 km south of Abu Dhabi, is the gateway to the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter)—the world's largest continuous sand desert, covering 650,000 km². The Moreeb Dune (300 metres—one of the world's tallest dunes) near Liwa is the site of the annual Liwa Date Festival and the Moreeb Dune Race (4WD vehicles racing up the near-vertical sand face). The Liwa area is the ancestral home of the Al Nahyan family; date palm cultivation around the oasis has continued for millennia in one of the world's most extreme environments.
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Sir Bani Yas Island – Wildlife Reserve
Sir Bani Yas Island, 250 km southwest of Abu Dhabi in the Arabian Gulf, was transformed by Sheikh Zayed from barren island to wildlife reserve in the 1970s. Today the island hosts freely roaming populations of Arabian oryx, Scimitar-horned oryx, cheetahs, giraffes, gazelles, and 10,000 flamingos on a salt flat—the most extraordinary wildlife experience in the Arabian Peninsula. The island is accessible only by plane or ferry; Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara is the only accommodation, offering guided game drives, archery, and kayaking in the mangroves.
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Abu Dhabi to Oman – The Muscat Road Trip
Muscat, Oman is 390 km from Abu Dhabi—a 4-hour drive through the UAE-Oman border (single entry Oman visa required; buy before departure or e-visa online). The route passes through the UAE's Hajar Mountain section (spectacular rock formations) and the Al Ain border crossing. The stop at Al Ain (160 km from Abu Dhabi) for the UNESCO oasis and Bronze Age sites is recommended. The Dubai-Al Ain-Muscat circuit (3 days, 2 nights in Muscat) is the most popular self-drive holiday for Abu Dhabi and Dubai residents.
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Yas Island Beyond F1 – Theme Parks & Marina
Yas Island's non-F1 attractions are substantial year-round. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi (Formula Rossa, the world's fastest roller coaster at 240 km/h, and 37 other rides) is open year-round. Yas Waterworld (40+ waterslides and rides) operates October–May (closed summer). Warner Bros. World (DC and Looney Tunes themed) opened 2018. The Yas Marina—a superyacht marina adjacent to the F1 circuit—has restaurants and bars open year-round; the Circuit Bar within the F1 pit lane is unique. Yas Island accommodation includes the Viceroy, W, and Rotana hotels.
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Al Maryah Island & Abu Dhabi's Financial District
Al Maryah Island—Abu Dhabi's financial free zone and commercial centre—contains the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (the first international branch of the US hospital), the Galleria Mall, and a concentration of international bank headquarters. The island's waterfront restaurant strip (from the Four Seasons to Coya and Zuma) is the city's most cosmopolitan dining area—comparable to Dubai's DIFC in scale and international character. Al Maryah Island represents Abu Dhabi's ambition to become a global financial services hub alongside London, New York, and Singapore.