Proudly modern and cosmopolitan, Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s forward-thinking cultural heart where nothing stands still. Driving for 1.5 hours from Dubai, it felt like I arrived in yet another modern city in Abu Dhabi. Towering skyscrapers dominate the landscape and the expressway had 4 lanes across, with a maximum speed limit of 140km/h which was more generous than the 120km/h in Dubai.

Surrounding the Corniche beach is the children’s play area, separate cycle and pedestrian pathways, cafés and restaurants and plenty of free sports facilities. Visitors can also rent a speedboat off the Corniche and soak in the majestic view of the Abu Dhabi skyline, or go snorkeling to discover local aquatic life. Looking at the city skyline across the bay, it really reminds me of Singapore’s.

Around the same area, it is home to the region’s biggest auditorium, the Abu Dhabi National Theatre. Inaugurated in 1981, the National Theatre is an integrated complex for staging plays, screening movies, and hosting conferences and exhibitions. At the heart of the theatre is a 2,250-seat auditorium. It has a dome-shape that resembles the structure of a mosque.

If you’re interested in culture and heritage, visit the Heritage Village on the Corniche Breakwater and step back in time to a traditional desert lifestyle. Bargain with souvenir sellers and watch craftsmen at work producing pottery, weaving and metal work. 

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, with its globe-trotting collection covering the breadth of humanity’s artistic achievements, finally opened its doors in 2017. It’s the first of the city’s planned mega-museum projects to open and a major feather in Abu Dhabi’s cap as it pushes to become the region’s cultural leader. It is the also the only other branch of Louvre outside of Paris.

This world-class museum may get all the buzz but more locally focused sights get a look-in too. Emirati heritage can be difficult to seek out but pearl journey dhow trips and the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital take you behind the curtain to get a glimpse of it. Even if you do not enter the museum, you can take a stroll in the gardens outside the Louvre and marvel at this novel architectural design.

Opulent, dramatic and no expense spared: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a triumph of Islamic architecture for the modern world. Architectural nods to all the great Islamic empires of past from Fatimid Egypt to South Asia’s Mughal dynasty are represented among its blinding white marble facade, but this is a mosque thoroughly of and for the 21st century, with striking contemporary artistry at its heart. Non-Muslims may only be allowed to enter a single mosque in the city, but the one they can, is magnificent. However due to the covid-19 situation, the mosque was closed to all.

Yas Island provides enough distractions to keep even the most dedicated thrill-seeker happy. This is the setting for the famed Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the track hallowed ground for Formula One fans. It is also home to the Yas Mall, a sprawling complex which can be pitched at a similar level as the Dubai Mall, offering the gamut of luxury brands and many other stores to satisfy your retail therapy needs.

Off the track, Ferrari World and its speed-freak favourite Formula Rossa roller coaster plus Warner Bros World provide full-on family entertainment with enough rides to wear out and sate the thrill tick-list of kids and adults alike.

Abu Dhabi is not just about built attractions, there are also green, open spaces such as parks like these with nice fountains.

On the other side of the park, it overlooks the mangrove reserve. On the water, Abu Dhabi’s Mangrove National Park showcases a completely different face to a city more known for glinting glass-and-steel skyscrapers than nature. Keep your eyes peeled for flamingos, heron and scuttling crabs as you explore the waterways of this vast forest by kayak. However, based on reviews by recent visitors, it is not so easy to spot so much wildlife. The kayaking experience was fun though and cost around AED230 (S$90).

For a desert adventure outside the city, you can opt for an excursion to the breathtaking dunes of Al Khaznah between the UAE capital and Al Ain or explore the desert expanse outside the Liwa oasis in Al Dhafra. With high dunes and long sand valleys, you’ll never get bored of adrenaline fuelled dune bashing. Most desert safaris include a thrill-a-minute spot of dune bashing, sand skiing, quad biking, a visit to a camel farm, camel riding, and a traditional meal under the stars. Overnight stays allow you to enjoy smoky sunsets and luminous sunrises.

I still remember fondly of my overnight stay at Desert Night Camp in Oman last year, so I did not opt for the option to stay over in the desert in UAE this time round. It was an adventure getting my car stuck in the sand, I got all excited seeing the camels and stupidly drove into the sand. My car, being a sedan and not a 4WD, immediately got stuck, so I could not go forward nor reverse. Luckily these helpful locals as seen behind rescued us with their ingenious method of using the sand bags and me reversing the car out over the bags.

In the desert, there are bound to be camels around and the villagers who rear camels as a form of transportation. We met a German guy who happened to be around the sand dunes area and made friends. The Alwathba fossil dunes is a special geological formation in the desert and my inner Geography geek was gawking at all these amazing structures, only to realise there was also an animal carcass. It seems like the harsh conditions of the desert is not for everyone.

Last but not least, we ended off our day of adventure by checking out a cozy restaurant in town – The Square Bistro (Address: G Floor, Shining Tower, Al Khalidiya). This restaurant serves authentic Korean food as the owner is Korean, having lived in Abu Dhabi for 7 years already. From grilled beef/chicken (kalbi) set to spicy soup (gochujang jigae), everything tastes great and fresh. This place can relieve your Korean cravings such as bulgogi, japchae, bibimbap, jajjangmyeon to name a few. They also serve fusion dishes, Japanese, Italian, Arabic and others. Prices are a little steep but for the quality of the food, I do not mind.