ABU DHABI, UNITED EMIRATES
Abu Dhabi, United Emirates - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Desert Storm | |||||
| By: Merry Kirkwood, Issue 40 – Spring 2009 | |||||
| (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) | |||||
| ABU DHABI’S FIRST BITUMEN ROAD WAS BUILT AS RECENTLY AS 1961. THE PEARL-TRADING BEDOUIN SOUKS ARE NOT LONG GONE. | |||||
| It’s pre-dawn and Abu Dhabi’s International Airport is eerily quiet and, given its desert location, the outside air temperature unexpectedly cool. The oversize moon, hanging in one quarter of the still-dark sky, throws a distant construction crane into sculptural relief. The image is striking and nearly beautiful: a modern symbol reflecting the pace of change here where people are taming the harsh environment. Within minutes the morning sun quickly moves the temperature towards the expected daily winter average in the 30s, a far cry from the searing summer heat of 50 degrees. This oil-rich coastal desert metropolis, half an hour by road west of Dubai, is both capital city and principle emirate of the United Arab Emirates. The earlier calm has been replaced by the bustling sounds of Abu Dhabi at work. A row of up-market model taxis take their place expectantly as local men clad in traditional dishdash, a full-length shirt dress worn with a red checked head dress, and women in black abaya, a long, loose robe with head scarf, travel to their homes and businesses. Development is the central focus in this city where the pearl-trading Bedouin souks of the past are not long gone; the first bitumen road was built as recently as 1961. Construction hubs greet visitors each day: large tracts of land dotted with scores of international workers as roads, bridges, hotels, high-rise and parks seem to rise magically overnight from the sandy desert floor. Abu Dhabi is seizing its moment-in-time to develop quickly, making it a vibrant place to visit even for a short time. We depart from the airport, and head along the coast to Al Gharbia - the Western Quarter. Nature on Display – Desert Islands Resort and Spa is a two-hour drive from the city and a further 15-minute boat ride delivers us to a deluxe resort on a remote island with royal connections. Other guests chose to arrive by seaplane. Desert Islands Resort and Spa, a 64-room boutique property on Sir Bani Yas Island, had its beginnings in the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan who wanted to protect Arabia’s endangered animal and bird species. The still developing Arabian Wildlife Park has enjoyed an expansive 25- year-strong vegetation and breeding program supporting a variety of 23 Arabian and African species including giraffe, antelope, sand gazelles and Arabian oryx covers nearly two-thirds of the 87 sq km island. Guests are provided ample opportunity to enjoy close-to-nature game park safari-drive experiences while also savouring luxury-like indulgences: soaking up the sun beside the resort pool, or dining in one of the restaurants. Spacious rooms are packed with plenty of mod-cons including plasma TV, coffee machines and internet, and the pretty, landscaped pool area overlooking the Gulf, make the break from the bustling city seamless, as does the resort’s small but pampering Spa. Stylishly furnished as ‘Africa meets Arabia’ with large comfy couches and safari paraphernalia, the Anantara-run Resort is out to impress but still developing toward its goal of a virtually free-range animal park combined with a slick five-star resort experience. Favourite activities include the Wadi Walk, a serene early morning guided amble through the colourful, rugged moonlike landscape of an undeveloped dry riverbed, and also the Arabian Cooking Class, a chance for guests to cook up a storm from popular elements of local, Persian and Lebanese cuisines (think baba ghannouj, and prawn harra). For the more adventurous mountain biking, kayaking and snorkelling are also available. Sir Bani Yas Island is one of the eight making up Desert Islands Resort and Spa, which will be further developed in coming years | |||||
| A Vision for the Future – Abu Dhabi City Scapes | |||||
| Back in the city, built on the largest of almost 200 islands tucked along the coast, the vast open spaces of the desert environment are replaced by a high-rise metropolitan city, home to around 1.8 million people. The visual heart of the city is centred round the corniche, a coast road that snakes along the harbour front, and makes a wonderful, flat promenade. Visitors can enjoy the beach to one side, where men and families have carefully segregated sections of sand and, on the other side, a bank of high-rise commercial buildings away from the water’s edge. The city’s original simple way of life is today contrasted with a breathtaking mix of affluent cultural developments springing up across the city but most notably on Saadiyat Island, a residential, leisure, cultural and commercial project just 500 metres from the city centre. With a vision for 29 future hotels, a Guggenheim and Louvre Museum, two championship golf courses and 19km of beach, the master plan of the Island is on display in the ornate Emirates Palace Hotel located near the break-water at one end of the corniche. The architecture alone will highlight Abu Dhabi’s new buildings on the international stage. The recently opened Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Grand Mosque – the world’s third largest – is worth a visit. Hauntingly beautifully and inlaid with colourful decorative marble the intricacy of which is only revealed on close inspection, the minarets of the Grand Mosque are a striking feature beckoning all visitors to Abu Dhabi. For shoppers, there is a mix of traditional markets, and modern retail shops particularly at Marina Mall and Al Wehdah Mall. Many international luxury labels are available if you look closely. The gold, carpet and date markets give insight into local culture and cuisine, and are best enjoyed with an English-speaking guide who can avert misunderstandings, and help secure a genuine bargain. For those who love to experience local cuisine Abu Dhabi offers a range of international and local dining experiences from Arabian feasts to fine dining. Hotel restaurants and bars, catering to a strong ex-pat community, are hard to beat but take time to explore hidden gems in the various city districts | |||||
| City Oasis – The Shangri La Hotel and Villas | |||||
| While many of Abu Dhabi’s five star hotels are located close to the commercial districts the Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi is a large deluxe property set on the beachfront near to the city’s gateway bridges, Al Maqta and Al Mussafah. The Shangri-La comprises 214 rooms and suites, six expansive luxury villas and residences, along with a Chi spa, large shopping souk and a number of restaurants. Elegant and stylish, the hotel complex retains an international feel while respecting the local cultural mix. Guests enjoy traditional hospitality of thick local coffee and dates offered at all hours. Complimentary shuttle buses take guests to key locations in the city around half on hour away. Pearls & Caviar is a bar and restaurant combination set in a stand-alone complex at one end of the Shangri-La hotel, with views across the beach to the Grand Mosque. Symbolizing the beguiling mix of old and new that is central to Abu Dhabi’s charm, the mosaic tiled, all-white open-air rooftop Pearls bar perches under a modern take on a Bedouin tent and is offset by the more understated, all-black setting of the Caviar restaurants and precincts. | |||||
| NEW ABU DHABI LUXURY | |||||
| By: Lelde Smits | |||||
| Anantara will open the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort on October 25 in the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world. The dunes of the Liwa Desert surround an oasis of palatial-style villas with water features and greenery. Private pools and outdoor terraces are spread throughout the 206 units that are each furnished with intricate Arabian detail. Desert excursions include camel rides, game viewing, falconry, sand boarding and 4x4 desert safaris. | |||||
| Details: | |||||
| Etihad Airlines | |||||
| Desert Islands Resort and Spa | |||||
| Shangri-La Hotel Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi | |||||
| Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority | |||||
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