Tuesday 23 / June / 2026
Barely an hour after taking off from Muscat, the Etihad aircraft begins its descent over the shimmering waters of the Arabian Gulf.
From the window seat, Abu Dhabi slowly comes into view—a skyline rising from the coastline, ribbons of highways cutting through patches of green, and islands that seem to stretch effortlessly into the sea. It is a journey so short that it almost feels like stepping into another world.
I’ve made that flight several times over the years, and every trip has been different. Sometimes it has been just a transit flight or sometimes it has been a quick weekend escape.
Yet every visit has left me with the same impression: Abu Dhabi doesn’t try to overwhelm you. Instead, it quietly unfolds, revealing layer after layer of culture, architecture, adventure and hospitality.
Within minutes of leaving the airport, the city’s broad boulevards, landscaped medians and sparkling waterfront begin to set the tone.
Despite being one of the region’s fastest-growing capitals, there is an unmistakable sense of calm. It is a city that never seems to be in a hurry, inviting visitors to slow down and take it all in.
My first stop is almost always Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
No photograph truly prepares you for the experience of standing beneath its soaring domes. The brilliant white marble seems to glow in the afternoon light, while intricate floral carvings and shimmering chandeliers remind visitors that faith and artistry can exist in perfect harmony.
Even surrounded by hundreds of tourists speaking dozens of different languages, the mosque somehow remains incredibly peaceful. I have found myself lingering longer than planned, simply watching the changing colours of the sky reflected in the pools surrounding the mosque. Abu Dhabi’s greatest strength lies in its ability to surprise.
Only a short drive away, the atmosphere changes completely. Yas Island buzzes with excitement as families queue for rollercoasters, children race between attractions and the sounds of laughter replace the silence of the mosque.
At Ferrari World, I watched visitors emerge from Flying Aces wearing expressions that were equal parts exhilaration and disbelief.
The sheer engineering behind the rollercoaster is impressive, but it’s the shared excitement—parents laughing with their children, friends comparing who screamed the loudest—that stays with you.
Just across the island, Yas Water world offers a different kind of thrill. On one visit during the height of summer, escaping into its wave pools and water slides felt less like entertainment and more like a necessity. Hours seemed to disappear effortlessly between rides, lazy rivers and the welcome relief from the desert heat.
What continues to impress me most, however, is how Abu Dhabi has invested just as much in culture as it has in entertainment.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi remains one of my favourite museums anywhere in the region. Long before stepping inside, the building itself captures your attention. Sunlight filters through its remarkable dome, creating what architects describe as a “rain of light”—a constantly shifting pattern that dances across the walkways and galleries below.
After spending hours wandering through artworks that connect civilisations across centuries, lunch at Fouquet’s felt like the perfect continuation of the experience. French classics prepared with subtle Emirati influences somehow reflected the city itself—a place where international ideas comfortably coexist with local traditions.
That same spirit is shaping Abu Dhabi’s future.
The Saadiyat Cultural District continues to evolve into one of the world’s most ambitious cultural destinations. During my most recent visit, there was palpable excitement surrounding teamLab Phenomena, whose immersive digital installations blur the boundaries between art, science and technology. Walking through rooms where colours, sounds and shapes respond to every movement felt less like visiting a museum and more like stepping inside someone’s imagination.
Then, there are places like the Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, which recently reopened, adding yet another reason for visitors to return.
Food has become another reason I look forward to visiting.
One evening ended with generous platters of Lebanese mezze at Grand Beirut, where conversations stretched late into the night over charcoal-grilled meats and freshly baked bread. Another afternoon was spent enjoying homemade Italian pastries at Marmellata, while a visit to Al Fanar offered a delicious introduction to Emirati cuisine served inside interiors that recreate the country’s pre-oil era. Every meal seemed to tell its own story about the people who now call Abu Dhabi home.
Of course, family travel isn’t complete without a little magic.
Watching children experience snowfall for the first time inside Snow Abu Dhabi—despite temperatures outside pushing well above 40 degrees Celsius—is something that never loses its novelty. Nearby, the National Aquarium offers equally memorable moments, particularly aboard its glass-bottom boat where sharks glide silently beneath your feet. At the Butterfly Gardens, thousands of colourful butterflies drift gently through tropical domes, creating an unexpectedly tranquil escape from the city’s energy.
Yet perhaps my favourite moments in Abu Dhabi have been the quietest ones.
Walking barefoot along Saadiyat Beach just before sunset, the turquoise waters stretching endlessly towards the horizon, it’s easy to forget you’re only minutes from the centre of one of the Middle East’s fastest-growing capitals. The beach feels wonderfully untouched, protected not only for visitors but also for the wildlife that calls it home. It’s little surprise that it has earned recognition among the world’s finest beaches.
As daylight fades, the city begins to glow. Families gather along the Corniche, cafés fill with conversation and the skyline reflects across the calm waters of the Gulf. Abu Dhabi doesn’t compete for attention with flashing lights or constant spectacle. Instead, it invites visitors to slow down—to appreciate a remarkable mosque, linger over a meal, lose themselves in a museum or simply watch the sun disappear beyond the sea.
That, perhaps, is what keeps bringing me back.
Every visit offers a new attraction, a new neighbourhood or another ambitious cultural landmark. But beyond the headline attractions, it’s the city’s sense of balance—between tradition and innovation, excitement and serenity—that leaves the strongest impression.
In Abu Dhabi, every journey feels like the beginning of another story waiting to be discovered.
* The author is the Managing Editor of Times of Oman
