Are you new to the country and want to visit iconic landmarks? Or are you a long-term resident who wants to dive deeper into the museums and heritage sites of Abu Dhabi?
If commuting from other emirates, you can enjoy a long drive to Abu Dhabi, or travel in inter-emirate public buses. A free shuttle bus within Abu Dhabi also helps you get around the emirate hassle-free.
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You can book a tour with a cultural guide for free in some places, and for a low cost of Dh30 in others. Here’s a list of the places you can go, and the points to note.
Required documents
- Emirates ID (for seniors if applicable)
- People of Determination card (if applicable)
Cultural sites
- Al Ain Oasis – Tour duration of 50 minutes. Once booked, cancellation is allowed. The site has been a UNESCO World World Heritage Site since 2011. Visitors must note that no pets are allowed, and smoking is not permitted in the area. Visitors can dine at the traditional Emirati restaurant and eating area.
- Qasr Al Muwaiji – Tour duration of 1 hour. In the area, no pets are allowed, and food is not allowed. In the tower in the site, no strollers are allowed. The area can be accessed by wheelchair. Once booked, cancellation is allowed. Built in previous times, the site later became the home and administrative base for the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, when in 1946 he became the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Ain Region.
- House of artisans – Tour duration of 20 minutes. Once a tour is booked, no cancellation is allowed. The house of artisans is located in Qasr Al Hosn, and showcases Emirati culture through workshops, art and craft, and courses.
- Qasr Al Hosn – Tour duration of 90 minutes. Entry costs Dh30 for adults (between age of 18 to 99). Once a tour is booked, no cancellation is allowed. Qasr Al Hosn Is the oldest building in Abu Dhabi; it includes the city’s first permanent structure, a coral, and sea stone watchtower built to protect the settlement of Abu Dhabi established on the island.
- Al Jahili Fort – Tour duration of 45 minutes. Cancellation is not allowed after tour booking. In exhibitions, photographs are permitted. The area also has a library where visitors can buy books. No pets are allowed in the area. Wheeled baby strollers are not permitted in exhibitions. Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa, ruler of Abu Dhabi at the end of the 19th century, owned a farm in Al Ain, and he ordered construction of Al Jahili Fort to control the tribes who lived in the area.
Points to note
- Visitors must arrive according to the time slot booked. The Cultural Guide will wait for 15 minutes only after the specified time. After this period, the tour will be subject to availability of the guide
- Bait Al Gahwa (involving preparation and presentation of Arabic coffee) session timings are subject to change. If the sessions and tour timing do not match, visitors can come back again on another day to Qasr Al Hosn to access the Bait Al Gahwa sessions only.