The main airport servicing the capital city of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, is the Abu Dhabi International Airport, which is the home base of Etihad airlines and the second busiest airport in the UAE. The airport is situated about 19 miles east of the city center.

If you have not booked a private transfer through us then you have a few options for transportation from the airport to your hotel including taxis, buses and rental cars.

Taxis can be found at the airport outside the Arrivals Hall outside Terminals 1 and 3 on the curbside and can be easily found 24 hours a day. A taxi ride from the airport to the hotel will take around 40 minutes and cost around AED75. All taxis are metered, luxury black 6 seater Mercedes Vitos are available for larger parties, as well as regular Toyota Camry vehicles, vehicles for people with special needs and elderly are also available. For more information contact Transport Abu Dhabi tel. 600-53-53-53.

Buses can be found on the lower curbside outside of the Arrivals Hall at Terminals 1 and 2, bus stops are indicated with blue and white signs. The main bus into Abu Dhabi is the green and white A1 which departs every 40 minutes, 24 hours a day; it takes approximately 45 minutes to get to the central bus station (Hazaa Bin Zayed Road) in the city and the cost is around AED4 for a one-way ticket.

If you flew with Etihad airlines they offer a complimentary shuttle bus for their passengers, the buses run on regular intervals but do not go into the city center. The shuttle departs from the main parking lot in front of the airport next to the rental car office.

You can find rental cars at the airport they are open 24 hours and are located in the Skypark Plaza which sits opposite Terminal 3, a short walk from Terminal 1 and 3 and a 5-minute shuttle ride from Terminal 2. There are several well known international rental car companies available for hire.

Buses in the city are operated by DMAT (Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport) which provides a cheap and convenient way to get around the capital city. Most buses run from 5:00 am until midnight, some buses also run between midnight and 5:00 am, with buses running every 10 - 20 minutes during the day and every 30 - 60 minutes after midnight on around 14 different routes. Ticket prices are approximately AED2 for a single ride within the city. DMAT bus stops include Abu Dhabi Intl Airport, Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi Mall, Marina Mall, Al Wahda Mall, Al Mina Shopping Center, Khalidya Mall, Mushriff Mall, Dalma Mall, Mazyad Mall, Al Maqta Zayed Sports City, Yas Island and Saadiyat Island. The main bus station is located on Hazaa Bin Zayed Road and the central bus station is 2.5 miles south of the Corniche. Bus #5 links to Marina Mall, Bus #54 travels to Al Zahiya and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. For more information on bus routes and timetables visit www.dot.abudhabi.ae

Yas Island offers a free express bus called the `Yas Express`, a shuttle bus that will transport passengers to popular tourist attractions on the Island on three different routes, the buses run every hour from 9 am - 9 pm. For more information visit www.yasisland.ae

Taxis are the most common form of transportation in the city. They are easily identified by their silver cars with a yellow roof sign and can be found at taxi stands around the city, hailed from the street or booked by phone. TransAD (government established organization) run the taxis in Abu Dhabi and the following companies operate under TransAD: Al Ghazal Transport, Arabia Taxi, Cars Taxi, Emirates Taxis, National Taxi and Tawasul Taxi. Taxis are metered in the city and start at AED5 then go up AED1.82 ever 0.62 miles. For more information contact TransAD tel. 600-53-53-53 or download the Abu Dhabi Taxi app on your Smartphone.

Careem is a similar program to Uber (banned in the UAE) where customers can order a car via the Careem Smartphone app and start at AED35 then increase by AED2.50 for every 0.62 miles. Visit www.careem.com for more information.

Renting a car in Abu Dhabi is not necessary due to the public transportation offered in the city. However, if you are looking to travel within the UAE, Dubai is accessible by car and is situated 93 miles south of Abu Dhabi making it about an hour and a half drive away via Hwy E11. There are plenty of international car rental companies at the airport and situated within the city. Driving can be complicated, streets are numbered differently than in the USA, U-turns are not allowed, fines are high for running red lights and can even result in deportation, traffic lights flash green before turning yellow and vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death in the country. The roads are excellent and parking is readily available in the city.

The city has a paid parking system called `Mawaqif`, the hours are enforced from 8:00 am until midnight from Saturday to Thursday (excludes Fridays and public holidays). Parking lots are assigned and parking along the main streets (color-coded by blue and black for standard parking and blue and white painted curbs for premium) costs around AED3 per hour or up to AED15 for 24 hours, meters are available and receipts should be displayed on the front windscreen. Do not park on yellow and grey painted curbs. For more information visit www.mawaqif.ae

Walking around Abu Dhabi is one of the best ways to see the beach areas and explore Corniche and the boardwalk where you can check out the shops, restaurants, and attractions. There are plenty of attractions situated close together on Yas Island that can be reached on foot. The heat in Abu Dhabi can be overwhelming, with temperatures exceeding 122F degrees and high humidity. Walking in the early mornings or later at night when the sun is not as intense is recommended, drink plenty of water.

The city offers ADCB Cyacle Bikeshare that offers a green option to renting bikes with 50 stations situated around the city, a few of these sharing locations include Yas Island and Al Raha Beach. You can rent bikes from the stations for AED15 a day or AED40 for 3 days and return at different stations around the city with an unlimited number of journeys during a one-hour rental period.

Abu Dhabi sits on the sparkling turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf where boats have direct access to the area. Traditional Arbra`s (wooden boats), catamarans, traditional dhow cruise ships, speedboats and luxury yachts travel the waterways taking passengers to different destinations. You can take day trips to deserted islands, fishing trips, snorkeling trips or a trip to Dalma Island, relax and enjoy the spectacular sights of the city on a sunset cruise.

Jalboot water taxi offers a sightseeing boat that runs around the Island and stops at some of the top tourist attractions including Etihad Towers Hotel, Abu Dhabi Mall and more. The cost is approximately AED195. Visit www.jalboot.ae for more information.

Abu Dhabi is said to be on the safest cities in the world, violent crimes are very rare. It is advisable to take the usual precautions when traveling to any foreign country. Keep your belonging secured and use your street smarts when walking around busy tourist areas. A woman should exercise caution if taking taxis by themselves or walking around at night. It is also recommended to drink bottled water in the UAE as the CDC considers the tap water to be potentially unsafe.

Shopping in Abu Dhabi ranges from some of the biggest shopping malls you have ever seen to traditional authentic family-owned stores on the streets; shoppers can truly find anything in the capital city. The malls are popular as they provide an air-conditioned escape from the sweltering outdoor temperatures! There are several malls featured in the city that offer high-end stores, designer brand names and large department stores along with restaurants and entertainment. Abu Dhabi Mall and Marina Mall are the popular ones to visit. The smaller independent stores and traditional souqs located around the city sell more traditional items such as tapestries, antiques, perfumes, and spices where you can get lower prices, don`t be afraid to negotiate.

The official currency in Abu Dhabi is the Dirham also referred to as the prefix AED (Arab Emirate Dirham) or abbreviation Dhs which would follow the numeric amount. The dirham and the US dollar exchange rate is fixed at US$1 = Dhs 3.67.

There is a 10% service charged added to bills in hotels, restaurants, and bars, additional tips can be left in the amount of a few dirham as most of the time the service charge goes to the restaurant and not the person who served you.

For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in the UAE by clicking here UAE

The Emarati cuisine blends many different cuisines such as Middle Eastern, Chinese and Asian and other international dishes. There is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from in Abu Dhabi with a diverse choice of food, Seafood is a main dish in the country and has been for centuries along with meat, fish, and rice, pork is prohibited on most menu`s as Muslims do not eat pork products. Lamb, mutton, goat, and beef are the main protein staples consumed in the Emirates. Restaurants and eateries come in all shapes and forms from the high-end dining experiences at luxury hotels to falafel stands on the street corner, and McDonald`s served at the food court in the mall.

Please Note: During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours therefore many restaurants in the city are closed by law. And it is against the law during this time to eat or drink anything in public, tourists can be arrested and given fines.

The capital of the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is quite the party destination offering a vibrant nightlife with a wide array of options to choose from. Due to certain laws revolving around alcohol in the UAE most nightlife spots that serve alcohol are based inside hotels which include some of the best bars and nightclubs in the city, for example, the Le Meridien hotel offers the G Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi has the Cinnabar, Capital Hotel features Rock Bottom and Yas Island has a plethora of options for evening fun and entertainment. The city also boasts plenty of other nightlife venues including comedy nights, quiz nights, concerts, etc visit www.thecapitallist.ae for more information.

Please Note: Public intoxication is unacceptable in the UAE if you have had too much to drink take a taxi and head back to your hotel. Do not wander the streets intoxicated this could result in large fines and even imprisonment.

The official language spoken in Dubai (UAE) is Arabic; English is the most widely spoken language but may be the second language. We recommend you get a good English-Arabic guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, thank you, excuse me and the numbers 1 - 10.

In case of an emergency dial 998 for an ambulance, 999 for police and 997 for a fire.

Hospitals:

Khalifa Hospital tel. 971-2-819-0000

Al Salama Hospital tel. 971-2-696-6777

Universal Hospital tel. 971-800-555-555