Living In Abu Dhabi

Year-round sunshine, pristine beaches, extraordinary sand dunes and a lively cosmopolitan lifestyle defines living in Abu Dhabi. Such a  rich natural environment, large oil and gas reserves and beautiful  mosques with towering minarets, along with the distinct Arabic  hospitality and mystique and a world-class infrastructure, make Abu  Dhabi an excellent place to live and work.

The city of Abu Dhabi bursts with amazing business-cum-leisure  facilities ranging from a state-of-the-art convention centre, luxurious  hotels, spas and designer golf courses to theatres and very soon, some  of the world’s most famous museums, including the Guggenheim and Louvre.  The palace-like shopping malls and indigenous shops in Abu Dhabi make  for a great shopping expedition, offering the best handicraft from  local Bedouins to the best of Paris’ or Milan’s high street fashion  brands, but without the sales tax. Gastronomic treats further abound from cool and luxurious cafes to clubs and restaurants. For the fitness conscious, jogging, cycling and rollerblading are a welcome treat especially during the cooler months on the city’s endearing corniche or beachfront, just minutes away from the bustling city centre.

Beyond the city of Abu Dhabi are numerous other locations in the emirate. These include the famous Liwa oasis in the south, which is home to many of the largest and most beautiful sand dunes on earth. It is also the frontier that leads to the fabled Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter), an enormous area of desert that carries on through Saudi Arabia and Oman, which has been the object of many explorers’ conquests in the past.

The garden city of Al Ain – lying near the Oman border – is home to  one of the famous peaks of the grand Hajar Mountain as well as the highest  point in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (Jebel Hafeet), that rises about  1,340m from the desert floor.

Cultural sites abound in Abu Dhabi, whose name implies “Father of the Gazelle”, most likely due to the large number of gazelles and oryx that once flocked the Emirate’s arid deserts. These heritage sites provide a glimpse of this Emirate’s storied past – reaching way back to 5000 BC – and an understanding of its people’s culture, values and aspirations. Given that the capital, Abu Dhabi also houses embassies and hosts ambassadors from across the world.

Climate

Abu Dhabi straddles the Tropic of Cancer and as a result its climatic conditions are subtropical, with temperatures that fluctuate from warm in the winter months to hot in the summertime. Sunny blue skies prevail all year round and rainfall is infrequent.

The weather in Abu Dhabi is mildest between December (where temperatures range from highs of 27°C to lows of 15°C) and March (highs of 29°C and lows of 16°C). January is the coolest month of the year, with highs of 25°C and lows of 13°C. The thermometer starts to climb in April, rising to daily highs of 34°C and lows of 20°C, and continues to climb steadily to record the Emirate’s hottest month in August, where the average temperature is 35°C. The temperature begins to cool down in September (average 32°C) with temperatures in November dropping considerably to highs of 31°C and lows of 18°C.

Meanwhile, January is the wettest month of the year, with minimum monthly rainfall of 22mm, followed by the month of March, which registers an average of 17.7mm of rainfall. The months of May through October see very little rainfall, if any.

Geography

Abu Dhabi’s geographical coordinates are 24° 28’ 0” North, 54° 22’ 0” East. It is the biggest of the seven emirates of the UAE, occupying over 80% of the country’s total land mass and featuring a coastline that stretches more than 700 kilometres.

Almost 200 islands fall into the Abu Dhabi territory including Das, located 170 kilometres northwest of Abu Dhabi city, and Mumbraz and Bani Yas that are located roughly 180 kilometres west of the capital.

Desert dominates Abu Dhabi’s terrain, covering as much as 70% of its land area.

The city of Abu Dhabi, that is located on a low-lying island, incorporates a Manhattan like skyline with tree-lined roads and landscaped parks and gardens. Shining waters of the Arabian Gulf, which surround the city, complete the scenic vista.

The imposing Hajar Mountain from the east as well as the vast tracts of arid desert encloses the Emirate’s second city Al Ain. Ironically, Al Ain boasts a highly rich soil relative to other emirates in the UAE, which has inspired the expansion of vast vegetation in the area. The Hajar Mountain, on the other hand, produced copper that was traded by the first tribes that occupied this desert community over four thousand years ago.

Dress code

Abu Dhabi is usually conservative but tolerant when it comes to dress code. The attitude to dress is relaxed, but visitors (both men and women) are recommended not to wear excessively revealing clothing in public places, as a sign of respect for local culture and customs.  This also relates to public beaches, where swimmers ought to avoid excessively revealing swimming suits. Most nightclubs demand their guests to not wear shorts, caps or sport shoes on their premises. Unless otherwise indicated, official events generally call for non-locals to wear formal dress: a suit and tie for men and an evening dress for women.

As for the weather requirements, lightweight summer clothes are suitable for most of the year (summer, spring and autumn); although a light sweater or cardigan might be handy when visiting a shopping mall, hotel or restaurant where air-conditioning can be quite frigid. Slightly warm clothes are needed for the short winter season, especially in the evening.