Feb,2020
Every year during our anniversary, we generally plan an international trip to celebrate our years of togetherness. This year was no different, apart from the fact that this was our last trip before the onset of the pandemic.
Now, the first choice of most people travelling to the United Arab Emirates is Dubai but after a thorough research, we found out that Abu Dhabi had the same things to offer as Dubai in a much more significant way minus the shopping and since we are not too much of a shopping couple, we knew what our obvious choice would be.
Moreover, Abu Dhabi is much calmer, more traditional and has a lot many hidden gems to explore, one such being the Zaya Nurai Island.
Here is the breakup of our entire journey:
Day 1: Hop on and Hop off buses are our personal favourite and we try to avail their services wherever we go, if the facility is available. We generally plan our trip in such a way that the first day is reserved for this experience. It’s a great way to figure out your itinerary for the rest of your stay. It offers a great perspective where you can get a tour of the whole city figuring out which attractions you would actually like to visit ,the routes and an incredible
opportunity to sightsee at your own pace.
That’s what we did the first day only to stop at the Mosque and the Louvre which is a must visit when in Abu Dhabi. The grandeur of the Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque should not be missed. The architecture is breath-taking, housing the largest hand woven carpet and chandelier . What we need to
keep in mind is our dressing – Visitors are required to dress modestly and behave respectfully. Men should wear long trousers and women are required to wear an Abaya which is provided by the Mosque itself.
The Louvre, Abu Dhabi is the replica of the one in France ,with the difference that it is recently constructed. It has become a hot favourite for lovers of art and history.
In the evening ,we decide to have a couple of beers at the Buddha Bar Beach in St.Regis. The ambience here is splendid.
Day 2:
This was the most awaited part of the trip. We had acquired our day passes for the Zaya Nurai Islands. This is indeed a hidden gem of UAE and words fall short when describing the sheer beauty of this island ,almost comparable to Maldives.
The day pass costs 10k INR per person which is redeemable on food, drinks, spa and activities but the whole experience is worth every penny. We needed to assemble at the Saadiyat Island from where it is a 20 minutes boat ride. The boat ride is included in the pass. The boats leave at the interval of an hour for the island. The island has two infinity pools overlooking their private white sand beaches, a world class oceanside spa, five fine and casual food and beverage outlets and a beach club.
Day 3:
We had booked the desert Safari for the third day. Abu Dhabi safari is costlier than Dubai but the service quality is much better. You get picked up by private vehicles from the hotels, served tea/coffee and snacks on arrival followed by belly dancing and BBQ dinner.
Abu Dhabi deserts are larger and provides a more thrilling experience of dune bashing.
Day 4:
This was our second last day at Abu Dhabi and we had reserved it for the Ferrari World. Literally ending the trip on a high by riding the world’s fastest roller coaster.
The Benjabi recommendation:
- Zaya Nurai Island
- Abu Dhabi Desert Safari
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-By The Benjabi Affair
A Bengali girl and a Punjabi boy having found their common love for travel and tea
The Benjabi Affair 