Abu Dhabi on a Budget Tips

So not everyone can afford or even wants to afford the 5 star luxuries that our cities are famed for! Whilst the posh hotels and beaches are great, there is another side to Abu Dhabi that need not cost a fortune.

Here’s our guide on purse friendly and really interesting things to do for visitors:
 

Budget Travel:

See most of Abu Dhabi and get your bearings- yes, you guessed it- hop on the local bus. Sit back and beat the traffic and get to grips with the layout of Abu Dhabi. On Abu Dhabi Island and suburbs the bus service runs daily from 5:00 AM to midnight during the week and until 2:00 AM on the weekend the fare for a single trip inside Abu Dhabi City is AED 1, or buy a one day or week Ojra Bus Pass from any Red Crescent kiosk in Abu Dhabi Island Day Pass costs AED 3, and either one allows unlimited travel on any of the DoT Busses.

Alternatively, take a bus trip to Dubai, for 20 Dh, use the metro while there, and see all the sights it has to offer, on the cheap! Taxis are also not really exorbitant- they are certainly cheaper than the UK- so don’t be afraid to use them too.

Budget Eats:

Abu Dhabi is full of really economical Indian and Pakistani restaurants- expand your taste buds with some of the delicacies on offer- if you’ve never tried a dosa (crepe made from rice and stuffed with all sorts of delicious things- try a potato one) this is the place to do it! There are various Lebanese bakeries around town too- try the manakeesh- glorious cheese breads that will fill you up- buy 2 as 1 is never enough and eat while hot, they cost around 5 AED!

If you are out and about and hungry, try the hot deli counter at any of the Lulu or Carrefour supermarkets, for ready cooked chicken pieces, all kinds of samosas and curries, with freshly cooked fish and rice dishes, at very low prices. In the supermarket you will be able to buy fresh squeezed juices or local fruits prepared and ready to eat for just a few dirham. A large bottle of water should cost 2 AED, small 1 AED, cans of fizzy drinks are 1 AED. Buy local not imported and you will always save money.

If you haven’t tried Shwarma …. You must, sold mainly in the evenings, you will find many small food outlets making and selling these delicious small wraps from a window counter opening onto the street. Shwarma is spit-roasted lamb or chicken, wrapped in a small Arabic bread with garlic tahini and pickles and salad, cost is around 2 – 3 dirham each.

Budget Beach:

Abu Dhabi city has a lovely stretch of beaches, a new beach on the Corniche, extending along Corniche Road from near the Hilton Hotel to beyond Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, where you’ll find its main entrance. The new beach has swimming areas, refreshment outlets, and scenic gardens, walking pathways, beach volleyball pitches, children’s play areas and toilets. At least 170 umbrellas line the stretch to provide shade to beach goers. You can’t swim out very far – floating fences keep you within 40 metres of the beach, and there are plenty of lifeguards around.

Along the landscaped area, benches have been laid out giving the people one of the most refreshing sights of the sea. There is a dedicated parking area further along the Corniche with a complimentary bus service to the beach. Ticket booths are all along the beach; it costs 5dh for a family to access the beach and its facilities. You’ll find drinks and ice creams are way cheaper here then your home country too- so have an ice cream break too without breaking your budget.

Al Bateen Beach: This beach is popular with locals and is used for fishing and swimming. It’s great for waterfront picnics, but if you venture into the water keep an eye out for jet skis. To get there, head west on 19th Street (Saeed Bin Tahnoon St) and turn left onto 16th Street when it ends. After 200 metres, you’ll see the beach. Al Bateen Beach Rd, Al Bateen

Budget Shopping:

For touristy type gifts there is one place to go- Souq Madinat Zayed, in here are stores selling novelty gift items, many fabric stores, a couple of tailors, and a whole floor of jewelers, be prepared to bargain..

Top tip - buy everything from one shop and barter, barter, barter- the more you are spending the more discount you will get. Don’t waste your time going to every single shop- suss out two or three to get the idea of what things cost and start bartering in the cheapest one. If you’re not having much success start to walk out- they won’t let you leave! If they are prepared to let you go, it will mean that if they sold their goods to you at the price you WANT , they will not make any profit, so please remember to be realistic.

Clothes Shopping:

If you need to buy basic clothes while you are here or have forgotten your flip-flops, Carrefour have a budget conscious clothes and accessories section. For more fashionable items go to Splash, at Centre Point stores - every day fashion at every day value. Avoid the brands from abroad - they can cost you nearly double what they would in the country of origin, they have to be shipped here even before the mark up is on the items - unless there is a spectacular sale on of course!

Look for 75% discount during sale times - that’s as low as they go. Fabric is very cheap here compared to other countries, its very easy to buy what you need in the fabric stores, choose your material, tell the shopkeeper what you want to make with it, and he will be able to tell you how much of it to buy! Take this to the tailor with either something from your current wardrobe to copy, or a photo from a magazine, you will have it replicated in just a few days, and for a fraction of the price of a shop bought item the same.

Desert Safari:

A desert safari is also a popular and memorable trip out - you don’t need to go on a full day tour- plump for one that starts late afternoon into the evening. That way you see the desert in the daylight and watch the sun come down and most include your evening meal. You’ll experience driving in the sand dunes (dune bashing) which is quite roller coaster, many desert safari companies lay on henna painting, camel riding, belly dancing etc while you stop for your evening meal. Prices vary and make sure you choose a reputable company. Prices start from 100 AED up to 400 AED. They usually leave about 4pm and return about 11pm- so that’s a whole afternoon and evening taken care of.

Out of Town:

If you’re staying with friends who have a car this is a great day out- go and visit Al Ain. (Petrol is cheap here, so no worries on that front.) Pack up a picnic and drive up the amazing Jebel Hafeet mountain (don’t worry there is an amazing road right to the top!) Take in the views from one of the highest accessible points in the UAE- you will be in awe. Then go to Al Ain Wildlife Park- it is one of the most responsible zoos in the Middle East and costs 15 AED for adults and 5 AED for kids. It’s big and you will spend all afternoon there.

Budget Going Out:

If you’re a lady you’re going to be very happy and you need to make sure you go out on a Tuesday night - cos Wednesday night is Ladies Night in Abu Dhabi! Lots of hotels will have some sort of deal from 2 free drinks to free bubbly all night- so stay in one place if it’s free all night or plan a route to take in the 2 free drinks in each place. Great dancing is to be had at The Yacht Club at Intercontinental Hotel, try Aloft or Yas Viceroy’s rooftop bar for a cheap night out with the girls.

If you’re here on a Friday most places have a Friday Brunch - they range from the ridiculously expensive 5000 AED to actually very good value 150 AED. There is always a with or without alcohol option, and at most places children are welcome, and usually have some sort of kids activity laid on, bouncy castle, face painting etc.

The best thing to do with going out is to pick up the latest copy of Time Out Abu Dhabi as they would have all offers and deals for the time you are here in there with up to date prices and you can plan your nights out accordingly.

Budget Kids:

There are many parks dotted around Abu Dhabi, with playground areas for little ones, typically there are shaded areas so kids can play and be out of the direct rays! If you are looking for swings, climbing frames and slides for the tiny tots, there are a number of parks within the city like Al Nahyan Garden, Capital Garden and Urban and Lake Park.

Al Khalidiya and Al Mushrif Gardens are considered the larger and more popular ones among local residents. This large park has amusement park rides (with varying fees), swings, fountains and ample car parking. It’s a popular ‘ladies only’ facility so photography is not allowed. The garden is to the south of Old Airport Road, and its entrance is opposite the National Theatre. Entrance is 1dh.

Just off the Eastern Ring Road, this is one of the city's larger parks and a major landmark. Inspiration for the gardens has been drawn from Arabic and Islamic architecture and from the world's great gardens. The landscape boasts canals, fountains, lakes and waterfalls. You can tour by hopping on the miniature railway. With play equipment for children, picnic facilities and an outdoor auditorium, it's a popular spot in the cooler evenings and during weekends and there’s the Murjan Splash Park, which is great value-for-money fun for the little ones. There are four water slides, a giant tipping bucket, a water umbrella, water guns, a water wheel and a 257-metre long lazy river, with a depth of 0.6 metres and four trampolines. Youngsters can also pilot their own dhow around obstacles, through tunnels and past other boats in the radio-controlled Dhow Derby.

Murjan Splash Park opening hours are seasonal so please do check their website in advance. Children under three go free. Opening timings of Khalifa Park 3pm -10pm daily.

Budget Discounts:

The Entertainer series of books are chock full of discount vouchers. The books cost 225 AED for the fine dining one and 295 AED for the family one. Depending on how long you are staying, the books can soon pay for themselves; save you money and you may be able to eat out a bit more and go on a few more trips than you planned.

Other Top Tips:

• If you’re staying with friends you don’t have to go out every night. Have a meal in or a bar b q and celebrate old times.
• There are certain areas in Abu Dhabi that are geared towards the more budget conscious (and to keep you out of the Malls) and here you will find cheaper eateries and shopping- stroll around the Madinat Zayed area, or walk along Hamdan street, may shops and traders are selling their wares much cheaper that the equivalent in a shopping mall, its much more interesting too, the local shopkeepers are always friendly and welcome your business. English is widely spoken and you will find no problems.

Abu Dhabi is unlike some other capital cities in the world, in that it is quite safe to be walking around the streets here, we do not seem to have street crime and certainly not drink or drug related street issues here, so go out and about, enjoy our city!!. Even in the event that you find yourself lost.. you will never ‘not be safe’ and at the worst, flag down and taxi to take you to somewhere you already have your bearings.

Plan ahead:

• Electronics are not necessarily cheaper here than in your home country- they used to be but not so much anymore- check out prices online before you come to see if there would be a saving or not.
• Plan ahead and map out what and where you are going to go and do- that is within your budget. It’s always a good idea to have a bottle of water with you; it’s very easy to become dehydrated here.
• Bring sun tan lotion with you- it seems to be more expensive here for some unknown reason!
We hope you’ve found this guide useful and you and your visitors really enjoy the trip without it breaking the bank!