Joanna James
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates is a cultural cauldron which provides holidaymakers with a host of reasons to head over. Plan your vacation to coincide with any of these 5 festivals & events.
Covering the 2nd and 3rd weeks of January is the highly acclaimed Al Dhafra Festival which is held in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. Rated as a one of a kind spectacle that affords a wonderful glimpse into the traditions of the Bedouin lifestyle, this celebration brings together desert tribes and as many as 1,500 camel owners for one peculiar event that will be quite amusing indeed. Considered the highlight of the Al Dhafra Festival, the local camel beauty contest will surely have you in complete awe while the falconry competition will come off as a worthy investment of your time and energy.
Celebrated across 3 of Abu Dhabi’s premier golfing facilities, the Abu Dhabi Golf Festival will pave the way for you to be pitted against likeminded golfers come the beginning of the year. Have a chance to show off your expert putting and teeing prowess that will see to it that you cover the length and breadth of the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Yas Links Golf Club with relative ease.
As the mother of all festivals in Abu Dhabi, the well-received Abu Dhabi Festival sees the gathering of swarms of people to join in commemorating the distinct elements of Arabic culture. Held in the month of March and at over 20 events spread out in the Emirate, the Abu Dhabi Festival comprises a lengthy list of events and eye-catching performances that will have visitors like yourself completely overwhelmed. While it is highly recommended that you book your tickets online and that too well in advance, do make it a point to go over the itinerary so that you arrive well prepared to partake in a standout feature of the local culture. From instrumental concerts, international opera performances to dance acts, this festival is undoubtedly, one of the best of the lot.
If thoughts of running through the sweltering desert heat is not your idea of fun, then perhaps, Dunescape Run to Qasr may not be your cuppa tea. However, for the skilled endurance runner out there looking to take on and overcome a monumental challenge that will test you all the way to the finish line, then Dunescape Run to Qasr is exactly what you need to be focussing your mind and energies on. Scheduled for the 3rd of March, 2024, Dunescape Run to Qasr will have runners making their way through the Empty Quarter for a total of 12 km. Further, if you choose to reserve a stay at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara which is one of the 5 star hotels in Abu Dhabi, then partaking in this outing will be a breeze.
Seen as the finale to the Formula 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held at the Yas Marina Circuit every November has in the past witnessed last gasp championship lead changes, plenty of final lap drama and the crowning of world champions from motor racing’s elite. Thus, if looking to come over to Abu Dhabi towards the latter half of the year, then do plan your travels in a way that includes race tickets to a sporting spectacle that continues to grow in fame.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
