SIX18 TRAVEL

Compared to Dubai, Abu Dhabi may seem a bit, well, boring. The capital of the United Arab Emirates has a long way to go to compete with all the hype, glitz and glam of its northeast neighbor. But that doesn't seem to faze the folks in Abu Dhabi; the UAE's largest emirate is already sitting on piles of oil money, so there's no rush for it to compete in the tourism market. However, this doesn't mean that there's nothing here for visitors. Before you write off Abu Dhabi as a humdrum, conservative place, consider this: The city's slower growth has allowed it to preserve more of its history and culture, which you can experience on a visit to Heritage Village or the impressive Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. And where Dubai is lacking in natural beauty, Abu Dhabi excels with a mix of rolling sand dunes, verdant oases, expansive beaches and towering mountains.

The city of Abu Dhabi bustles with activity, boasting a mélange of shopping centers, gourmet restaurants, luxury hotels and cutting-edge real estate developments — in all, an excellent portrait of the modern-day UAE. But there's much more to Abu Dhabi than the city. In fact, the emirate (also named Abu Dhabi) comprises most of the country's land area. If you can, leave Abu Dhabi city behind and sample a more authentic UAE with a visit to the ancient Al Jahili Fort in the eastern city of Al Ain, a camel trek across the Empty Quarter desert in the southern part of the emirate, or a lesson in the ancient art of falconry in the Abu Dhabi city suburbs. You can see skyscrapers and go shopping anywhere — it's the inclusion of the more traditional experiences that will make your visit to the UAE memorable.