To highlight its history, heritage and culture, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi has created a list of seven authentic Emirati cultural experiences that visitors are recommended to try on a visit to the emirate
Though many visitors to the United Arab Emirates and its capital Abu Dhabi may see the destination as all sheen and glitzy, with modern buildings of steel and glass all around, the Emirates and notably its capital has a lot more to offer to a visitor than the modern experiences.
It is in order to highlight its history, heritage and culture that the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi has created a list of seven authentic Emirati cultural experiences visitors are recommended to try on a visit to the emirate. According to a press statement by department, the experiences, created in collaboration with Emirati tour guides, will be featured on Airbnb, the global holiday rental website, offering residents and visitors the opportunity to delve deeper into the UAE’s history and heritage.
The drive by the Emirate has earned wholehearted support from its tour guides who share the feeling that the local culture and heritage need to be popularised more proactively. One such person is Abdulrahman Al Zaabi, one of the city’s dedicated Emirati tour guides, was inspired to share his city with tourists after travelling the world and learning about different cultures and traditions through the destination’s local citizens.
“In Abu Dhabi, Emirati representation is vital when it comes to guiding guests through the city. So, seeing the need for more, I decided to take it upon myself and pursue that. Being a tour guide gives me a lot of insight into my own culture, something people expect us to know by nature, but we often don’t realise how much we don’t know. As much as I am helping our visitors learn about our valued Emirati culture, discovering the hidden gems of the city and its people, I’m also learning a lot myself,” says Al Zaabi.
Nasser Sabaan became a tour guide after volunteering around Abu Dhabi and realising that many expat residents have only scratched the city’s surface. “Residents, even after living in Abu Dhabi for a long time, still don’t know a lot about the history and culture of their adopted home. By becoming a tour guide, I am proudly representing my city, educating and informing those interested all about the unique identity of the UAE, its authentic culture and historical traditions,” says Sabaan.
Diversifying his business offering, tour guide Ebrahim Al Harbi switched his focus from outbound travel to inbound, creating unique, tailored experiences that tell the story behind Abu Dhabi and its formation. “I am extremely proud to represent my country to a world audience. Thus far, I have served nearly 70 different nationalities since 2018, sharing a historical narrative that combines land and sea. With my tour experience to the local fish and date markets, together we discover the significance of the ocean in the creation of Abu Dhabi and regaling stories from pearl diving and how fishing was, and still is, an important resource for the Emirati family. With the dates market, we explore the importance of date palm farming and how the fruit has become a staple in Emirati cuisine and a healthy source of nutrition,” says Al Harbi.
The tourism department says that the tours are available to book now and the experiences cover traditional cuisine, bustling souqs, thrilling sports and unforgettable sights. The experiences included in the tours are savouring a traditional meal with an Emirati as the visitor and the local embark on a culinary journey of the UAE with a traditional meal, shared in an Emirati home. The intimate dining experience allows guests to sample local dishes infused with spices and ingredients sourced from across Asia and the Middle East, reflecting the UAE’s strong trading heritage.
Another unique experience is to visit a local ranch with an Emirati, take part in an Arabic coffee (gahwa) and dates educational experience with a visit to a local ranch. Visitors get to learn about selecting and preparing gahwa, discover the different kinds of animals raised by Bedouins, the etiquette for the Majlis forums, as well as experiencing traditional Emirati songs and dances.
Visitors can also discover the local date and fish markets with an Emirati. They visit a market to explore the vast variety of dates, while discovering the cultural significance of the fruit. Also, take a tour of the Abu Dhabi Fish Market, a bustling marketplace crowded with restaurants, wholesalers and visitors, to learn about the UAE’s seafaring past, while watching local fishermen unload their catch of the day.
Yet another experience involves enjoying a homemade Emirati breakfast. The guests can savour local breakfast dishes such as chebab or crispy Emirati pancakes topped with date syrup or honey, and gahwa, and discover the cultural nuances and activities by trying on traditional clothes, sampling incense and learning about the art of ‘Sanaa’, the unspoken gestures and set behaviours that Emiratis learn from a young age.
The experiences also include taking an urban treasure tour, which is a lively tour of Abu Dhabi’s neighbourhoods to learn about the city’s ‘Urban Treasures’ – the longstanding establishments, including markets, shops and restaurants, which have played a crucial role in shaping the urban culture of the destination.
These include Al Ibrahimi Restaurant, Malik & Shaheed Stores, Fish Market, Carpet Souq and many more.
A unique tour involves visiting Abu Dhabi by night when one can learn about the rise of the modern cosmopolitan heart of the destination on a night-time tour of the city. Meet before the sun goes down on the Corniche, where Emirati guides will share stories of the rise of the city’s iconic skyline as the sun sets, followed by a stop at the Founder’s Memorial, with the tour ending at the Qasr Al Watan light show.
The department says that a destination packed with heritage-rich experiences, a bustling contemporary art and culture scene, exhilarating family fun attractions, and a diverse culinary landscape, Abu Dhabi is the ultimate holiday destination for inspiring, exciting and restorative experiences.
