These Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities are among the best luxury holiday experiences in the world.

Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, beckoned me to their sandy dunes, and sky-scraping towers to try out the very best of Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities. Camels in the desert, sweltering heat, bejewelled buildings, bespoke designer boutiques and locals dripping in riches were just part of my experience of a luxury holiday in Abu Dhabi.

The most stunning of Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities - a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities - Visiting The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Celebrated, paradoxically, for demanding modesty from its tourists whilst simultaneously boasting the most in extravagant and atmospheric opulence imaginable, this mosque exudes a majesty that can only be communicated by involuntary silence. A hush descended on us as when we drove into the car park; the white, exuberant domes with golden detailing and spires silently whispered a wordless invitation to see the magic inside the external architecture. If you're looking for Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities that will take your breath away - this is it. Jewels from all over the world, intricate carvings, mosaics, hand-threaded carpets, marble pillars, and the vast open space, make you gasp in awe at every angle.

Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities - Yas Waterworld

Yas Waterworld is not too far from St. Regis Saadiyat Island luxury resort is one of those Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities for those who like family adventures. The park was like an adventure pirate ship dock surrounded in artificial lagoons and wave pools, overhead water-spurting roller-coasters, fast-food clusters, surfing stations and vertical slides. On entry, we were kept cool by fine water-spray sprinkles that launched into the air as we made our way to the changing rooms. More like an old bazaar than changing rooms, the area was a maze of options, containing entertainment shops and multiple exits leading to different exciting areas of the world-class water park.  Our favourite rides were the Jebel Drop slide (vertical drop) and the Dawwama, a tornado shaped ride that had us flung up and down in half-pipe motion to the amusement of our guts.

Yas Waterworld, one of the best Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities for families!

Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities - Ladies' Night!

One simply cannot go to Abu Dhabi without being truly and utterly pampered. As a lady, I naturally chose to attend one of the numerous Ladies’ Nights in Abu Dhabi, including free drinks, nibbles and a manicure for the ladies. Entering one of the many exclusive bars in Abu Dhabi made us feel like important and welcomed socialites, rather than mere tourists. The unlimited free drinks included a choice of either a champagne based bubbly beverage or a fruity elixir, whilst the complimentary bar snacks including some yummy pretzels and breadsticks, to soak up some of that generous complimentary alcohol. As if that wasn’t enough, I took a seat at the manicure table and allowed a manicure beautician to pamper my sun-beaten hands. This is one of the best "Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities" for the ladies!

Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities – Day Trip to Dubai

It would have been silly to go all the way to Abu Dhabi without having a day trip to Dubai on the agenda. First stop: the world’s tallest building, the Berj Khalifa, which is popularly regarded at the top of Dubai Holiday Activities. Upon entering the building, we were escorted through the slick and stylish Armani Hotel Dubai, and into the elevator for our ascension into Emirati heaven. We didn’t go to the top, instead, we went to Atmosphere Bar which is only located one floor below the highest accessible one. We entered the venue of utter lavishness with panoramic views of Dubai city below, including the dancing Dubai Fountains. The cocktails were simply divine, and the ambience was atmospheric (as you’d expect), and achieved an ethereal vibe in the sky, with live harp music lulling us into a state of utter bliss. We wouldn't mind spending a bit more time here on another trip to Dubai.

Although not strictly speaking an Abu Dhabi Holiday Activity, a trip to the Burj Khalifa simply must be on your agenda.

Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities – Shopping in Abu Dhabi

Shopping in Abu Dhabi is made incredibly easy; you're guaranteed a VIP shopping experience. With numerous huge malls all with a great variety of shops and boutiques in them, you can purchase anything from haute-couture to gold jewellery or personalised perfumes. At the top of all Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities for shopaholics, you won't be disappointed. For more traditional garments and objects try going to the World Trade Center Souk, which has everything from bundles of aromatic spices to mosaic-tiled lanterns, colourful shoes, scarves, hand-embroidered rugs and other fineries. My particular favourites are the assortment of lighting appliances that can be bought, from small stand alone lanterns with coloured panes of glass, to large jewel-encrusted chandeliers... they are all beautiful.

Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities - Dune-Bashing in the Desert

We were ready to try a unique Emirati experience: dune-bashing in the Abu Dhabi desert. We were picked up by a 4x4 and driven well into the desert where there were tall peaks of sand with sharp edges, cliffs and long steep drops. The driver put his foot down on the accelerator and launched us into a roller-coaster of twists, turns, falls, jerks and slides that was in a word: invigorating. Sand flew up into the air and washed over the windows in waves, prompting a few squeals of excitement, whilst driving over huge ridges demanding belting screams. After we’d had our fill of excitement, we finally drove into a camp where we could smoke some apple flavoured shisha and watch belly-dancers after eating our fill of Arabic BBQ fare. This is an Abu Dhabi Holiday Activity inspired by Abu Dhabi's heritage.

One of the few Abu Dhabi Holiday Experiences rooted in Abu Dhabi's customs and traditions - Dune Bashing Desert Barbeque

Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities – A Well-Deserved Beach Day

To wind down after a week of exciting Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities, we decided to have a mandatory beach day to absorb the incredibly strong rays of the Emirati sun. Being the middle of June, this was an adventure in itself; temperatures can be in the 40Cs which is incredibly intense given the lack of sea breezes and the generally high humidity. We were frazzled after only a few hours, but got ourselves a recogniseable tan. The beach was gorgeous, with soft (though scorching) golden sands and a pleasantly temperate ocean to wash away the heat.

Which are your favourite Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities from our list? Call one of our specialists to arrange your own itinerary of Abu Dhabi Holiday Activities whilst on your luxury holiday in 2015!