MOVING TO ABU DHABI

Like most cities, Abu Dhabi offers a wide range of accommodation options to suit different budgets, lifestyles, and preferences. To help you get a clearer picture of where you might want to live, we’ve highlighted neighborhoods where many of our parents are currently residing. These areas are known for their family-friendly environments, convenient amenities, and proximity to schools and community life.

Neighbourhood guide

Raha Beach area: Al Zeina, Al Muneera and Al Bandar.

• Al Zeina has apartments, penthouses, townhouses and villas. It caters to a range of budgets, and the beach is popular with families. It's also car-free, with all parking underground, making it pedestrian-friendly. Al Zeina has a medical centre, a chemist, a couple of restaurants, and a Waitrose supermarket.
• Al Muneera is similar to Al Zeina, with a combination of villas, townhouses and apartments, and a private beach. It has several pools, gyms and playgrounds. This compound features more restaurants, including a Leopolds of London and La Brioche (amongst others). There is a Carrefour supermarket and mini-market.
• Al Bandar has similar facilities to Al Muneera and Al Zeina, but with a marina instead of a beach. It's generally less popular with families than Al Zeina or Al Muneera, as well as being more expensive. Al Bandar has a number of restaurants and cafés, as well as a small Spinneys supermarket.

Water’s Edge: located on Yas Island, across from Seaworld. You can choose from 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. It's a gated community with a playground, pools and plenty of shops and restaurants along a private promenade.

Raha Gardens: a large villa compound consisting of several communities with a shared pool and gym, and a small mall with a supermarket. Some of the villas also have private pools. Each community has one or more playgrounds, which are all walking distance from the villas.

Al Forsan Village: a large compound with 3-5 bed townhouses and villas available to rent. The village includes three shared pools and small children’s play areas. Located at the centre of the compound is a small shopping centre which includes Abu Dhabi’s largest Spinneys supermarket, a gym, and indoor play centre.

Al Rayanna Compound: located in Khalifa City A, near the Al Forsan Sports complex. It offers apartment-style living (1-3 bedrooms) and has nice facilities, including great pools, a gym, playgrounds and a basketball area. It also has a supermarket. Many apartments overlook Abu Dhabi Golf course.

Al Reef: this area is popular with families. It’s close to all the facilities on Yas Island. There are four villages (Arabian, Desert, Mediterranean and Contemporary) in Al Reef, along with a downtown area with shops and cafés. Each village has a shared pool, a gym and playgrounds. Al Reef is quite good value-for-money, and a great location for families who need to regularly travel to Dubai.

Mohammad Bin Zayed City (MBZ): home to private, standalone villas and small compounds, which means you may not experience the same level of community as you get in one of the larger compounds. Some villas have pools, but many do not. Good value for money in an up-and-coming area.

Sas Al Nakeel (SAS): another compound that’s popular with families. The compound features a large pool and gym, function hall, and children’s playground, as well as a small Spinneys supermarket, a café, hair and beauty salon, and a chemist.

Khalifa City A: close to Al Raha Gardens – and similar to MBZ – this area is home to private, standalone villas or small compounds. This means you may not experience the same level of community/outside living space that you get in other compounds. Some villas have pools, but many do not.

Mangrove Village: popular with families due to the ease of transport options into the city. Offers a range of 4-5 bedroom villas, some with their own pool. The compound has an indoor and outdoor pool, small beach, and football pitch, children’s playgrounds, gym, basketball court, tennis court, café and children’s nursery.

Seashores Village: situated next to Mangrove Village, Seahorses has two pools, a gym, tennis and basketball courts, squash courts, a football pitch, children’s playground and small mini-market. A little less expensive than Mangrove Village.

Rihan Heights: excellent apartments (1-3 bedroom and penthouses) with great amenities, including a large pool, shared gym facilities, playground, café, and recreation room. Many families take part in sport activities here, including Harlequins rugby, football, basketball, tennis, and two popular fitness centres.

 

Getting around downtown Abu Dhabi – and the wider emirate – is relatively straightforward, thanks to safe, clean, and efficient transport options.

Taxis 

Taxis are one of the best ways to move around Abu Dhabi. Whether you're at the airport or in the city, you're never far away from a taxi. Just look out for their signature silver livery and yellow roof signs. 

Taxis can be flagged down on the street or you can book them via the Abu Dhabi taxi app. On-demand ride-hailing apps like Uber and Careem are also available in the city. 

Buses 

Public buses are a cost-effective way to travel around Abu Dhabi and they operate round-the-clock. To pay for your bus journey, you’ll need a Hafilat Smart Card. Hafilat – which means ‘buses’ in Arabic – is a pre-paid card that you can use on any public bus.  

Renting a car 

Hiring a car in Abu Dhabi will give you the freedom to get around independently. You'll find many car rental companies in Abu Dhabi with reliable vehicles and packages that include insurance, maintenance and 24-hour assistance. 

Bikes 

Combine exercise with exploration by cycling around Abu Dhabi. You can sign up to the Careem Bike app to access bike-share stations throughout the emirate, including on Yas Island, Al Reem Island, and the Corniche. Use the app to pay for daily, weekly or monthly packages. 

From relaxing on the beaches of Saadiyat Island to the excitement of Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi has something for everyone.

Yas Island, for example, is home to the world's largest indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, as well as the shopper's paradise, Yas Mall. Excitingly, Disney plans to open a new theme park on Yas Island in the future.

For nature lovers, the wilderness of Sir Bani Yas Island and the dunes of the Empty Quarter offer peaceful sanctuaries. Abu Dhabi is home to award-winning restaurants, too, while the state-of-the-art Etihad Arena hosts international events and performances. Saadiyat’s cultural district, with its many museums, is also a must-visit. 

There's plenty of water sports to enjoy, too, including dragon boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, and sailing. Spending a night camping in the desert is a magical experience, which comes highly recommended.

Your family will also love exploring the beautiful Mangrove National Park, sandboarding in the dunes, and spending time on Corniche Beach.

The UAE has a rich heritage dating back centuries, which reflects Islamic and Arabic values, and influences food, sports, art and social life. 

Our host country’s appreciation for art, for example, is demonstrated through its poetic language, vibrant colours, distinct gestures, and the passion of the people. The delicious local cuisine, meanwhile, represents the UAE’s history, geography, and diverse influences.  

Modern Abu Dhabi is home to a multicultural global population who create a varied and complex cultural life. Local restaurants sit alongside south Asian and Western-style fast food. Christian, Hindu and Sikh temples neighbour the city’s many mosques. Football is more popular than traditional camel racing and, while the sale of pork and alcohol is regulated, Western-style dress and shopping malls are commonplace.