Every Arab country has an ethnographic village, and Abu Dhabi is no exception. There is a similar village in Dubai, but this one is bigger and more interesting. The Heritage Village stands on the Breakwater next to Marina Mall and shows the traditional way of life of the Emirati people.
Bear in mind that not everyone lived like this: the village mostly shows the life of the Bedouin and oasis dwellers. Entry is free.
What to see inside
Huts and stalls. Palm-frond huts of the kind people lived in at the oases, trading stalls, old household items and historical photographs.
Workshops. Traditional workshops — pottery, weaving and a forge — where local craftsmen demonstrate old crafts.
Garden and city view. Next to the village is a small botanical garden with plants the Bedouin used at home and in medicine, and on the shore there is a viewpoint looking across the water at the Abu Dhabi skyline — one of the most photogenic views of the city.
Souvenirs. The Heritage Village is a great place to buy souvenirs.
How to get there
The village is on the Breakwater by the Corniche, next to Marina Mall, which is an easy landmark for taxi drivers. From Marina Mall you can follow the signs on foot; city buses run to the mall from central Abu Dhabi.
Tips before you go
Come in the morning, before the tour buses arrive, usually around lunchtime. In summer the morning is also the only time it is not too hot.
On Fridays the village closes for Friday prayers and reopens in the evening. Hours change during Ramadan and public holidays.
The village is often included in Abu Dhabi city tours.
Al Marina, Abu Dhabi · 24.476614, 54.330988
