Beyond the shopping malls and high-rises that most experience, we discover the UAE’s wilder side…
The ground of the wadi was golden and crumbling, its fallen rocks lying at my feet like broken biscuits. My guide, Marelie, stopped and gestured to one green shrub: “This has to be my favourite part of the whole island,” she revealed with a smile.
I was stood with a group of five Brits, for whom seeing a bit of greenery on a stroll is usually nothing to write home about. The silence was noticeable but Marelie was not easily discouraged. “Don’t you see how utterly incredible it is?” she asked. “Here in the middle of a barren and desert-like landscape, where no water exists; here a single tree has found a way to live.”
The group nodded somewhat dutifully. “Amazing,” she repeated before leading us further up the trail. I had to admire her passion. The plant in question was, to the casual eye, nothing particularly special, but if the last few days in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had taught me anything, it was not to take things at face value when it comes to Abu Dhabi, and I had a feeling there was more to this.
Certainly, if you’d have said the name of the UAE emirate to me a week ago, I’d likely have dismissed it as a typical example of the Arabian peninsula, offering little more than shopping malls, decadent hotels and wide highways with big cars. So, when the opportunity arose to be introduced to its ‘wild side’, I was curious enough to investigate further.
The roots of the city
Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens
