Abu Dhabi Corniche

The waterfront Corniche, with its white sandy beaches and generous promenade, stretches the entire length of the north-west shore of the city. Giving spectacular views of the iconic high rise tower blocks assembled along the seafront, it also offers one of the city's main recreation opportunities with a dedicated walking and separate cycle path weaving in and out of the Corniche's landscaped gardens. Refreshments are available from the public beaches that punctuate the western section of the road.

The best way to explore the whole Corniche is by renting a bicycle from Funride Sports, in front of the Hilton Abu Dhabi at the south-western end of the Corniche. There are several other stations, less consistently open, at Al Sahil gardens, about a third of the way along the 8km cycle track. Towels and sunbeds can be rented from several of the Corniche's public beaches, run by Bake UAE. It's worth taking some water for exploring the whole length of the Corniche as the eastern section has few amenities and long stretches without shade.

The inland side of the Corniche is dotted with parks and sheesha cafés that come alive at night with local families seeking the sea breeze in the sweltering summer months (May to September) or clustered around mobile heaters in the cool winter nights (December to February).

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Arabian Saluki Centre Abu Dhabi UAE

You'll probably hear them before you see them as a howl goes up when a visitor approaches this hound pound. A visit here involves entering the kennels, meeting the affectionate and well-looked-after residents, picking up a puppy or two and perhaps watching bath-time. Prized for their hunting skills and speed over distance, salukis have for centuries been man's best friend to the Bedu, and after a visit to this breeding and training centre it's easy to see why. It's in the Falcon Hospital Complex; prebook an appointment.

Originating in China, the saluki is thought to be one of the first breeds of dog to be domesticated and their speed, tolerance to high temperatures and intelligence made them the perfect companions for nomadic communities who used them to catch rabbits and other small game. While there's not much call for their skills in the desert these days, they remain a beloved part of the Arabian Peninsula heritage with pure-bred, well-behaved dogs fetching thousands of dirhams. Many are bred to race and, according to the Guinness Book of Records , a saluki holds the record for four-legged speed at 68.8km/h, clocked up in 1996. Their beauty is also prized and dogs are paraded before judges for their pride, stride and condition of coat. To see these wonderful, shaggy eared dogs in action, visit the 10-day Al Dhafra Festival, in the deserts of Madinat Zayed in the Western Region of the Abu Dhabi Emirate.

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