Abu Dhabi
travel talk
Bargains galore
escape
BY LEAH MCLENNAN
O CHRISTINE D’MELLO GETS TO THE ART OF THE MATTER IN ABU DHABI
Transforming a village P aris has its Louvre, New York the Guggenheim. Abu Dhabi will have both. Forty years ago, it was a seaside village. Today the capital of the United Arab Emirates is morphing into a cultural capital of the world. Ambitious remakes of the two iconic art museums are planned on Saadiyat Island, just 500m off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Architects and builders have rolled up their sleeves in a bid to turn this 27sq km island, which is about 10 minutes' drive from Abu Dhabi's CBD, into a leisure, residential, cultural and business destination. Seven districts – cultural, beach, marina, lagoons, promenade, retreat and reserve – are planned for Saadiyat. The sheer scale of the cultural district is mind-boggling. In the pipeline is the
DESTINATION: Abu Dhabi Distance from Cairns: 10917km Best time to go: November to April More info: www.abudhabitourism.ae
National Museum whose architectural highlight is a stunning steel rendition of the feather of the UAE's national bird, the falcon. The Louvre and Guggenheim will take shape alongside a performing arts centre. The Louvre will be a fine arts museum for paintings, sculptures and manuscripts from around the world. The Guggenheim will house modern and contemporary artwork. The beach district takes in the MonteCarlo Beach Club, hotels and resorts. In between the two five-star hotels, you can see
the desert – harsh, unforgiving and about to turn into something entirely different. This district boasts the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club with an 18-hole ocean front course, designed by Gary Player. The marina district will feature boutique stores, cafes, upscale hotels and waterfront restaurants, and is aimed at being the island's commercial hub. The promenade district hopes to draw in families and young couples to its waterfront. In the lagoons district, there'll be homes on the banks of tiny inlets, while the reserve district will maintain its natural wetland and mangrove sanctuaries. It will be hard to recognise the sandy strip when all the strands of this development fall into place. THE WRITER WAS A GUEST OF ETIHAD AIRWAYS AND THE PARK HYATT ABU DHABI
You can see the desert – harsh, unforgiving and about to turn into something entirely different
22
The Weekend Post weekender, Saturday, March 17, 2012
verseas hotel bargains were plentiful for Australian travellers in 2011 thanks to the strong dollar, while prices at home rose. A report by Hotels.com found hotel prices in traditionally expensive European cities, the US and Asian hotspots were cheaper for Australians in 2011 compared with the previous year. While the global average price of a hotel room rose four per cent year-on-year, of the 51 countries analysed, there were price falls in 30. Overall in Australia, hotel room-rates increased nine per cent to average $A166 per night. Australia’s stable economy, coupled with steady corporate and leisure demand, pushed up prices, Hotels.com said. Many hotels in Europe slashed their prices due to economic woes, giving budget-conscious Australian travellers the chance to save money in some of the world’s most famous holiday spots.
THE TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES IN 2011 WERE: 1. New York – $268, down six per cent 2. Taormina – $268, up six per cent 3. Geneva – $261, up 15 per cent 4. Rio de Janeiro – $252, down one per cent 5. Venice – $243, up four per cent 6. Rivera Maya – $235, up five per cent 7. Zurich – $229, up three per cent 8. Langkawi – $222, up 14 per cent 9. Paris – $220, down four per cent 10. London – $218, no change TOP FIVE MOST EXPENSIVE AUSTRALIAN DESTINATIONS IN 2011: 1. Whitsunday Islands – $284, up five per cent 2. Byron Bay – $192, no change 3. Sunshine Coast – $187, up eight per cent 4. Hunter Valley – $185, up eight per cent 5. Perth – $184, up 17 per cent
www.cairns.com.au
Bargains galore
escape
BY LEAH MCLENNAN
O CHRISTINE D’MELLO GETS TO THE ART OF THE MATTER IN ABU DHABI
Transforming a village P aris has its Louvre, New York the Guggenheim. Abu Dhabi will have both. Forty years ago, it was a seaside village. Today the capital of the United Arab Emirates is morphing into a cultural capital of the world. Ambitious remakes of the two iconic art museums are planned on Saadiyat Island, just 500m off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Architects and builders have rolled up their sleeves in a bid to turn this 27sq km island, which is about 10 minutes' drive from Abu Dhabi's CBD, into a leisure, residential, cultural and business destination. Seven districts – cultural, beach, marina, lagoons, promenade, retreat and reserve – are planned for Saadiyat. The sheer scale of the cultural district is mind-boggling. In the pipeline is the
DESTINATION: Abu Dhabi Distance from Cairns: 10917km Best time to go: November to April More info: www.abudhabitourism.ae
National Museum whose architectural highlight is a stunning steel rendition of the feather of the UAE's national bird, the falcon. The Louvre and Guggenheim will take shape alongside a performing arts centre. The Louvre will be a fine arts museum for paintings, sculptures and manuscripts from around the world. The Guggenheim will house modern and contemporary artwork. The beach district takes in the MonteCarlo Beach Club, hotels and resorts. In between the two five-star hotels, you can see
the desert – harsh, unforgiving and about to turn into something entirely different. This district boasts the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club with an 18-hole ocean front course, designed by Gary Player. The marina district will feature boutique stores, cafes, upscale hotels and waterfront restaurants, and is aimed at being the island's commercial hub. The promenade district hopes to draw in families and young couples to its waterfront. In the lagoons district, there'll be homes on the banks of tiny inlets, while the reserve district will maintain its natural wetland and mangrove sanctuaries. It will be hard to recognise the sandy strip when all the strands of this development fall into place. THE WRITER WAS A GUEST OF ETIHAD AIRWAYS AND THE PARK HYATT ABU DHABI
You can see the desert – harsh, unforgiving and about to turn into something entirely different
22
The Weekend Post weekender, Saturday, March 17, 2012
verseas hotel bargains were plentiful for Australian travellers in 2011 thanks to the strong dollar, while prices at home rose. A report by Hotels.com found hotel prices in traditionally expensive European cities, the US and Asian hotspots were cheaper for Australians in 2011 compared with the previous year. While the global average price of a hotel room rose four per cent year-on-year, of the 51 countries analysed, there were price falls in 30. Overall in Australia, hotel room-rates increased nine per cent to average $A166 per night. Australia’s stable economy, coupled with steady corporate and leisure demand, pushed up prices, Hotels.com said. Many hotels in Europe slashed their prices due to economic woes, giving budget-conscious Australian travellers the chance to save money in some of the world’s most famous holiday spots.
THE TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES IN 2011 WERE: 1. New York – $268, down six per cent 2. Taormina – $268, up six per cent 3. Geneva – $261, up 15 per cent 4. Rio de Janeiro – $252, down one per cent 5. Venice – $243, up four per cent 6. Rivera Maya – $235, up five per cent 7. Zurich – $229, up three per cent 8. Langkawi – $222, up 14 per cent 9. Paris – $220, down four per cent 10. London – $218, no change TOP FIVE MOST EXPENSIVE AUSTRALIAN DESTINATIONS IN 2011: 1. Whitsunday Islands – $284, up five per cent 2. Byron Bay – $192, no change 3. Sunshine Coast – $187, up eight per cent 4. Hunter Valley – $185, up eight per cent 5. Perth – $184, up 17 per cent
www.cairns.com.au
