Abu Dhabi Northeast part
Yas Island, Capital Gate, Coin Building

This page is about the North and East outskirts of Abu Dhabi, that we approached when arriving on the highway from Dubai. From the window of the tour van we saw the leaning tower Capital Gate, some Royal palaces, the skyline, some mosques and the popular futuristic tourist destination Yas Island.


Yas Island, a man-made island in the oustkirts of Abu Dhabi that has become a popular holiday destination. The curvy white structure is the Marina Hotel. This is where you find the famous race track, built around the complex. The cars are driving right under the hotel. You can also see some yachts, the marina is not visible from this angle though. This is also where you find the famous indoor theme park Ferrari World.

 


Hyatt Capital Gate is the world's most leaning tower (even more then the one in Pisa!). This deconstructivist mixed use skyscraper, built at the Abu Dhabi Natioal Exhibition Center, was built in 2010 and is 160m tall. It has a diagrid design, diagonal triangular structures.

 


Capital Gate is situated in the Southeastern outskirts just next to the race track on Yas Island.

Capital Gate, the leaning tower of Abu Dhabi, seen from the highway

 



Sheikh Zayed Mosque, UAE:s largest mosque and a big tourist attraction, is one of the first structures we saw shen arriving from Dubai. Visit its own page here.


Aldar HQ Bldg, the "Coin building", was completed in 2010. With its circular, flat shape this glass office building resembles a coin. It is 110m tall. It is the first circular building in the Middle East and has been voted "best futuristic design".

 

The coin building and an apartment building

New apartment blocks in the desert highway in the outskirts

 
Branches of the Guggenheim and Louvre museums are planned to be built here   The only oil refinery we saw!
  Al Maktoum Bridge

 
A mosque on the highway from Dubai   Another mosque on the highway
  A 3rd mosque on the highway

 

 
A new deconstructivist building in the outskirts   Strange white building
  Jeque Zayed Stadium

 
A building belonging to the Royal family   A Royal building
   


Miraj Center. This green glass building houses a Hilton hotel and Miraj Center, an arts and design center, museum that our Indian guide insisted us to visit.

 

The salesmen in Miraj Center tried to seel really expensive art to us.

 

 

 
A new bridge under construction  
  Another Royal building. Some of the complexes are not allowed to take photos of.

 

 
The desert highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi   The desert highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
  The desert highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi

 
The desert highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi   The desert highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
  The desert highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi


The roads are perfect, almost utopian, in the area where many of the Royal complexes and embassies are situated, close to downtown. This is Bainunah St.

 


The coin building and an apartment building

New apartment blocks in the desert highway in the outskirts

Approaching from the East, with downtown in the middle and Sowwah Island to the left.