About Abu Dhabi
The UAE capital sits on a T-shaped island reaching into the Persian Gulf, anchored by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – 82 white-marble domes completed in 2007, holding 41,000 worshippers around the world's largest hand-knotted carpet. Corniche Beach runs eight kilometres along the urban seafront in sectioned family and singles zones, while Saadiyat Beach offers nine kilometres of fine white sand and hawksbill turtle nesting east of the city. The Gulf reaches 32–34 °C90–93 °F from July through September; Zayed International airport lies thirty minutes by road.