Abu Dhabi on a backpacker budget?

[ethernet]

Hello,

Is it possible to 'Do' Abu Dhabi on a backpackers/student/shoestring budget?

Something like Sydney/Singapore prices - Youth Hostel at $30 night dorm or $90 basic room.

This destination is now open because of Air Asia's RM99 trips - about Aussie $36 each way. All the tourist blurb I see says 'cheap rooms' from $A350 and up - most offputting.There is precious little information in wikitravel or wikipedia on ground costs. Most expensive city - designed for millionaires and oil contractors - build by Indians and guest workers on 3 year 12hr day contracts living in camps.

 

[auriga]

Hello,

Is it possible to 'Do' Abu Dhabi on a backpackers/student/shoestring budget?

.

Could be a tough one! Good luck with that!

 

[Mwenenzi]

Try Lonely Planet Travel Guides and Travel Information thorntree travel forums. May find something

 

[browski]

Hello,

Is it possible to 'Do' Abu Dhabi on a backpackers/student/shoestring budget?

No..............................

 

[fortymilliondaggers]

I have the Sept 07 Lonely Planet on hand: "Unfortunately Abu Dhabi doesn't have a youth hostel and there is no budget accomodation available". Apparently there is (was?) one in Sharjah and Dubai though.

 

[ethernet]

OK, a bit more information -
General Information | Live Work Explore Abu Dhabi

Seems the 'traditional' locals have been shoo'ed away, to make way for glass and concrete towers/real estate. And the GFC has pricked the property/tulip bubble over there.

There are few youth Hostels at $40 dorm odd - though I suspect one must book ahead - and prices are rising. Note - not for single women , and probably just 3 days. I can find only one YHA. There appears to be a dual system - one for locals, one for tourists, where locals always go to the front of the line.

On the Hotel Front - there are places for $150 odd, and there is street food at reasonable prices.

I found a reference to camping - but not close by. With a 4WD and GPS, they could actually develop things - but there is no DIY camping, yet.
Seems the biggest dunes and best island beaches are a fair way out.

Shopping: Broadly expensive. KL is a shoppers paradise, so I can't see the attraction, other than the gawk factor.

There was 'talk' of fixing expanding the backpacker youth hostel segment, but no published action.

 

[fortymilliondaggers]

It's a bit absurd really - plenty of space, I'm sure the hotels are running at low occupancy at the moment, but nowhere to stay for a reasonable price.

I think the youth hostels would be pretty grim.

 

[Keith009]

Sounds like I made the right decision in going to Doha rather than Abu Dhabi. The hotels in Abu Dhabi look astonishingly expensive, even the ho hum ones. TBH it's so that I can tick another W Hotel off my list, and it's part of the obligatory Middle Eastern SCrun on my DONE4. I hear they have a rather massive shopping mall in Doha though so at least that'd give me something to do during the day, though I suspect it'd be more window shopping unless things are cheaper than in London (unlikely given in London things are already so cheap due to the state of the Gordon Brown Peso and fab Harvey Nicks' sales).