Abu Dhabi - Mina Zayed Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour
Highlights
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Offline Mode: Download tours and listen without WiFi
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Location Aware: GPS map allows you to enjoy the sites
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Instagram Hotspots: We find the perfect picture spots
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Enjoy a private experience in a COVID-19 safe environment
Summary
Explore Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed Port, a bustling hive of carpets souks, date markets and fishing boats.
Tour info
Duration
1 hour -
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Adult:
(5-90 years)
£15.00
Commentary
English
Meeting Point
Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
Dropoff location
Why take this tour?
Explore Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed Port, a bustling hive of carpets souks, date markets and fishing boats, with this immersive tour!
Listen to an expert historian and stride into the markets like a local as you discover the best way to barter through Abu Dhabi's finest souks. Sample different teas, coffees and dates as you learn about the origins of Emirati cuisine.
Walk around iconic key attractions, learning about this city's origins as a seafaring and pearl farming port, as well as its exciting future. Grab a bite to eat at the fish market, or head up to Marsa Mina for our bonus track and explore their selection of food stalls and contemporary culture.
Embark on this epic foodie adventure, to discover the best food travel spots and learn about the history behind this stunning neighbourhood.
Marvel at Abu Dhabi's stunning skyline as you enter Zayed port. Get a closer look at the Mina Dhow Harbor, a great place to learn about the origins of this beautiful city. Abu Dhabi is an archipelago made up of over 200 islands! The ground we’re walking on right now isn’t physically connected to the mainland apart from bridges.
Learn about the history of Mina Zayed as you stroll towards the markets. Serving as the main port in the capital of Abu Dhabi for over 40 years, Zayed Port has the distinction of being one of the regional pioneers in the UAE’s maritime industry.
Peruse some of Abu Dhabi's finest selection of carpets in this traditional carpet souk. You can find everything from custom fitted chairs and curtains for majili living rooms to traditional materials like Sadu, a red, white and black thread unique to the Bedouins in this part of the world.
Taste delightful dates and sip Arabian coffee in Mina Zayed's Dates Market. Date fruits have been gaining popularity around the world recently due to their health benefits and caramel-like sweetness. Along with the great nutritional value, dates are high in fiber and antioxidants so have become very popular with younger people.
Stop by the Al Foah Dates company to discover the history of Abu Dhabi's long relationship with Palm Trees and Dates. Here at the Al Foah Date company, we’ll learn a bit more about their distribution and how many are exported around the world each year.
Try traditional Emirati tea at the City Gate Restaurant. It’s a truly delightful drink that gained popularity in the last couple of decades and made space for itself in every Emirati’s heart. Claiming its well-deserved place in the Emirati cuisine and the larger taste palate of every Abu Dhabi resident. It’s preferred for its sweet sugary taste, rich milky profile and refreshing caffeine boost.
Despite being situated next to a desert, Abu Dhabi hosts quite the selection of fruit & veg. As you walk through the market, notice the apples from Jordan, Oranges from Egypt, Onions from India and Mangosteens from Thailand.
While walking to the Plant Market, learn about the future of Mina Zayed and the properties currently in development. This matches a pattern that we’re seeing across the United Arab Emirates, with an increased focus on international tourism and redevelopment. However, these developments also have artistic and cultural value, such as the opening of Warehouse 421 nearby.
From herbal remedies to ancient toothbrushes, these Emirati plants have the variety of purposes. One tree in particular stands out as a drought-resistant legend, it’s called the Ghaf tree which was titled the national tree of the UAE recently. Its leaves were also used as the symbol for the UAE’s year of tolerance in 2018.
Explore the bustling fish market while looking onto Drow Harbour. Some favorites include the Shaari (Spangled Emperor), Hamour (Orange-spotted Grouper) or Safi (White-spotted Spinefoot) as well as the Kanaad (King fish) and Gasheed (shark meat dish). If you fancy grabbing a meal, you can haggle with one of the fishermen, grab yourself a fish and grill it at the shops next door.
Enjoy our Bonus Track, head up to Marsa Mina to explore their selection of food stalls and contemporary culture. Don’t forget to take in the astonishing view of the Persian Gulf as you enjoy this ambient waterfront. This really is the perfect place to wrap up today’s tour, surrounded by traditional and contemporary cuisine right by the waterfront.
The Vidi Guides experience is enriched with on-screen photos and videos. We also point out where to take the perfect Instagram photos during the tour, and include recommendations for food, drinks, and local attractions. Don't worry, none of our recommendations are sponsored - they are simply favourites of the locals who helped craft the experience.
Vidi Guides creates immersive audio experiences that are like podcasts. This is a self-guided audio tour that can be started or stopped at your own convenience. Download the Vidi Guides app & your tour to explore the area independently and safely! Make sure to download your tour before your visit to streamline your trip!
What’s included?
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Access to your self-guided audio tour -
Audio tour provided by a local or historian -
Offline Mode: Download tours in advance to listen without WiFi -
Location Aware: GPS map allows you to enjoy sites, without getting lost -
Instagram Hotspots: We find the spot for your perfect picture -
Headphones
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Mobile device
Things to know
Before you book
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This product is suitable for all ages
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Do it at your own pace. This product is suitable for all fitness levels
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English speaking Audio guide only
Before you go
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You will need to bring your own mobile phone
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You will need to bring your own headset/earphones
Covid Policy
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
This is a covid safe experience. Avoid the crowds and maintain social distancing with this independent tour.
Cancellation Policy
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Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund
Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Redemption information
This is not your ticket! You will receive a separate email with a link to your tour. From that email, please click 'Download Now', install the Vidi Guides app, create an account within the app and click 'GetMyTour'. The tour will then be ready for download within your profile section. You can start the tour whenever you like!
Your voucher will be collected or scanned on redemption
About operator:
Too many people visit places without discovering anything about them. And we can’t let that happen.
We believe that the true essence of travelling lies in the joy of discovering the authentic face of cities, neighbourhood and cultural sites, and unlocking the many tales they hold.
With that spirit in our hearts, we started out in search of these stories hidden in the nooks and corners of Paris, London, Cambridge and Oxford's most iconic spots. We then dived into each place’s culture, history, and traditions by collaborating with historians, famous architects, photographers, street artists, and many more. What we ended up finding was a treasure trove of stories that we have meticulously tied together just for you!
But how to deliver this information? We didn’t want to create another Wikipedia, with people looking at their phones instead of the sites. And let’s face it, audioguides and headsets belong to the 20th century.. This is why we’ve created our own storytelling format. Podcast-style tours, enriched with photos and videos, that keep you wanting more.
Our goal is to create a form of travel that will make you truly discover the places you visit.
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