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A capital city as impressive as it is beautiful. Abu Dhabi soars out of the Emirates coastline in an explosion of fabulous architecture, lush parks and broad avenues. That so much change and development has been concentrated here is remarkable. Just 30 years ago, Abu Dhabi was distinguished by several groups of barastis, the palm-frond huts and a few windtowers which peered up out of the arid sabkha. Hemmed in by the vastness of the Arabian desert around it, Abu Dhabi was nevertheless old even when oil began bringing change in. Today, amid the gleaming towers that line its shaded boulevards, Abu Dhabi's old fort, Al Husn, is its strongest and most visible link with its past. Although the first written records of the fort date back to 1793, the walls contain a considerably older square fort.

Yet compared to the evidence on the nearby island of Umm al Nar, even this is recent: a settlement existed here as long ago as 3,000 BC. Abu Dhabi, the seat of the UAE's government, is the dominant emirate, accounting for about 85 per cent of the total size of the UAE, and is accustomed to thinking big. That easy facility for grandeur is best seen along the city's Corniche, which provides an extraordinary showcase and contains a number of high profile landmark buildings. Perhaps the most eye-catching is the Baynunah Hilton Towers. Modern and almost futuristic in design, it bears skilful traditional carving including the word 'Baynunah' written in Arabic as a logo. Most of the city's building development adheres to a strict set of design guidelines: Islamic elements and decoration are encouraged. Obviously, the arch plays a fundamental role and is incorporated into modern Emirati architecture in a variety of ways. A walk down any of the capital's major streets confirms that. Yet the capital is not just lifeless monument and stone. At the Abu Dhabi Breakwater Development Project, work is under way on a spectacular marina and shopping complex which will make the city that much more attractive as a tourist hotspot.

Then there is Lulu Island, close to the Corniche, a large tourism and entertainment project: parks, entertainment and sports halls, a planetarium, zoo, a maritime centre, swimming pools, heritage village, cinemas and resort hotels will all be contained there. Beaches? They're there too, on the western tip of the island near the imposing ministries district of Batin, and that naturally is where the hotels and resorts are concentrated. For the greens too, Abu Dhabi has much to offer. The emirate's islands and coasts are being evaluated as a World Heritage List zone: they support 90 per cent of the Arabian Gulf's breeding population of osprey, and seven of the world's only 12 colonies of the Socotra cormorant can be found here.

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