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Top 10 hidden gems in Abu Dhabi: Residents reveal emirate's best-kept secrets
Art House Café tops the list, while Al Ain's Hili Archaeological Park and Jebel Hafit camping rank among the emirate's favourite lesser-known spots
- PUBLISHED: Thu 16 Jul 2026, 3:24 PM
Nearly three in four UAE residents recommend lesser-known attractions in Abu Dhabi to friends and family, with personal recommendations outweighing social media in discovering the emirate's hidden gems, according to a new survey.
The research, commissioned by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), found that 73 per cent of residents share recommendations for places they consider hidden gems, while half of Abu Dhabi residents said they could instantly name one – the highest proportion recorded among residents across the UAE.
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The survey suggests many residents prefer to keep these locations undiscovered. Around 64 per cent said they would rather enjoy hidden gems privately than share them on social media.
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Food featured prominently in residents' recommendations, with almost one-third of spontaneous responses mentioning local cafés and restaurants.
Art House Café ranked as the emirate's top hidden gem, with nearly 78 per cent of visitors describing it as one. It was followed by Hili Archaeological Park in Al Ain (58.1 per cent), camping in Jebel Hafit (52.8 per cent) and the Emirates National Auto Museum in Al Dhafra (52.4 per cent).
Other locations making the top 10 included House of Artisans, Eastern Mangroves Promenade, Cultural Foundation, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi Dates Market and Nowhere Café.
The survey also explored what defines a hidden gem for residents. A calm and peaceful atmosphere emerged as the most important factor, cited by 22 per cent of respondents. This was followed by the overall quality of the experience and food (19 per cent), while 12 per cent valued a site's cultural or heritage significance.
The findings also highlighted Al Ain as one of the emirate's strongest draws for lesser-known attractions, with both Hili Archaeological Park and camping in Jebel Hafit featuring among the highest-rated destinations.
The research was conducted by Omnicom on April 20, 2026, on behalf of DCT Abu Dhabi.
