FACTFILE

GETTING THERE: Etihad flies twice a day from Dublin to Abu Dhabi, with prices starting from €550, visit etihad.com. The flight is a lot less than people expect at just 7.5 hours, and the on-board entertainment means that you don’t even notice the time going by. The staff are wonderfully courteous and polite and the food is of a very high standard – they even feature Lily O’Brien’s desserts, divine! WHERE TO STAY: The Saadiyat Rotana Resort has rooms from €180 per night, with half-board offers available, visit rotana.com ACTIVITIES: Visit ferrariworldabudhabi.com, yaswaterworld.com, louvreabudhabi.ae and sea-hawk.ae for kayaking opportunities.