How To Do A Stopover In Abu Dhabi as A Solo Parent With an Infant + Things To Do

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is centrally located in the Middle East and is the perfect stopover if you’re travelling from for example Australia to Europe as it breaks up the flight (see map below).

We travelled from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi (the capital of the UAE) which was just under 14 hours. Then we enjoyed a stopover in Abu Dhabi to break up the flight and see some sights. Then we travelled 7 hours to Amsterdam.

In this post I’ll share my experience and thoughts on how to do a stopover in Abu Dhabi with an infant as a solo parent, what to see and do, and handy tips from my own experience for the solo travelling parent. Enjoy!

Which airline offers a stopover in Abu Dhabi?

The most popular airline that offers a stopover in Abu Dhabi is Etihad Airways. At the time of writing this post, the airline offers a free hotel stopover until the end of 2023, which is something we took advantage of (and no, this post is not sponsored, this post is about my own experience and thoughts).

HOT TIP: Etihad Airlines now also offer a “neighbour free seat” option in economy, which are available to purchase at Manage my booking from 72 to four hours before your flight. I put an offer in for neighbour free seating, but unfortunately this offer was rejected as the flight was fully booked.

Tips for flying with an infant

As outlined in my recent post Tips for Travelling Abroad as a Solo Parent (First Time Mum Edition) here a few things to considering before flying with an infant:

Book your flights well in advance (where possible) and request a bassinet.
If it’s in your budget, request your favourite seats with extra legroom (ensuring this is bulk head where the bassinet can be placed).
Ideally book your seats away from the aisle to ensure tiny hands and feet don’t get accidentally trapped.
I have read on some other travel blogs that some people travel with a car seat on the plane to ensure your infant is strapped in safely (handy when you’re drinking a hot cup of tea, or have to go to the bathroom, at least you know your baby is securely strapped in). If this is a a practical option for you (probably not so practical travelling as a solo parent) then please check with your airline prior to booking your flight.
Pack your own food/snacks. I’m a big fan of packing your own food as depending on your child’s age, they may not have gotten used to all the different types of solid foods yet, so taking your own snacks that you know your baby likes is a good option. We’re packing a small tackle box with our own snacks including cheese stringers, biscuits, chopped fruit and some teething biscuits.
Take nappy pants instead of normal nappies, as these are much easier to quickly put on and pull off a wriggly tired baby in an unstable plane.
When walking around in the plane, carry baby in a safe baby carrier so that you have your hands free, in case of unexpected turbulence.

What to wear in Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and is less known than the more popular city of Dubai which is located about 1hr 40 mins south of Abu Dhabi. Dubai is much more modern and westernised and therefore the dresscode may be slightly less modest in Dubai compared to Abu Dhabi.

Prior to our trip I did the necessary research to ensure I packed appropriate clothing for our Abu Dhabi Trip to ensure we respect the culture, yet also dress for the hot weather.

I opted for long breezy dresses (preferably cotton or linen) which covered shoulders and knees. A broad rim hat came in handy too as the sun is literally scorching hot outside. When visiting holy / religious places and banks, it’s essential to obey the dresscode (more about Mosque dress code further down this post).

Things to do in Abu Dhabi with an Infant

During the Summer months in the UAE the temperatures are very very very hot which made me think twice about the things to do and see as I felt it would be too hot for our little one. But rest assured, Abu Dhabi is setup for this weather and almost everything is indoors and airconditioned.

We stayed overnight in the Shangri La vicinity which is beautiful location along the water. The beach was very clean, neat and one of the beaches was supervised by a lifeguard. There were also PLENTY of pools to choose from, each with a lifeguard, and the walkway along the boulevard was pram friendly, and mostly covered with shade from trees (more about pram friendly tips and public transport with an infant further down this posts).

Visiting the Sheik Zayed Mosque with an infant

Prior to our trip to Abu Dhabi, the one and only must see on my list was the Sheik Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

I love being organised and prepared ahead of time, so as I was getting ready for our trip I wanted to know if there are any fees to enter the The Sheik Zayed Mosque – to which the answer is no, there are no fees to enter The Sheik Zayed Mosque.

When visiting the mosque make sure you are informed and dress accordingly, cover your hair, shoulders, arms and legs, see Mosque Manners below.

When visiting the Sheik Zayed Mosque (or any mosque for that matter) also keep prayer times in mind and opening hours.

You can book your visit online here (which is something YOU HAVE TO DO, prior to rocking up at the mosque). Even though I thought I was prepared, I had forgotten to book our online visit as I wasn’t sure at what time we would fit in our visit due to baby nap times etc. So when we arrived at the mosque, there was a big sign with a QR code which links you directly to the online booking facility. once you’ve completed that, you’ll get shown a QR code on your phone which is your entry pass. You’ll get the entry pass emailed to you as well, which has a handy e-brochure attached with some further information about the dress code, and prohibited items. Also note that you’ll need to have your bag scanned prior to entree.

Taking photos in the Sheik Zayed Mosque

As pointed out in the e brochure which is part of your e ticket, you’ll note that there are only certain spots allocated where you can use as photo points. I wasn’t aware of this till I actually visited the mosque as these spots are clearly marked out with taped barricades and signage.

*This image is courtesy and copyright of the Sheik Zayed Mosque E brochure*

Visiting SeaWorld Abu Dhabi with an Infant

We did not get a chance to visit SeaWorld, and this is personally also not on my MUST see list, however if you’re looking for an indoor activity with your little one(s), it’s a great one to explore.

Extra Tips for Visiting Abu Dhabi with an Infant

Is Abu Dhabi Pram friendly?

Due to the scorching summer temperatures, we did not get a chance to explore much of the sidewalks / walkways with a pram as we literally hopped from airconditioning to air-conditioning. The hotel we stayed at was very pram friendly with elevators, rooms and restaurants VERY easily accessible. There was plenty room to manoeuvre a pram around the breakfast bar and the hotel also offered a safe sturdy infant seat.

Getting Around In a taxi with an infant in Abu Dhabi

Taxi’s are abundant in Abu Dhabi, yet if you wish to have baby seat / infant seat in the taxi, you’ll need to request this as not many chauffeurs offer this.

We organised our airport transfer from and to the hotel via the hotel, and specifically requested a baby seat. On our way from the airport to the hotel, we had a Lexus vehicle with a baby seat (which wasn’t quite up to our safe Australian standards) which looked like a tiny shell. The rearward facing seat had no side impact padding, had a 3 point buckle system and upon checking the seat, it turned out it wasn’t strapped in to the car so after a few minutes sweating in the heat, we had worked out how to safely strap in car seat, before enjoying short, a well earned airconditioned ride to the hotel.

On the way back from the hotel to the airport, we had a much better forward facing seat which seemed much more solid. Personally when travelling with an infant, I preferred the privately arranged transfers over a taxi as the taxi drivers weren’t taking into account an infant without a car seat was seated in the back (they drove very rough and jerky so I had to firmly hold my little one’s head and body) and the air-conditioning wasn’t very suitable for the summer temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius.

In Summary

Yes you can visit Abu Dhabi and Dubai in Summer. It’s hot but it’s all doable!! This country is BUILT for it.
Sight seeing and swimming in the pool are all possible as long as you time it correctly. We swam early in the morning around 7am which was PERFECT.
We visited the Mosque around Midday which was SUPER hot… but from where the taxi drops you off, it’s literally only 1 minute walk to the entrance, from which there is a large underground walkway with shop to the actual mosque entrance (probably 10 – 15 min walk with pram).
If possible book your OWN driver ahead of time as my personal experience with an infant in a taxi wasn’t great.