Travel

As a fast-moving city synonymous with opulent hotels, high-end shopping, ultra-modern theme parks and luxurious beach clubs, Abu Dhabi positively glows, but visits to these temples of indulgence can quickly add up. But if you venture beyond the usual tourist trail, you’ll find yourself rewarded with an abundance of activities that won’t cost anything at all. Here are the best free things to do in Abu Dhabi.The immaculate Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of Abu Dhabi’s must-see attractions and with good reason: not only is it one of the world’s largest mosques, but it’s also one of the most beautiful, with its stunning pure white marble and detailed floral designs inlaid with precious stones.

The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest and most sparsely populated state, wedged between the Atlantic Ocean and the Namibian border. Not many travelers venture here, but the ones that do make the journey will be exhilarated and transported by the expansive landscapes, spectacular natural phenomena, and fascinating history. Rarely does the natural world put on such a spectacle as the Namakwa desert in full bloom. An eye-popping patchwork of orange, yellow, white and purple wildflowers seems to cascade out of distant valleys and flood the landscape as far as the eye can see. The majority of the blooms belong to the daisy family (Asteraceae) and, somewhat surprisingly, the most impressive displays tend to appear not in pristine nature reserves, but on the recently disturbed ground such as fallow farmland. The flowers are true sun-worshippers, only opening between 11 am and 4 pm on sunny days, and turning their faces towards the sun, so you’ll get the best views (and photographs) with the sun at your back.