ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - APRIL 08: General view of action during the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific 2017 race at Yas Marina Circuit on April 8, 2017 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images)

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Yas Marina Circuit

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Even if you're not in town in November for the Formula One Grand Prix, it's possible to experience Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina track year-round. For a behind the scenes look at the circuit, tours (book beforehand) take you into the grandstand, the race-control centre and the media centre.

For something more adrenaline pumping, if you fancy yourself a bit of a Lewis Hamilton you can drive the concourse at the wheel of – or as a passenger in – a Ferrari 458 GT (among several others) or go from 0km/h to 100km/h in two seconds in a dragster. Fitness buffs can also access the track three nights a week for free when it opens to runners, walkers and cyclists.

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  • ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 03: A falcon is placed on a bench at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, on February 3, 2015 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (ADFH) is located just outside Abu Dhabi. It is the largest of its kind in the world attracting customers from all over the UAE and the wider Gulf region including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Around 9,000 birds are treated each year for a wide range of ailments. The centre which has a an ophthalmology department, and intensive care unit is equipped to deal with everything from X-Rays, cases of Avian Flu, Falcon Pox, repairing of feathers, and general health checks and provides a 24 hour service. The centre also has two large air conditioned aviaries where falcons can rest while they are moulting, or changing their feathers. Traditionally a way of obtaining food, Falconry today has become more of a national sport and a rite of passage for many young Emirati men, who take their time to train their Falcons, developing a relationship and deep bond with the birds. Groups of friends regularly come together in the evenings to meet and train their birds where the practice becomes more about camaraderie and sharing knowledge than subsistence. The practice of Falconry was recognized by UNESCO in 2012 under the 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity' list. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

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