Abu Dhabi is beautiful, there is no denying that. But, between Marketplace runs, Mamsha dinners, and the occasional weekend trip to Yas Island or the city, our routines begin to look the same. I often hear the same refrain: there is nothing to do here, the city is boring. Before you book that weekend getaway, let me share one of my closely guarded secrets and personal favorite hidden gems of Abu Dhabi – The Mazaraa Farm Shop in Al Bahia.

Imagine this: walking through a stretch of emerald green grass, camels munching away heartily on rattan leaves, and an ostrich's head peering at you from over their enclosure. The farmers swing their Das (sickle), cutting through the weeds. It is a glorious and beautiful day, but you hear the soft quack of your mortal enemy – the duck. You turn and see it staring blankly at you. In this standoff, you try to remember that the duck is more terrified of you than you are of it. But it does not seem so. He walks towards you, and you cannot move, sweat beading on your forehead. Its pace picks up, becoming a sprint, and your previously frozen feet begin moving on their own, as you dash in the other direction. The duck wins today.

While this moment may or may not be my experience, if a scenic walk through the natural landscape of rural Abu Dhabi as you watch local farmers harvest crops and produce, or even just feeding the animals, (like donkeys, horses, cows, camels, the local oryx and the diverse flock of feathered fiends) sounds exciting to you, then a trip to Mazaraa Farm is what you need this semester.

Abu Dhabi Organic Farms, better known as Mazaraa, was the UAE’s first organic farm, officially certified back in 2007. Its work in sustainable agriculture and food security even earned it recognition from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization(. After an insightful conversation with the owner of the farm, he had informed my friends and I that, while initially a private farm for his family, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that he decided to open it up to the public and share UAE’s commitment to sustainable living. Mazaraa is part of Integrated Green Resources UAE, a network that has been growing and supplying organic produce across the country since 2008. Among its several farms, Mazaraa is the only one open to visitors.

Mazaraa has 3 distinct sections. The first of which is the specialty coffee, with the beans and dairy locally sourced. I tried both the flat white and a cappuccino, but you cannot go wrong with any of their options. The second section is a farm-to-table restaurant, where you can try a camel burger unique to the Gulf. Finally, for those looking to reconnect with nature, you can pick up a basket at the entrance of the farm and walk around feeding the animals, or you can enter the fields and pick the growing crops.

If you are looking for an alternative to the regular Abu Dhabi bustle of shopping and dining, I would highly recommend taking a trip, and heading to Mazaraa with your friends for a day filled with outdoor adventure.