Al Bateen Shipyard lies on the west coast of island Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi. It is adjacent to the Intercontinental Hotel and is one of the oldest part of Abu Dhabi. Here you can still see traditional fishing dhows going for fishing and returning with their daily catch. They come back with delicious sea food and prawns. It is indeed a golden opportunity to see how people lived in those days without the help of modern day technology. In the modern era, everything is made using technologies and machines, and all turns to be made by mass production, so don’t miss this great opportunity to see functional items produced by human hands. You will feel it as a treat to see and understand traditional Arabic ships being made by hand, carved piece by piece out of teak wood, without using modern equipment’s and machinery.
While visiting this place you could see wooden dhows with beautiful wood carvings and traditional markings. The place continues to preserve its traditional way of catching and delivering fishes. Many builders still rely on the traditional method of building boats. They make classic and traditional boats which are elegant and having a grand look. These boats reveal the culture of Abu Dhabi. See with you own eyes the traditional way of creation inspired by nature, revealing rich culture, and traditional way of making of carved dhows, transferred from generation to generation.
The craftsmen shape the trademark wooden dhows from huge planks of teak without the help of new age materials or complicated modern techniques. The boats are built and mended here, and they look rather sleek and racing then the trading dhows, and some have carbon masts. The whole place has a traditional look with piles of saw dust scattered here and there and flying around the place with its peculiar odor. So go around and click some snaps, but be sure you ask the boat builders before doing it. Be there before five in the evening.
Opening days
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Opening hours
Best time to visit is at 5pm.
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