Karak under the trees, Abu Dhabi’s quiet roadside stop at Al Rahba

Abu Dhabi- For years, the small green patch near the BAPS Mandir was somewhere drivers passed on their way elsewhere, a quiet corner kept tidy by the government and noticed by almost no one. Then people began stopping for a walk in the shade before returning to their cars.

When staff at the restaurant next door noticed guests lingering, they made a simple addition: two chairs under a tree. Soon, the spot began attracting attention on Instagram, encouraging more people to stop and explore this ‘hidden spot of Abu Dhabi’.

A flock of white-eared bulbuls made the trees their kingdom, chirping throughout the day as a cool breeze drifted beneath the canopy. The once-overlooked, government-maintained patch of green had become a place to savour a simple pleasure: karak and birdsong.

“I work in Dubai, but on my journey back home after work, I take the same route. Evening, we make a pit stop for our tea, and that is how I came here first,” said Rahul K. K., a sales manager.

He first came with his cousin, often in the quiet of the morning or the soft light of the evening. The atmosphere, he says, is something anyone would enjoy. “It’s a great place, that’s why I brought my family too.”

The unnamed popular pit stop

The area has been maintained for almost 16 years, according to Nadeer K. Karimamkandam, supervisor at the nearby Food Mania Restaurant. Government workers care for the trees and collect litter every day, he said. He recalled that when he saw them first planted, the trees were little more than shrubs, low and thin enough to pass without a glance. Today, their branches spread wide enough to shade the whole corner.

“People come here in every climate. In summer they sit here during the evening, and even in night. One concern was the lack of light; we are planning to get that sorted too,” Nadeer added.

Nadeer said the area became more popular after the nearby BAPS temple opened. Visitors would make a final stop at the restaurant, and more people began spending time in the green space, under the canopy.

But visitors are not the only ones drawn to the shelter of the trees. “Because of the canopy, the birds come here and settle,” he said, adding that a team of three municipal employees keeps the area clean. There are lines of drip irrigation installed under each tree, with water basin around them.

With winter approaching, Nadeer expects visitor numbers to rise. “Most of the visitors here are families now,” he said. Fridays are the busiest, drawing visitors of different nationalities for a walk after a hearty meal.

“We put the chairs here, for the visitors, we add more if a group of visitors want to enjoy the space here,” he added.

A green escape for families

Shanoob Beeravu, an IT controller from Abu Dhabi, walked beneath the canopy, holding his seven-year-old son, Ihan, who was searching the branches for squirrels. “I’m on my way to Dubai for the weekend, and this was a pit stop for brunch.”

He had discovered the spot, on social media, where influencers discovered a hidden-spot to enjoy their next karak. For him, its appeal lay in the chance to step away from a screen and spend time outdoors on the city’s outskirts. “Day after day, we are spending hours in front of the computer screen and going through emails,” Shanoob said.

He added, “This place of greenery, with a cup of tea is nice,” watching his son enjoy nature as much as him.

Shanoob said his son was looking for other animals among the trees. To the young explorer, Ihan Shanoob, the spot was a jungle where an animal might appear at any moment.

Close to the highway, the spot feels more like a pause on a journey than a destination. Shanoob said visitors could find the green space at Al Rahba, at the first roundabout exit near the BAPS Mandir. With affordable food nearby and a calm atmosphere for a weekend break, it was “best for families to enjoy”, he said.

On a lucky day one could also spot a few Gazelles walking around the trail, sunbathing in the space.