Leisure Pursuits In Abu Dhabi:
1. YAS WATERWORLD AQUAPARK:
Can a vacation in a hot country be complete without visiting a water park? If you are having fun on vacation in Abu Dhabi, then be sure to spend one day visiting the local Yas Waterworld water park. This entertainment center with a wide selection of all kinds of water attractions is located on the artificial island of Yas and occupies an area of 15 hectares. Yas Waterworld has 43 water slides of varying difficulty. In addition, the design of the water park itself is interesting: it is the theme of the adventures of a little girl Dana. The little girl travels around the country, trying to find her lost pearl, which symbolizes prosperity and well-being for all the people of the Middle East.
Exciting adventures await you already at the entrance to Yas Waterworld: you will find yourself in a village called Qaryat Al Jewana. This is not an ordinary village – on its territory you can play a unique interactive game Pearlmasters: here children take part in a treasure hunt around the entire water park. What else interesting awaits you and your child in this amazing place? First of all, these are the most diverse slopes: high, small, smooth, steep, twisted into a spiral, covered in pipes and wide open. If your child is already old enough and is not afraid of speed, then conquer the slides “Humps of Hamlyul” and “Mountain Slide” with him. These are the most grandiose and highest water attractions in the water park.
Yas Waterworld also has its own rivers: Yadi Yas and Al Raha. One of them is leisurely, quiet and smooth – it goes around the entire water park, and the other, on the contrary, is stormy and high-speed, with crests and rapids. And on the attraction “Wave Tamer” your young tourist will be able to take the first steps in surfing. One of the most interesting playgrounds is the “Mara Fortress”. There are all kinds of entertainment for kids: 6 low slides, 1 geyser, several tubs of warm water that constantly tip over onto the guests of this area of the water park, water cannons and much more.
There is also a mini-version of the “Mara Fortress” area nearby: a play area called “Yeha”l. It is designed for the very young guests of Yas Waterworld. There are 3 small slides and 1 tipping tub. Separately, I would like to mention one of the largest wave pools in the entire Middle East. The Amwaj pool is a constant alternation of calm with huge waves. Not only children of all ages have a great time here, but also their parents. Not far from the water park is the famous Ferrari World amusement park in the UAE, a visit to which can be combined with a vacation in Yas Waterworld.
2. FERRARI WORLD:
If your son or daughter is a big fan of Ferrari cars and everything related to this Italian brand, then, while on holiday in the United Arab Emirates, you can safely go to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. The child will certainly appreciate your gift, because this is a whole world of racing cars, full of exciting rides and exhibits! By the way, if you also love thrills, including high speed, then you will like this place too. Under the large roof of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, you will find as many as 18 rides for children, adults and the whole family at the same time.
It is worth going to the very first and largest theme park in Abu Dhabi, dedicated to Ferrari, only because it has entertainment for everyone. This place is a real work of modern art, from technological rides and interactive entertainment to restaurants with delicious Italian cuisine. Perhaps one of the coolest and scariest, but nevertheless the most inviting local entertainment is the Formula Rossa roller coaster, recognized as the fastest in the world. The cars, stylized as a Ferrari 250 California Spyder, are capable of reaching speeds of about 240 km/h in just 5 seconds. Just imagine the power of the drive and the splash of adrenaline in your blood! For those who like more relaxed rides, there is a track called “Little Italy” with a length of 570 meters.
You will slowly roll in the cars and contemplate the Italian mountain landscape. For kids, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi also has a lot of interesting things prepared! The child will begin his training with the Junior GT simulator attraction. He will watch a special educational film, receive instructions from professional racers, try his hand at the road behind the wheel of a reduced version of the 430 GT Spider. This is an absolutely safe attraction even for the smallest children. Here, young car enthusiasts will learn to navigate road signs, learn what each traffic light means, etc. The Junior Grand Prix attraction is the next step in the young racer’s school. After an educational film and detailed instructions, the child will take the driver’s seat in a Ferrari F1.
On this simulator, he will learn to drive, take sharp turns at high speed, and overcome difficult tracks like a true race car driver. In addition to a large number of attractions, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has its own museum of this legendary Italian brand, where you can learn the history of the brand’s development and the most interesting facts about the entire existence of the Ferrari concern. In the museum, you will take a virtual trip to the factory where these luxury cars roll off the assembly line, and ride around the three-dimensional world in trolleys, wearing 3D glasses. In the local brand store, you will be offered to buy souvenirs. The store offers a wide variety of items in a wide range of prices: from simple keychains with the Ferrari logo to valuable engine parts of real cars worth several hundred thousand rubles. The store is open daily from 10:15 to 20:00.
3. AL AIN PARADISE PARK:
If there is a paradise on Earth, it is definitely Al Ain Paradise – a unique flower park in the city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. You should definitely come here with your child to enjoy the blooming splendor and take many beautiful photos. Just imagine: in the middle of the deserted faded land of the Middle East, a green blooming oasis spreads out, full of delicate fragrant representatives of the flora. People from all over the world come to this flower paradise to see what magic skillful human hands can do. By the way, Al Ain Paradise Park is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the largest flower gardens in hot countries.
The area of this unique kingdom of flowers is about 2.1 hectares. The garden is not only buried in lush greenery and bright flowers, it is also very originally decorated. You will be able to see on its territory both a variety of flower beds, and entire compositions and sculptures of flowers. There are also many green labyrinths and alleys, which are very interesting for a family to stroll along on especially hot days. It is worth noting that the Paradise Garden was already reconstructed several years ago after several acts of vandalism.
Then the garden was plundered and destroyed by unknown people. After the opening, the Paradise Garden became even more luxurious and rich in flower arrangements. Today, its territory is decorated with about 3,000 baskets with a wide variety of flora. When creating flower arrangements, the park workers put in a lot of effort and used all their experience in this field. That is why today, flowers from almost every country in the world grow on the well-groomed green territory of the Al Ain Paradise Park. After the reconstruction, the park acquired its own “highlight”: a 12-meter Eiffel Tower made entirely of flowers. During the day, it looks great, but in the evening it is a real decoration of the garden: the tower is illuminated from all sides, which gives it a grandiose look.
Another decoration of the flower park is a small river flowing through its territory. It was made by the hands of the workers of the Paradise Garden. There is also a small theatre of its own. For lovers of the heart theme, the garden has its own alley, which passes through large hearts made of bright flowers. Couples in love and lovers of romance often walk here. Keep in mind that in the evening, Al Ain Paradise is especially beautiful: all the alleys, lawns, flower beds and sculptures are illuminated, which turns the park into a real fairytale land. If you like it, you should definitely visit the flower park in Dubai.
4. SIR BANI YAS:
You should definitely visit one of the islands that belong to Abu Dhabi in the UAE with your little inquisitive tourist. This is the Sir Bani Yas Nature Reserve, one of the largest natural islands in the emirate. Believe me, you will be amazed at every meter you walk, because it is the only one of its kind among the existing natural islands, where you can see many interesting and educational things. By the way, in the near future, it is planned to join Sir Bani Yas with 7 more islands located nearby. According to forecasts, they also expect a large flow of tourists from all over the world. … but let’s get back to Sir Bani Yas.
The year the reserve was opened is 1971. We can say that it was formed artificially: huge groves of trees were planted here and an artificial irrigation system was set up, since the climate on the island is quite dry, and there is very little precipitation. The local salt hill testifies to the venerable age of the reserve. By the way, it is the largest in the world! The fauna of the island is rich and diverse! The organizers settled many species of animals and birds on Sir Bani Yas. So, today hyenas, cheetahs, flamingos, ostriches, mountain sheep, giraffes, rare sand gazelles, white oryxes live here.
Turtles swim to the island to lay another clutch of eggs, and a large number of migratory birds fly here for the same reason. Tourists with children always have something to do in the reserve. Traditionally, the most popular type of entertainment for those arriving on the island is a safari. Having gone on such an excursion with a child, you will be able to observe animals in their natural habitat. This is very interesting, in addition, such a trip is a great opportunity to take a lot of unique photos. The local equestrian center invites travelers who love horses to see the thoroughbred Arabian horses that are bred here. Experienced riders will show you the highest level of horse riding, and you yourself, if you wish, can ride your child on one of the animals, provided that your child is already 10 years old.
The diving center on Sir Bani Yas Island is open to scuba diving enthusiasts. It is very large, and a lot of tourists dive in the center every day. The diving conditions here are ideal from autumn to late spring, so anyone can go with an instructor to the bottom of the ocean in search of the most beautiful pearls! However, if you are more used to pedaling than testing your pressure for strength, then there is entertainment for you too. The reserve has a number of cycling routes, some of which are very simple, and some are very difficult. The entertainment here also includes deep sea fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, and walking tours.
5. ABU DHABI FALCON HOSPITAL:
Want to introduce your child to one of the most unusual medical institutions in the world? Then take them on a tour of the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (ADFH). This center offers a full range of medical services specifically for falcons. It is important to note that this is the first of its kind thematic hospital in the world. ADFH was opened in Abu Dhabi in 1999 and since then it has become the largest falcon hospital, having received about 75,000 feathered patients during its existence.
Every year, more than 10 thousand falcons are admitted to Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital for diagnostics and therapy. For more than 15 years of work, this medical institution for birds of prey has created all the conditions for the treatment of falcons. Now these unique representatives of the feathered army are helped not only in the United Arab Emirates, but also in a large number of countries in the Middle East: Kuwait, Arabia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and many others. A base for training personnel and conducting scientific research was also created on the basis of the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital.
This made it possible to open another medical institution in 2006, this time for all types of birds. The expansion of the falcon hospital services led to an increase in the flow of patients from all over the world. However, the owners of ADFH did not stop there. In 2007, they opened a veterinary center for pets: dogs and cats. Here, professional training and breeding of various breeds of dogs is carried out in specialized nurseries. In 2011, the equipment of the veterinary center was updated, and now the animal hospital is equipped with the latest science and technology.
You can visit the falcon hospital in Abu Dhabi at a specially designated time for tourists. The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has its own museum, which displays thousands of unique exhibits. There are also separate aviaries, allowing guests of the medical institution to see birds in free flight. The center’s employees will take you to all the interesting places, tell you about the hospital’s work and introduce you to the main facts of the life of falcons. During the tour of the veterinary center, you will be able to take interesting photos with falcons, and when you get hungry, you will be fed a delicious lunch in a traditional Arabian tent.