Leisure Pursuits In Dubai: 

Dubai (Arabic: دبي ‎) is the largest city in the United Arab Emirates and a deep-water seaport, the administrative center of the emirate of the same name, the most important trade and financial center of the UAE and the entire Middle East. Located on the coast of the Persian Gulf.

From 1954 to 1971, it was the administrative center of the British protectorate of Trucial Oman. Dubai hosts a variety of international conferences, festivals, exhibitions, etc. The World Expo 2020 was held in Dubai from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Flower Park in Dubai: (A real miracle)

The flower park was opened for Valentine’s Day in 2013. Since then, it has become a favorite vacation spot for both couples and families with children. Landscape designers from the USA and European countries worked on the creation of the garden. They used about 50 types of flowers, including petunias, geraniums, lilies, and calendula. Just imagine how many plants it took to form a flower wall 3 m high and 800 m long! No wonder this wall was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

It is claimed that more than 45 million colors were used to create all the compositions. Most of the paths at Dubai Miracle Garden are open spaces, so be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen. But there are also shady places, for example, an alley over which hundreds of bright umbrellas hang. The park’s territory is constantly expanding. Not long ago, a butterfly garden was opened, which is home to about 15,000 insects. It is also planned to create a herb garden and a fruit tree garden.

There is also a children’s playground, a souvenir shop, cafes and restaurants. The plans include setting up gardens of various types, decorated with sculptures symbolizing the countries of the world. It should be noted that strict rules of behavior apply on the territory of the Miracle Garden: you can only walk along special paths, you cannot sit on the lawns, pick flowers or litter.

AQUARIUM IN DUBAI:

The Dubai Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world. It is located in the large shopping and entertainment center “Dubai Mall” and is a huge swimming pool with a displacement of 10 million liters and a water temperature of +24 degrees. It rises 3 floors of a shopping center, and here you can not only observe the life of underwater animals and fish, but also engage in such exotic sports as diving and snorkeling. Thousands of species of marine plants, fish and other underwater inhabitants are exhibited on its territory (including 400 species of stingrays and sharks).

The Dubai Aquarium has the largest collection of tiger sharks, which is why (and not only) it is included in the Guinness Book of Records. The entrance to this underwater world is through a large glass tunnel located on the ground floor. Its length is 48 meters. A special lighting system constantly changes the appearance of the Aquarium, simulating the cycle of day and night, and its design is made in such a way that guests can study its inhabitants not only from the inside, but also from the outside. When you enter the tunnel, you will be photographed for free, and upon exiting you will be offered to buy an album with a photo, which costs about $50. What entertainment is available to visitors to the aquarium at the Dubai Mall? The most interesting and unusual are:

• Snorkeling in a cage. This is a unique attraction for the most courageous. A small group of people (up to 4 people) are immersed with a mask, snorkel and fins in a large, durable cage in an aquarium. During this half-hour swim, daredevils watch stingrays and sharks from arm’s length. All diving equipment is included in the price of the attraction;
• Trip on a glass bottom boat. A not very long (about 15 minutes) trip around the aquarium on a boat that can accommodate up to 10 people. During this voyage, tourists can feed the inhabitants of the aquarium;
• Walk with sharks. This extreme entertainment is available for those who are not afraid of these toothy predators and want to be with them, but do not know how to swim. Everyone is dressed in special equipment, an important part of which is a helmet that allows you not to get your hair wet, and they are lowered into a cage with sharks for 25 minutes;
• Shark diving is, as the name suggests, swimming in an aquarium with sharks wearing special diving equipment. The service is available not only to experienced divers, but also to beginners in this matter. For the latter, the center regularly conducts preliminary training.

DUBAI ZOO:

Everything in Dubai is so luxurious that sometimes you want to take a break from the splendor. A good place for such a vacation would be a zoo – small, quiet, surrounded by greenery. It is the oldest zoological garden in the Arabian Peninsula and began operating in 1967. Now its territory occupies 1.5 hectares. It doesn’t have a large number of rare animals, but with a child you can look at all the animals without getting tired. However, the population of the Dubai Zoo is not so small – about a thousand fauna representatives live here, including 43 species of animals, 52 species of birds and 23 species of reptiles.

In the enclosures you can see various monkeys, giraffes, porcupines, deer, antelopes and maned sheep, predators – lions, pumas, jaguars, foxes, hyenas, and some other animals. The bird kingdom is represented by ostriches, parrots, flamingos, storks, cranes, hawks and other birds. There are also representatives of endangered species here: Bengal and Amur tigers, gorillas, Gordon’s wild cat, Arabian wolf, Socotra cormorant and others. Since you don’t need to rush to explore the entire zoo, you can stand around the enclosures for a long time, observing the behavior of the animals.

A visit to the reptiles may also seem interesting. It’s interesting to see how turtles walk on the sand and how a large monitor lizard lazily basks in the sun. Dangerous snakes are placed in terrariums so you can see them up close. On the territory of the Dubai Zoo there is a small cafe that sells ice cream, sweets and soft drinks. Note that soon a new huge zoo, Dubai Safari Park, should appear in Dubai.

PENGUIN SHOW:

For residents of the United Arab Emirates, snow is exotic. But guests of the country are no less surprised when they discover the Ski Dubai ski resort in hot Dubai. Snow and sub-zero temperatures are suitable not only for skiers, but also for penguins. Visit this corner of the South Pole with your children to admire amazing birds and attend the March of the Penguins. It must be said that the performance of the penguins is not a circus show at all. The birds behave as if they are on their native ice floe: they walk in a whole flock, splash in the pool, and are interested in the presence of treats.

They even kick a soccer ball as if they have always done it. It’s funny to watch the behavior of penguins: they are so similar to children with different characters and preferences. The ski resort is home to two species of penguins: the king and the gentoo. These two species have many external differences. You can find out how their way of life in nature differs on the excursion “Friendly Encounters with Penguins.” During such a meeting, you will be able to see the birds up close, even watch them swim underwater. Depending on the excursion package, you will meet 2 – 14 penguins, play a game with them, take part in penguin training, receive a memorable photo and a special souvenir.

Children over 3 years old can participate in the meetings. Since the temperature in Ski Dubai is below zero degrees, all visitors to the Friendly Meetings will receive warm clothes and a cup of hot chocolate after the excursion. It should be noted that acquaintance with penguins can be supplemented with other entertainment on the territory of the ski resort. For example, the ice fortress and snow caves are an excellent training ground for winter games. There are also sledding hills, zorbing slopes, bungee jumping, ski slopes, and an area for snowboarders and freestylers.

AL AIN CENTRAL PARK:

Al Ain is a city that is deservedly considered the main oasis of the United Arab Emirates. There is probably no other metropolis in the UAE with as much greenery as here. People come to this city in one of the hottest eastern countries specifically to relax with small children. Al Ain in miniature is the local Central Park or Central Gardens. This is where a large number of families traveling with children flock, as well as many local residents. Al Ain Central Park is a huge green area with a large number of bright fragrant flower beds, emerald lawns and comfortable places to relax. Exotic palms and other tropical trees grow on the territory of the city’s main park; there are many comfortable benches in the coolest shady places. In some particularly quiet alleys, mothers and grandmothers push their babies in strollers, while older children have fun and spend their atomic energy on the park’s playgrounds.

In general, the play area has a lot of interesting things for children of all ages. So, here kids not only run after each other, conquering all kinds of stairs, towers and slides, but also ride on the grass on special skis or storm a sheer wall, practicing such a difficult sport as rock climbing. But if your child has already grown up from the senior group of kindergarten or primary school, then you can send him to play in the exciting arcade, which is located at one of the entrances to the park.

The main highlight of Al Ain Central Park is the large dancing fountain. This spectacular water show can be seen at Central Gardens every evening. The jets of water are originally illuminated with a laser, oriental music sounds, giving visitors the impression that the fountain really decided to start dancing in front of its big and small guests. Spend the whole day in Al Ain Central Park with your child and you will not regret the hours spent.

Creek Park:

Creek Park is the second largest in Dubai. It is located along the west coast (2.5 km), on an area of ​​almost 100 hectares in the very center of this amazing eastern city. The park has been operating since 1994, during which time hundreds of thousands of tourists with children, not counting local residents, have visited it. Don’t miss it either. Creek Park is a real greenhouse and botanical garden in one place. About 300 species of plants grow on its territory, flowers in luxurious flower beds are full of lush colors, and wide, well-groomed paths invite you to walk. Professionals work to create and maintain the Creek Park landscape, which is why master classes for landscape designers are regularly held here.

This largest park in Dubai is not only an area for leisurely walks and enjoying the surrounding picturesque landscapes, but also the very place where sports-minded citizens like to actively spend their time. Thus, on the territory of Creek Park there is its own mini-golf course with 18 holes, and there are also special paths for riding bicycles, skateboards, and rollerblades. By the way, you cannot enter the park with your own bicycle, but cycling enthusiasts can rent two-wheeled vehicles here.

The park also has several children’s playgrounds, where little ones enjoy playing on swings, slides, carousels, and all kinds of ladders. Fans of theatrical performances will also have something to do in the park. The private amphitheater seats 1,200 people, who can enjoy shows and performances in comfortable seats. A variety of festivals are regularly held here. When the summer season arrives, park workers arrange an exhibition of ice sculptures in one of the indoor pavilions, including various animals, birds, people, heroes of famous blockbusters and fantastic monsters, such as dragons. Most of the ice sculptures are illuminated, which creates a truly magical effect.

The ice show “Frozen World” is also held here. Don’t miss a trip to the dolphinarium, which is located directly on the territory of Creek Park. Shows with amazing sea animals are held every day except Sunday. Not only can you enjoy the show, but you can also swim with the dolphins for a fee. When you and your child are really hungry after an active walk in the park, you will certainly appreciate the cuisine of the local restaurant. In addition to it, there are several other small cafes in the park that serve hot meals and cold drinks. If you come to the park with a large group, you can use one of the equipped barbecue areas to enjoy the great taste of charcoal-grilled meat. For those who like to view the surrounding area from above, there is a cable car that lifts tourists to a height of about 30 meters above the bay.