When someone mentions the United Arab Emirates, what comes to mind? Probably the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. At 2,716.5 feet and 160 stories tall, it’s the world’s tallest building. It also had a pivotal role in the blockbuster film “Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol.”
Even so, the
country is known for having more than just impressive skyscrapers. You’ll also
find some of the world’s best theme parks in the UAE.
If you love
theme parks in all shapes and forms, put the UAE on your bucket list. Here is a list of 10 must-try theme parks
in the UAE, five of which are located on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (you can
visit them all by taking advantage of Yas Island Abu Dhabi’s multiple theme park offers).
1. Ferrari
World Abu Dhabi
Do you love
Ferraris, motor racing, supercars, and F1? If so, you must drop by Ferrari
World Abu Dhabi in Yas Island.
This mostly
indoor theme park pays homage to Ferrari. If you didn't know that yet, the
world's biggest Ferrari logo on the theme park’s sleek red roof would tell you.
Ferrari World
offers around 40 rides and experiences, but put Formula Rossa at the top of your list. It is, after all, officially
the fastest rollercoaster in the world,
reaching its top speed of 149 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds.
Formula Rossa
will let you feel G forces similar to what Formula 1 race car drivers
experience when braking and cornering. That’s how fast it is.
2. Warner
Bros. World Abu Dhabi
Have you ever
wondered where you can find the world’s
biggest indoor theme park? Wonder no more. It is on Yas Island, and its
name is Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the world’s first-ever Warner Bros.
branded theme park.
Warner Bros.
is an entertainment company with studios, movies, television shows, comics,
games, and theater productions. Think DC Comics, New Line Cinema, and Cartoon
Network Studios. So, if you want to enjoy immersive rides inspired by Superman,
Batman, Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo, and Harry Potter, you know where to go.
3. Yas
Waterworld Abu Dhabi
Looking for a water park in the UAE? The UAE may be 80% desert, but it has some
of the world's most spectacular water parks, including Yas Waterworld Abu
Dhabi.
Dawwama, the world’s longest six-person water
slide and biggest six-person tornado water coaster, is a must-try attraction. Imagine being on a
large, six-person donut-like raft as you hurtle down a slide from the height of
a mountain before you’re flung into a 66-foot-high tornado funnel — thrilling,
isn't it?
You should
also definitely give Liwa Loop a go.
This body, near-vertical drop, freefall waterslide starts from an
innocuous-looking capsule. After a brief countdown, a trapdoor opens at the
bottom and off you go on an intensely looping chute slide.
4. SeaWorld
Abu Dhabi
SeaWorld Abu
Dhabi is an indoor multi-level marine
theme park spanning 1.97 million square feet on Yas Island. It is home to the world'’ largest multi-species aquarium,
with 25 million liters of water and 68,000 marine animals.
As impressive
as all that sounds, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Roller
coaster enthusiasts will surely love all SeaWorld Abu Dhabi rides. There’s Eel
Racer, Hypersphere 360° and Jelly Plunge. The best one is the Manta Coaster with 17 airtime moments
(i.e., when negative G forces make you feel like you're floating), a
zero-gravity flip, and a trip through a bioluminescent tunnel across Ray Reef.
Tip: If visiting more than one theme park on Yas Island, check out amusement park deals, such as the stay-and-play promo or the Yas
Island multi-park ticket.
5. CLYMB
Abu Dhabi
CLYMB Abu
Dhabi is an adventure hub on Yas
Island. It offers two activities: indoor
skydiving and indoor wall climbing.
Get CLYMB indoor skydiving tickets and try the
world’s biggest indoor flight chamber. At 32 feet wide, it’s the world’s
widest of its kind, and at 104 feet tall, the world’s tallest. It also has 16
fans, four times the number of fans in typical flight chambers.
CLYMB also
has the region’s tallest indoor climbing
wall. One of its five walls is the 138-foot-tall The SUMMYT.
6. Dubai
Garden Glow
Located in
Zabeel Park in Dubai, Dubai Garden Glow is a luminous wonderland that brings fairy tales and fantasies to life.
Ten million
light bulbs and reflective fabrics make up the massive Glow Park. It also has a Dino
Park with over 100 animatronic dinosaurs. There’s also an Ice Park, a Magic Park and an Art Park.
7. Virtual
Reality Park
The Virtual
Reality Park or VR Park is a unique
The Dubai Mall attraction and the
largest indoor virtual reality park in the world.
It features
over 30 augmented reality and virtual reality experiences that offer
ultra-realistic, exhilarating, or horrific adventures to make you question the
bounds of the physical world.
8. Aqua
Bounce Ajman
Aqua Bounce
is an on-the-water, floating bounce
theme park at Fairmont Ajman.
Think of an
enormous floating playground, and you got Aqua Bounce. It’s great for family
challenges and group competitions.
9. Al
Montazah Parks
Al Montazah
Parks is a dual-theme park composed of the Island
of Legends amusement park and the Pearls
Kingdom water park.
It is one of
the top destinations in Sharjah due to its world-class facilities and a
convenient location near the government departments complex.
10.
Adventureland
Adventureland
is an indoor entertainment hub and
an excellent destination for families in Sahara Center, Al Nahda, Sharjah.
It has a mix
of entertaining and thrilling rides
and VR games. It has a zip line, an indoor climbing wall, a ninja
course, a mirror maze, and play areas. Adventureland also has a skating rink, a bowling center, a console
gaming center, and a sports hub
with billiards, darts, and foosball.
Enjoy Theme Parks in the UAE
The UAE is a
land of majestic skyscrapers, but its selection of theme parks is no less
impressive. Whether roller coasters, water coasters, freefall slides, themed
lands, arcade games, or extreme sports are your thing, the UAE has something
for every kind of adventurer.
This post
cannot cover every UAE theme park, but the above ten make a good start.
And when you
tire of rides, slides, and games, visit Qasr Al Watan. A top destination for culture school trips in the UAE, this presidential working palace, the Palace
of the Nation, is not a theme park. However, it’s an architectural masterpiece
that’s absolutely worth your time.
