42 | AN ARABIAN ADVENTURE


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extra suspension for tackling the sands at high speeds. Try it with Big Red Adventure, a tour operator offering a range of desert safari packages with morning, evening and overnight options, allowing you to tackle dunes that feature heart-stopping 45-degree slopes.


3 Urban ziplining XLINE


One of Dubai’s must-try adventure attractions is XLine Dubai Marina. Hold tight as you glide across the city at 80km/h, all the while soaking up views of the glitzy yachts and shiny high-rises, before landing on the terrace of Dubai Marina Mall. Officially the world’s longest urban zipline, XLine measures one kilometre in length, and features an incline of 16 degrees.


There are two concurrent ziplines, so you can also share the thrilling experience with a friend.


4 Flyboarding fun


Want to conquer the waves? Dubai’s calm waters are ideal for beach lounging in


style but if you want to up the


ante, book a session of flyboarding. This extreme sport, a combination of wakeboarding and kitesurfing, will see you


propelled 10m above the


WHETHER it’s ziplining between skyscrapers, gliding over desert sands, or flying over the Arabian Gulf, Dubai has an adventure for everyone.


1 Freefall in Dubai Skydive If you’ve been toying with the idea of


going skydiving, then Skydive Dubai offers the perfect excuse for you to take the plunge. Visitors can freefall from 13,000 feet over the beautiful Palm Jumeirah, and admire the sparkling waters of the Arabian Gulf and iconic cityscapes along the way. Want to swap city views for the Arabian desert? Easy. The company also has a desert drop zone, located around 30kms from the city centre. If you like something a little less adventurous, book a gyrocopter ride at Skydive’s Sky Hub instead. This is a small two-seater aircraft, similar to a helicopter, that will give you an unforgettable bird’s eye view of the emirate from 1,500 feet.


2 Desert quadbiking Dubai


All you need to know about offroading in


Feel the sand whipping across your face on a desert dune buggy or quadbike ride. Pared-back dune buggies are vehicles that are customised for high-energy thrills. With no doors, roof or windows, they feature a roll cage, bucket seat with a safety harness, and


water


thanks to a powerful turbine. Suitable for everyone, from novice to experts, you soon get the hang of balancing in air, and can hopefully master a few backflips. Try it with Sky & Sea Adventures, a leading watersports company with expert trainers. If flyboarding isn’t your scene, you can also go scuba diving, parasailing and kitesurfing at the famous Kite Beach.


5 Climb every mountain


Hatta is the ideal destination for thrill- seekers and nature-lovers who enjoy mountain biking, hiking and kayaking. Hit the high road to discover the Hajar Mountain range, which is a 90-minute drive from Dubai’s Downtown. Hatta, once known for its fort and desert farms, now attracts a fleet of adventure sports enthusiasts. Check out Hatta Wadi Hub for activities such as mountain biking, archery and kayaking. You can even try out zorbing, where you can roll down a hill enclosed in a transparent orb. If you want to enjoy the natural scenery a little longer, check-in at the Hatta Fort Hotel, or try glamping at the Hatta Damani Lodges and Hatta Sedr Trailers.


6. Plunge to new depths


Explore Deep Dive Dubai’s underwater habitats


DIP AND DIVE INTO DUBAI’S BEST RANKED WATERPARKS


DUBAI is home to a wide variety of attractions but it's the city’s waterparks that create a real splash.


1. Water wonder at Wild Wadi Dubai’s original splash zone, Wild


Wadi Waterpark has been thrilling tourists and residents, both young and old, since 1999. The park's 30 rides and attractions, which are continually updated over the years, are themed around Juha, a well-loved character from Arabian folklore. Glide along the lazy river, or prepare for epic drops and dips at the furious tornado-themed Tantrum Alley. Those more adventurous can learn new tricks at Wipeout, where more than seven tonnes of water are shot out per second in a thin sheet across a moulded foam structure to produce a realistic wave effect, ideal for body-boarding and knee-boarding.


2. Slip and slide at Legoland Water Park Located at Dubai Parks and Resorts,


there’s plenty of fun in store at Legoland Water Park for children aged two to 12 years. Most rides and slides allow little


ones to ride together in groups or race against one another. The Duplo Splash Safari caters to toddlers, while the single slides provide thrills for braver bigger kids. Children can also exercise their brain cells with Build-A-Boat,


where they


can construct any kind of boat imaginable and test it against the current to see how well it fares. Those looking to float down the lazy river can customise their rafts with big, Lego-style the


soft bricks at


Build-A-Raft-River before sailing off.


3. Non-stop adventure at Aquaventure, the world's largest waterpark


Set in the Atlantis, Palm resort, Aquaventure


The is


4. the


world's largest waterpark with 105 rides, attractions and experiences to choose from. You'll find some of the most exciting rides as well as two main


towers – Poseidon and Neptune – which are connected by a giant lazy river that transports riders between the slides. For those who thrive on an adrenaline rush, the park has a number of options such as Poseidon’s Revenge and the Leap of Faith. The former encloses riders into a see-through vertical tube,


leaving


them to plummet towards the ground once the trap door opens. The latter is a wide-open, near-vertical drop that


only those


with particularly strong stomachs dare undertake.


New thrills at Laguna Waterpark


With its sea-fresh theme, family attractions and beachside charm, La Mer is on every visitor’s itinerary. While there is a lot to explore, the


on-site waterpark must be at the top of your list. Billed as ‘Dubai’s coolest beachfront destination’, the Laguna Waterpark houses a huge waterslide complex with thrilling rides for fun- seekers of all ages.


5 . Inflatable challenges at AquaFun Make the most of the outdoors


at AquaFun, the region’s biggest


inflatable waterpark, located just off the coast of The Beach at JBR. Covering an area of 2,700sqm, there are over 110 games to try along this fun obstacle course that floats at sea. A popular attraction for tourists, one of the most distinctive features of the floating park is that it spells out ‘Dubai’ in pink and blue when viewed from above. Open all year round, AquaFun also boasts some of the world’s longest and highest water slides, alongside plenty of ramps, steps and jumps – although you may want to watch out for those challenging monkey bars.


For more information check out www. visitdubai.com/en/articles/dubais-best- waterparks


March/April 2023


Deep Dive Dubai is the place to be for all aqua enthusiasts. The recreational centre’s 60.02m-deep pool is officially recognised as the world’s deepest swimming pool for diving. Aside from its remarkable depth, Deep Dive Dubai features other


unrivalled


additions,


such as a ‘sunken city’, alongside year-round diving courses and guided experiences. Keen divers of all levels, aged 10 and older, will be thrilled to explore its submerged expanses.


You can play a game of pool or even book the underwater media room if you have an ‘immersive’ short film in the


making! 7 Get on your bike One of the newest attractions for the


city’s cyclists can be found in the heart of Mushrif Park. The park recently opened up the first 20km of what will eventually be a 50km mountain biking track. It starts close to the park’s main gate, and is big enough to accommodate 3,000 cyclists every day. Whatever your level of cycling ability, you’re sure to find something to enjoy here, with trails of varying difficulty aimed at everyone from beginners to expert bike riders. There’s more action to be had here, thanks to the treetop-swinging obstacle courses at Aventura Parks.


8 See the city differently


At 219.5m above ground, Sky Views Dubai is the latest attraction to sweep visitors off their feet with mesmerising perspectives of Downtown Dubai’s pristine expanses below and the sublime city skyline beyond. Perched atop the Address Sky View hotel, this architectural marvel comprises three distinct offerings for unforgettable and thrill-inducing sightseeing escapades — the Observatory, Glass Slide and Edge Walk www.visitdubai.com/en/articles/ adventure-in-dubai


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