From theme parks (both indoor and outdoor, water-based and firmly situated on land) to absolutely incredible museums, cultural hotspots that educate as well as inspire, city views that will never be forgotten and islands that you’ll never want to leave, here’s our round up of some of the best attractions in the GCC.
Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas, Qatar
The largest water park in Qatar is a record-breaking aqua playground with no less than 18 attractions, 56 rides and slides and a host of swimming pools for when you just need a moment to chill out and recover from all that high-octane fun.
Park highlights include twisting, turning tube slides, surf simulators, lazy rivers and the exhilarating ‘The King Cobra’ ride, as well as the Whizzard Mat Racer and a splash pad lagoon aimed at little ones. The Desert Falls Family Canyoning Experience meanwhile is the first man-made canyoning attraction in the Middle East and sees adventurers jumping off cliffs, launching themselves down slides and rappelling across rugged bridges and maze-like tunnels. Back on dry land the fun continues with laser tag adventures and a city-themed Go-Kart track.
QR100 (under 1.2 m), QR150 (over 1.2 m). Daily 10am-6pm. Desert Falls Water and Adventure Park, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas, Salwa (4423 6666
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Whether you’re checking into (arguably) the most opulent hotel in the world for a holiday (lucky you) or just visiting the dripping-in-gold destination for the day, prepare to be impressed.
Eight floors high, one kilometre-long and seriously grandiose (larger than Buckingham Palace, no less), this place is all about the bling. From the floor-to-ceiling, gold-leaf coated interiors to the 24-karat gold facials administered at the luxury spa, not forgetting (as if we would) the famous edible gold-dusted cappuccinos and much talked about solid gold-bar dispensing machine in the lobby, this place epitomises extravagance.
The 1.3km private beach is as lovely as you’d expect (while the sand may glitter this one isn’t made of gold) and there are 100 gilded domes and over 1,000 crystal chandeliers to admire. You’ll also find some of the finest restaurants in the capital here: watch the sun set from a private cabana at beachside grill BBQ Al Qasr, feast on the finest dim sum around at Hakkasan, try Emirati dishes at Mezlai and more.
West Corniche Road, www.kempinski.com, reservation.emiratespalace@kempinski.com (02 960 9000).
Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Attracting admirers from all over the globe, the sight of the Louvre’s futuristic sliver dome gleaming in the sunshine never gets old.
The largest art gallery and museum in the Middle East is a pioneering cultural collaboration between the UAE and France and home to over 600 permanent artworks. These pieces are displayed in chronological order and include works from much feted masters Leonardo da Vinci and Édouard Manet, as well as contemporary favourites Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts regular temporary exhibits which are rotated throughout the year. It’s worth noting that there’s also a dedicated kid’s museum with interactive activities and experiences intended to inspire creativity.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is no stranger to exciting extra-curricular activities either, think live streamed shows (French DJ David Guetta was the musical artist in residence on New Year’s Day, for example), workshops and events. The chance to take a full moon kayak tour around the museum is not to be missed.
Museum entry Dhs63, free for under 18s and over 60s. Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, www.louvreabudhabi.ae (600 565 566).
Museum of the Future, Dubai, UAE
As excitement continues to escalate ahead of the Museum of the Future opening to the public on Tuesday, one thing is for sure: this attraction is going to be an incredible one. Billed as the ‘most beautiful building on earth’ by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, we’ve been admiring the stunning fibreglass and stainless-steel structure for months and now it’s almost time to explore the museum from the inside.
A celebration of the pioneering spirit of the UAE, the Museum of the Future promises to give visitors an immersive, multi-sensory experience unfurling across several floors. Topics covered include the future of space travel, health, wellness, wellbeing and spirituality, ecosystems and bioengineering. The aptly named first floor exhibition ‘Future Heroes’ will be dedicated to children, highlighting their importance in the world of tomorrow with creative, collaborative, educational activities.
Dhs145. Opening Tue Feb 22. Open daily 10am-6pm. motf.ae.
National Museum of Qatar, Doha, Qatar
When the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) opened in 2019 it set out to draw attention to the rich history and cultural aspirations of the country and its people and did so admirably well, receiving international recognition and plaudits.
It’s not hard to see why. The museum building itself was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel and is nothing short of a masterpiece, with the desert rose-inspired exterior cocooning Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani’s carefully resorted original palace in the centre.
Once you’ve finished admiring the architecture it’s time to explore the museum proper. Spread out over 11 galleries, this journey through time charts the history and culture of the country beginning with a 400-million-year-old fossilized fish and ending in the present day. A combination of musical and oral histories, archive images, interactive displays, film snippets and scents combine to make this a truly memorable experience.
Heading outside, the indigenous plant-filled park boasts two history-focused children’s playgrounds and a number of lagoons and public art displays, as well as the Desert Rose Café which specialises in Qatari cooking. There is also a 200-seater auditorium and research centre for students on site.
Open Sat-Thu 9am-7pm, Fri 1.30pm-8pm. Closed Sun. Pre-booking is essential. nmoq.org.qa
Observation Deck 300, Abu Dhabi
We think we can all agree that the most impressive views of Abu Dhabi’s ever-expanding cityscape can be found at Observation Deck 300, the 360-degree lookout on the 74th floor of the chic and sleek Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.
The highest vantage point in town doesn’t just dish up unforgettable panoramas and vistas to marvel at though. The afternoon tea served at the café here is the stuff of Abu Dhabi legend, featuring delicate finger sandwiches, homemade tarts, pastries and cakes, the lightest, crumbliest scones in the capital and a dedicated tea menu. Go for the views, stay for the scones.
Tower 2, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, West Corniche (02 811 5555).
Quest
The ultimate summer destination for thrill seekers, entertainment centre Quest has over 30 rides and attractions, all of them inside. Steel your nerves because that includes the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster (the EpiQ Coaster stands proud at 56.736m high and delivers 90-seconds of high-speed fun), a ceiling-piercing extreme climbing wall called Sky Cliff, the tummy-turning Gravity Swing and the world’s tallest indoor shot and drop tower, the Magma Blast.
Qatar’s first indoor theme park is based around a story concept and divided into three ‘Time Realms’: there’s Oryxville, where guests can experience a fun-filled sense of ancient Arabia, the set-in-the-present City of Imagination and the futuristic, space-age Gravity. Rehardless of zone, kids of all ages are well looked after with gentle rides for little ones, a two-level soft play playground, arcade games, VR experiences and a dedicated section for the under 5s (no one misses out on the fun here).
Free (kids under four), QR125 (junior, aged four to 12), QR200 (adult, aged 13 plus). Daily 2pm-6pm. Doha Oasis, Mushaireb, sales@dohaquest.com (4410 3444).
Yas Island Parks
A trio of greats (that’s Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and Ferrari World) mean that Yas Island might just be the ultimate destination for theme park thrills and water world spills.
Decamp to one of the island’s excellent hotels for a few days and you can experience these top attractions in a oner or space out your fun and visit each one individually. Either way, you’ll have a blast. With six different zones, blockbuster rides, stunning hand painted sets and cartoon characters strolling the area, Warner Bros. World is as much fun for adults as it is for children (we don’t say that often). Ferrari World meanwhile offers up more record-breaking, hair-raising rides including the world’s fastest roller coaster and Yas Waterworld is one of the best waterparks in the GCC, if not the world.
www.yasisland.ae.
Zaya Nurai Island
Say hello to paradise. We’re not kidding; Zaya Nurai Island takes the idea of a dreamy beach escape to a whole new, utterly fabulous level. Reminiscent of the Maldives yet special in its own way, this boutique private island destination delivers all the indulgent feels from the get-go. You’ll arrive here by speedboat and things only get better from there on in: chic villas come with individual infinity pools, the spa is a set-over-water beauty and the beach is a stunner. This isn’t just a top attraction for adults though. Kids will love the outdoor cinema, ziplines, excellent wooden playground, on site waterpark and surf pool. In short, no one will want to leave. Like ever.
Zaya Nurai Island, www.zayanuraiisland.com (02 506 6222).
