A suburban park on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi will soon boast a whole host of cool new activities for kids, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has announced. Al Bahia Family & Kids Park Zoo, which is located about 30 minutes from Abu Dhabi city centre, will eventually be home to 35 motel-style chalets, a full size ice rink, an indoor aquarium with 26 saltwater and four freshwater tanks, a butterfly park and a gaming zone.
At present the park is home to white tigers, a Siberian bear, lions, cheetahs and zebras, but during the next 12 months the zoo will be doubled in size, with the building of a reptile and amphibian house, a chimpanzee park and a parrot park. A misting system, which will keep park goers and animals cool during the summer months, will also be expanded across the whole area.
Mark Wright, general manager of the park, said: ‘We are unique among the UAE’s zoos in that kids get the chance to interact with the animals and actually feed them; we provide a very hands-on experience that is lacking in other zoos around the Middle East. The educational emphasis will continue in the park’s new features when they come online. The expanded areas will allow us to accommodate more animals of different varieties, making us an even more attractive proposition for existing and new customers.’
The park, which is located near Shahama on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, is open from October until April, 9.30am-8pm from Sunday to Wednesday, with late opening until 9pm from Thursday to Saturday. From May to September, the park is open from 4pm-9pm each day, while during Ramadan the park is open from 8pm-midnight. Entry costs Dhs20 for adults and Dhs5 for children under six.
For more information about the park log on to www.kidsparkuae.com
