Sipping sundowners on the beach with the cool breeze blowing in your face (and no sweat marks to scoff at), it’s easy to forget that things could ever change here in Abu Dhabi. But they do… and fast! According to the Dubai Meteorological Office, our city will warm up to 39°C before June, while August, the hottest month, will bring skin-melting temperatures of 42°C and up, with sea temperatures remaining unpleasantly bath-like at 32°C. While the weather may be unavoidable, making the most of the last chance al fresco activities is entirely achievable. Here, we round up 21 truly inspiring reasons to grab a last-chance taste of the outdoors
1 Go Jet Skiing
The weather is still at a reasonable temperature to take advantage of the Jet Skiing available around the Corniche.
Why you need to do it NOW: It won’t be long before you feel like you’re wading into a bath and you will start to feel your skin burn.
Expiry date: When you can’t even stand outside long enough to discuss renting a Jet Ski because it’s so hot.
For more information visit www.empros.ae (02 628 9704).
2 Race your mates in a go-kart
Jump in a kart and accelerate to great speeds around Yas Marina Circuit.
Why you need to do it NOW: Karting is a sweaty sport at any time of year, so rising humidity makes it unbearable during the summer.
Expiry date: Yas Marina Circuit is open throughout summer, but we reckon even the evenings will be too hot come the end of June.
Dhs55-Dhs110 depending on your age. Check website for info. Yas Marina Circuit, www.yasmarinacircuit.com (800 927).
3 Enjoy a drink at Breeze Lounge
A night out at Breeze Lounge is one of the quintessential Abu Dhabi experiences, with priceless sunset views of Emirates Palace.
Why you need to do it NOW: This outdoor venue will close during summer.
Expiry date: Breeze Lounge will close for the summer at the end of June.
Emirates Palace Hotel (02 690 7920).
4 Enjoy the views at Pearls & Caviar
Gaze across the creek at the view of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Why you need to do it NOW: If you are in search of a truly stunning view, then the terrace at Pearls & Caviar overlooking the Grand Mosque won’t disappoint.
Expiry date: When you’ll want to jump into Maqtaa Creek to cool off because it’s so hot.
Shangri-La Hotel, Between the Bridges (02 509 8777).
5 Sit in the lovely outdoor area at Sea Lounge
Watch the sun set and the waves roll in with a drink and tasty bar snacks.
Why you need to do it NOW: This is a sensational venue that is best enjoyed while you can sit still without breaking a sweat. The views of Saadiyat beach are amazing and the DJs are cool.
Expiry date: When the weather is warmer than your sweet potato fries.
Monte-Carlo Beach Club, Saadiyat Island (02 656 3500).
6 Throw a barbecue
The jumbo prawns from Spinneys are particularly tasty on the barbecue and require no preparation – just throw them on in their shells, squeeze over some lemon and add a sprinkling of black pepper.
Why you need to do it NOW: Invite friends round and host an afternoon soirée before the fire seems comparatively cool.
Expiry date: You won’t stand a chance by the end of June, when the charcoal starts slipping through your clammy hands.
Spinneys, Kahlidiyah (02 681 2356).
7 Charter a boat
What could be better than you, a group of mates and the open sea?
Why you need to do it NOW: Sitting in a boat in the 40°C heat? No thanks. Aside from dehydration and heat exhaustion, you also risk sunburn.
Expiry date: When going outside even for ten minutes is a struggle.
Belevari Marine, Al Mamoura (02 659 4144).
8 Outdoor sports at Al Forsan
Al Forsan offer great outdoor sports such as wake boarding, water skiing, paintball and go-karting. Get out there while you can.
Why you need to do it NOW: Make the most of the perfect evenings.
Expiry date: The cooling breeze blowing through Safa Park should make evenings bearable until the end of June.
Call for timing and prices. Al Forsan International Sports Resort, near Abu Dhabi Golf Club (02 556 8555).
9 Enjoy the beach
We all know Abu Dhabi is blessed with a plethora of golden beaches along miles of rolling coastline – for many people it’s one of the biggest perks of moving here.
Why you need to do it NOW: Sunbathing in the high 30°C temperatures of May and early June may be nice, but by the 40°C plus mark of July and August this may change.
Expiry date: We reckon sunbathing into July is dangerous business.
Try the Corniche beach.
10 Enjoy the view at Relax@12
Aloft hotel’s rooftop bar has an almost 360° view over Abu Dhabi. It also mixes up a mean blend, serves some delicious Asian tapas and has DJs playing up a storm almost every night.
Why you need to do it NOW: Though there is an inside bar at Relax@12, it really is all about the outdoor terrace at this place and while you’ll catch the breeze beautifully up on the rooftop you don’t want your make-up to melt off your face.
Expiry date: At the time of going to press Relax@12 has no plans to close their outdoor terrace, however you may find it a little on the warm side come the end of June or July.
Relax@12, open Saturday-Wednesday 5pm-2am; Thursday-Friday 5pm-3am, Aloft Abu Dhabi (02 654 5138).
11 Hit Hubbly Bubbly
There are a few shisha cafés in town, but one of the funkiest we’ve visited has to be Hubbly Bubbly at Holiday Inn.
Why you need to do it NOW: So much nicer than your dingy local, but without the hefty price tags of some of the other hotels, Hubbly Bubbly has lovely shisha, delicious teas and serves food too.
Expiry date: At the moment there is an air-cooler at this outside spot and they say they plan on setting up a tent. Unless that happens you’ll be ringing out your top when it gets humid.
Hubbly Bubby, open 5pm-2am, Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi (02 657 4858).
12 Sit on top of the world
Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but the rooftop cafes at Souk Central Market do offer a unique experience, being surrounded by some of the classic architecture of downtown Abu Dhabi.
Why you need to do it NOW: In the summer months, plastic tents get put up to allow the shisha fans to get their fix – it does tend to ruin the view somewhat though. Our favourite is Tarbouche for the amazing food at rock bottom prices.
Expiry date: It’s difficult to pin down an exact date for all of the outlets at Souk Central Market, but we figure that the latest the tents will go up is the end of June, possibly sooner.
Tarbouche al Basha, Souk Central Market (02 628 2220).
13 Exercise on the Corniche
Perhaps you have a pair of inline skates languishing at the bottom of your wardrobe. Now’s the time to dust them off and join the runners, joggers and cyclists enjoying getting fit on the Corniche.
Why you need to do it NOW: For a great family activity, hire a few bikes (and helmets) from one of the various Fun Ride Sports stations along the Corniche and see how far you can go in an hour.
Expiry date: Bikes can be rented from 4.30pm-11pm and will be available all through the summer months, if you think you can take the heat.
Fun Ride Sports are at numerous locations along the Corniche, including opposite the Hilton Abu Dhabi (02 556 6113).
14 Enjoy the sweet air
Some of our favourite restaurants are at stylish Saadiyat venues, and the best way to enjoy them is outdoors in our opinion, when you can catch some sea air and get an eyeful of that stunning azure ocean. Sontaya at the St Regis is one of them, Le Deck at the Monte-Carlo Beach Club is another.
Why you need to do it NOW: It’s one thing enjoying the pool or beach, when you can go for an occasional dip, but the air outdoors doesn’t say ‘sea’ any more once the summer’s hit, it says ‘can’t breathe!’
Expiry date: You’ll know when it’s too hot.
Sontaya, St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort (02 498 8888) and Le Deck, Monte-Carlo Beach Club (02 656 3500).
15 Do Bubblicious brunch
This brunch is all about the fun factor, and some of its key ingredients are the activities on the events lawn.
Why you need to do it NOW: When summer hits the Bubblicious outdoor kids events will be moving inside and the Jing tea will also be served indoors. The croquet, on the other hand, will still be available on the lawn but only for the bravest of the brave.
Expiry date: The end of June.
Bubblicious, Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort and Spa (02 616 9999).
16 Have a picnic
Whether you want to go all out and hit the great expanse of Arabian wilderness that we call desert, or keep things tame and head to one of our many parks, have a picnic with family and friends while it’s still relatively cool.
Why you need to do it NOW: What with the preparing, the insects and the tidying up – picnics are a lot of hassle as it is. You’ll want to be able to enjoy the eating part as well as the great outdoors. This will be impossible if everyone’s roasting in the sun.
Expiry date: We’d say by the end of May.
Popular picnic spots include the parks dotted along the Corniche and the green areas opposite the mangroves by the Eastern Ring Road and near ADNEC on the Khaleej Al Arabi.
17 Have a romantic BBQ
The winner of our Most Romantic award at the Time Out Restaurant Awards was BBQ Al Qasr. And it owes much of its romance to its breath-taking outdoor setting on the Emirates Palace beach.
Why you need to do it NOW: Our grandmas used to tell us horses sweat, gentlemen perspire and ladies glow. The UAE climate has proved that horse, man or woman – they all sweat, and that’s not romantic.
Expiry date: By the end of June.
BBQ Al Qasr, Emirates Palace Hotel (02 690 9999).
18 Hire a party boat
If you haven’t done this before, do it quickly. Birthday, anniversary, cat’s neutering –whatever the excuse, head out into the Arabian gulf in a private party boat with all your friends and have a smashing evening.
Hiring out a private boat at Al Dhafra will set you back Dhs250 or Dhs300 per person, and you must have a minimum of 15 people attending. Alternatively, you can always go on a public cruise (Dhs180 per person) which includes dinner.
Why you need to do it NOW: Al Dhafra’s boats are air-conditioned and there is seating below and above deck. So technically, if you really wanted, you could do this in the summer too. But the point of sailing out is to feel like you’re at sea – hardly possible below deck, unless the sea-sickness gets to you.
Expiry date: Ongoing, but we recommend you catch that boat when it’s cool.
Al Dhafra Cruising, Mina Port (02 673 2266).
19. Head to Ferrari World
Mostly indoors, Ferrari World is one of the places you can rely on to keep the fun alive throughout the summer, but those of a weaker disposition may feel inclined to avoid some rides.
Why you need to do it NOW: Thankfully you won’t have to be queuing under the sun for any of the rides at Ferrari World, but both the GT and Formula Rossa have tracks that run outdoors. Nonetheless, a bit of summer heat never stopped the fun-loving people at Ferrari World, and they will ensure that both rides are running as well as usual all year round. Our advice: go ride them now when you can really enjoy it, or prepare to brace yourself when the heat hits.
Expiry date: Ongoing, but we recommend heading there soon to make the most of the rollercoaster experience.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Island (02 496 8001).
20. Dine al fresco
Whether it’s taking in the view of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque by moonlight or gazing over the palatial gardens of Emirates Palace as the sun sets – dining al fresco is one of the joys of winter we will sorely miss. Among our list of favorite places that boast a mean terrace of balcony are Etoiles, Bord Eau, Finz and Hakkasan.
Why you need to do it NOW: With al fresco diners dwindling, most restaurants will begin closing off their outdoor seating areas very soon.
Expiry date: Bord Eau, Etoiles and Hakkasan will close off its al fresco dining area around June. Finz before May is out.
Bord Eau, Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri (02 509 8888); Finz, Beach Rotana Hotel (02 644 3000); Hakkasan, Emirates Palace (02 690 7999); Etoiles, Emirates Palace (02 690 8960).
21. Go Kayaking
Ah, the joys of kayaking through the mangroves, and possibly even doing a bit of fishing while you’re out there. If you want a slice of this, get in touch with the Noukhada Adventure Company.
Why you need to do it NOW: Noukhada will continue to run their kayak outings throughout summer, but tours will start earlier and earlier as the weather heats up. By July, you’ll be rising before the sun does to set off at dawn, and they’ll have you back home before noon when the intense heat hits. If you’re not much of an early bird, you’d be better off signing up now.
Expiry date: When the water is as hot as a warm bath.
Noukhada Adventure Company, Al Meena (050 721 8928)
