How to spend 36 hours on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi

At Yas Island, ride in a Ferrari, click selfies with flamingos, freefall into a gravity defying tunnel, feed a cute harbour seal, or say hello to a superhero! Built as one of Abu Dhabi’s largest tourism projects in 2009, the island houses some of the world’s most opulent entertainment arenas, an F1 racetrack, a golf course, and luxury hotels. Everything on Yas Island looks shiny new; the island itself is built like a giant amusement park; with dramatic buildings set against exceptionally bright skies. 

It is situated 10 minutes from the Abu Dhabi International Airport, and 40 minutes from Dubai.

Here’s how to spend three days on Yas Island, a quick trip to adjacent Saadiyat Island included.

Speed thrills 

If you are an adrenaline junkie, try Turbo Race at Ferrari World. In 30 seconds, it takes you up through the roof only to descend in a heart-stopping vertical drop. If you do not have the heart or the stomach for it, like this writer, choose a quaint ride — such as The Magic of Italy — where you can steer a 1958 Ferrari California 250 miniature through a track built to resemble an Italian landscape, complete with every landmark such as the Colosseum di Roma, Venice and Maranello. It is delightful, calming, and surely memorable.  

One of the earliest theme parks to open here (in 2010), Ferrari World is also for those who love the brand and its iconic cars. You can delve into the history as well, tracing it from the first car built by Enzo Ferrarri in 1940 to being a public company in 1960.

 Walk on air 

Clymb at Yas Island
| Photo Credit:
Naim chidiac

How does it feel to be suspended mid air? Find out at Clymb, Abu Dhabi’s first indoor skydiving centre. All you need to do is wear a flight suit and helmet and step into a bottomless chamber only 104-feet deep and 32-feet wide. Worry not, for you are instantly pulled into the chamber and propped up by a gust of wind and you find yourself bobbing up and down like a weightless being.

The vertical tunnel is fitted with high speed fans that create a strong airflow and this simulates the experience of a freefall. The instructors, who are also in the chamber with you, guide you if you want to change position or even do some mid-air flips. Suitable for both novices and expert flyers, even children as young as three years of age. If you prefer climbing, walls of different heights offer a range of climbing experiences. The tallest is 138-feet. 

Yas Island
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Selfie with a flamingo

I got a selfie with a flamingo! A particularly curious one wandered close enough to the fence and decided to pose for as long as I wanted her to. She shifted from one pink slender leg to another and easily posed with her fans for a number of photos that day. At Sea World, the region’s first marine life theme park, which takes visitors across eight immersive ocean realms, watch marine creatures, feed some of them and click endless selfies with sea lions and puffins. Divided into regions between the poles to the tropics, visitors can spend an entire day here; the larger idea is to inspire people to protect oceans. The Advanced Animal Lighting System used across the ocean realms simulates the natural environment by recreating daily and seasonal light cycles while providing the benefits of full-spectrum light. 

This also maintains the natural circadian rhythm of marine animals, allowing them to thrive in this new habitat.  

Warner Bros.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Warner Bros
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

One with the superheroes

You are catapulted into space and are flying through interstellar landscapes all in a fraction of a second. Just as you are about to encounter pure evil, Green Lantern appears to save you. Green Lantern: Galactic Odyssey, a 360-degree 4D theatre experience, is one of the many rides at Warner Bros. that could leave you spell-bound. Just when you are settling down from the excitement of it, come Scooby Doo posing for pictures near his Mystery Machine. You are very likely to bump into Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman or the entire Justice League. Imagine all those selfies! Warner Bros. is where every childhood fantasy comes alive. You could go for endless rounds on carousels or get on an adventurous ride through Gotham City or just stroll around the plaza, under an LED sky that turns blue, lilac and pink.

Saadiyat Island, the cultural hub

Saadiyat beach
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

If Yas is all about adventure and entertainment, Saadiyat Island, about 20 minutes from Yas, is for art, culture, and unhurried lunches beside the beach.  Spanning 27 square kilometres, the natural island attracts tourists with its iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi. The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi are also set to open here soon. Saadiyat Island also boasts fine dining and luxury hotels, wellness and lifestyle in addition to its cultural experiences.

.

Louvre Abu Dhabi
| Photo Credit:
KARIM SAHIB

Set against the backdrop of a dazzling aquamarine sea, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a work of art by itself. Inspired by Arabian architecture, the roof is shaped as a dome and built with steel and aluminium interlocking arcs. At the end of the covered gallery is an open space where sunlight rains down in speckles. French architect Jean Nouvel, who built it, is believed to have drawn inspiration from the play of light and shadow under the palm trees when light filters in through the leaves. From Monet to modern art, across 23 permanent gallery spaces, the Louvre offers everything for the art enthusiast. The gallery is a sanctuary of calm where you can steal a few meditative moments with iconic works of art. It is also a journey through the history of mankind’s preoccupation with art.  

The Abrahamic Family House
| Photo Credit:
DROR BALDINGER

A house of faith

A fairly recent addition to Abu Dhabi’s fast growing cultural scene, the Abrahamic Family House, is a place of interest. It pays tribute to the communities and cultures that have settled in the United Arab Emirates as early as the seventh and eighth centuries. Consisting of a mosque, a church and a synagogue, the complex stands for the larger goal of peaceful coexistence. Designed by Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye, the tall structures in the colour of desert sand let in plenty of air and natural light through their latticed walls and clean geometrical plan. The centre offers workshops and lectures too on subjects related to faith and peace building. 

The writer was at Yas Island and Saadiyat Island on invitation by Miral Destinations, the creators of immersive experiences in Abu Dhabi.