WET AND WILD
When the heat gets too much, escape to Yas Island’s action-filled water park
The start of the Liwa Loop ride at Yas Waterworld is something new to me. You enter a capsule, cross your arms over your chest and, after a nod from the attendant, a trap door opens beneath you and you shoot down a near-vertical drop, accelerating into twists and turns along with a constant cascade of water. I watched several people do this and, when my turn came, walked back down the steps and bought an ice cream, savouring its taste as I listened to the distant screams of those who had eagerly taken my place in the queue.
Yas Waterworld opened in January last year, and can host up to 7,000 people a day. There is no age limit for entry, although there are height restrictions on some of the rides, and young children must be supervised – but seeing the behaviour of some of the adults, it’s hard to see how kids could be any worse.
To take one example, there’s a roller coaster where each car is installed with its own water guns so you can squirt fellow visitors unfortunate enough to walk under as you fly past. Children like doing this, but adults love it. And with the temperature in Abu Dhabi often over 30ºC, it’s probably the case that those who are hit don’t mind too much either – everyone is in swim gear, after all.
The waterpark doesn’t claim to be the largest in the world, but it does promise to be one of the most exciting. What’s impressive is the way the 40-plus rides blur the line between theme park thrills and swimming pool splashes, yet also appeal to everyone from small children to overgrown kids of the adult variety. Avoiding the serious adrenalin action, we still found enough for all ages to occupy us for an entire day. I rode the water slides, then found a relatively quiet corner and read a magazine; but for the active, there’s wave riding, where you can practise flowboarding and surfing. You can even pick up tips from the
attendants, of whom, along with lifeguards, there are dozens around the park.
There’s more to Yas Island than the waterpark, however. Perhaps the best-known attraction is the Yas Marina Formula One racing circuit, the focus of the world’s attention every November since 2009. The first time I visited the island was for a hard-hat tour in the summer about seven years ago. At that time, while it was possible to believe you could attract motorsport to the island, it was harder to see it as a place where people would spend their holidays. Today, everything is sparkling and new, yet established longenough to be working efficiently, with all the facilities and hotels connected to one another by a free bus service.
Assuming you are visiting at a time other than during an F1 event, there are still plenty of opportunities for petrol heads. Cars often roar around the circuit, not least for the month leading up to the Grand Prix, and there are race days and corporate team-building opportunities. In addition, year-round and for all the family, there is Ferrari World. For fans of the luxury car brand, it’s a must-visit attraction and, for thrill seekers, the Formula Rossa – the fastest roller coaster in the world (240km/ ph as you are launched 53 metres into the sky) – and the state-of-the-art racing simulator, Scuderia Challenge, are great fun.
Yas has seven hotels, with major brands such as Crowne Plaza, Radisson Blu and Staybridge Suites represented. Most iconic is the Yas Island Viceroy, with 499 rooms and suites, straddling the F1 track and illuminated at night by a canopy of thousands of coloured LED lights, changing in waves. Dining one evening at the Cipriani, just across Yas Marina from the hotel, it provided a stunning backdrop to the Italian food. The range of cuisine available in the hotel is impressive – it has Arabic, Italian and Japanese.
In the evening, there is also the possibility of live entertainment at the outdoor Du Arena, a venue for acts as varied as Black Sabbath, Metallica, Justin Timberlake and Tom Jones (Rihanna was on the night we were there). There’s also the Du Forum, indoor and slightly smaller with a capacity of 4,500 fans standing, compared with Du Arena’s 25,000.
It should be clear that Yas is about entertainment rather than peace. Abu Dhabi International airport is only ten to 15 minutes away by road and, depending on which runway is being used, you will soon become an expert aircraft spotter. Probably the most sedate way of passing the time is on the Yas Links championship golf course, designed by Kyle Phillips. Stretching over a challenging 7,000 yards, it has been voted one of the best in the region – against some pretty stiff competition, particularly from Dubai.
Then there are upcoming attractions – such as the new Yas Mall, due to open this November with more than 450 stores. I even heard rumours that the already gigantic Waterworld would expand some time in the future, with a neighbouring plot of land ready to be developed near the upcoming Paradise Social Club – a luxury beach hangout with a spa, seafood restaurant, infinity pools and mangrove views – that is due to be unveiled in December. Yas Island, it seems, is going from strength to strength – with even more reasons to go back for more.