09/10/2026
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09/10/2026
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Yas Island aerial shot
ABU DHABI, Oct 8: Five days can feel very short until you spend them moving from a Ferrari racetrack to a waterpark, from the streets of Gotham City to an underwater world, and finally into an ever changing universe where art seems to come alive around you. From Sept 28 to Oct 2, I experienced Abu Dhabi on a five day tour that took me through some of the emirate’s most exciting attractions. It was fast, colorful and, at times, wonderfully overwhelming. There were roller coasters that tested my courage, waterslides that made me question that courage, familiar characters that transported me back to childhood, marine life that demanded a quieter kind of attention, and immersive art that blurred the line between imagination and reality. My base was Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, conveniently located near the island’s major attractions. But the hotel was only the starting point. Most of my days were spent exploring. And that is perhaps the best way to experience Yas Island: come prepared to keep moving.
Where the adventure begins
Yas Island has an unusual ability to make you feel as though you have traveled much farther than you actually have. Theme parks, restaurants, entertainment venues and hotels are all close, yet each attraction feels like another destination. One day you can be chasing speed, the next racing down a waterslide, then walking through Metropolis before finding yourself watching marine life glide through an enormous aquarium. For families across the GCC, it means a memorable holiday does not necessarily require a long journey. A school break or long weekend can be enough. With the Kids Go Free offer running until Dec 31, 2026, children aged 11 and under can stay, play and dine for free at participating venues, including complimentary hotel stays when sharing a room with their parents, free meals on the same meal plan and unlimited access to Yas Island’s award winning theme parks. But the real attraction is what happens once you step inside.
Yas Island has an unusual ability to make you feel as though you have traveled much farther than you actually have. Theme parks, restaurants, entertainment venues and hotels are all close, yet each attraction feels like another destination. One day you can be chasing speed, the next racing down a waterslide, then walking through Metropolis before finding yourself watching marine life glide through an enormous aquarium. For families across the GCC, it means a memorable holiday does not necessarily require a long journey. A school break or long weekend can be enough. With the Kids Go Free offer running until Dec 31, 2026, children aged 11 and under can stay, play and dine for free at participating venues, including complimentary hotel stays when sharing a room with their parents, free meals on the same meal plan and unlimited access to Yas Island’s award winning theme parks. But the real attraction is what happens once you step inside.
Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi - aerial
The need for speed
My introduction to Yas Island’s adrenaline side came at Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Ferrari World is built around the legendary racing marque, but the experience goes well beyond admiring beautiful cars. On Flying Aces, riders reach speeds of up to 120 km/h while soaring through the world’s highest non inverted loop. Mission Ferrari combines technology, storytelling and high speed thrills in what is billed as the world’s most immersive mega coaster. At the world’s first Ferrari themed Esports Arena, racing simulators and gaming technology put visitors behind the wheel without requiring an actual racetrack. And then came food. At Gran Tour Emilia, the Ferrari connection extends to the table through a culinary journey inspired by Emilia Romagna, the region that gave birth to the iconic marque. Mamma Rossella serves pizzas and pastas, while Rossella Dolci offers coffee, gelato and Italian pastries. Even a theme park can tell a story about food, culture and heritage.
My introduction to Yas Island’s adrenaline side came at Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Ferrari World is built around the legendary racing marque, but the experience goes well beyond admiring beautiful cars. On Flying Aces, riders reach speeds of up to 120 km/h while soaring through the world’s highest non inverted loop. Mission Ferrari combines technology, storytelling and high speed thrills in what is billed as the world’s most immersive mega coaster. At the world’s first Ferrari themed Esports Arena, racing simulators and gaming technology put visitors behind the wheel without requiring an actual racetrack. And then came food. At Gran Tour Emilia, the Ferrari connection extends to the table through a culinary journey inspired by Emilia Romagna, the region that gave birth to the iconic marque. Mamma Rossella serves pizzas and pastas, while Rossella Dolci offers coffee, gelato and Italian pastries. Even a theme park can tell a story about food, culture and heritage.
From horsepower to waterpower
At Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the question was no longer how fast you could go, but how much water you were prepared to get into. The park holds the Guinness World Record for the most waterslides in a waterpark and now features more than 70 rides, slides and attractions. Among them is the UAE’s tallest waterslide, sending riders plunging from more than 40 metres, alongside high speed racing experiences and interactive attractions for families. At Dana’s Diner, Emirati and Mediterranean flavors include mezze, Machboos and traditional Luqaimat. Dockside Dining offers pizzas and fresh pasta, while Skinny’s Frozen Treats provides frozen lemonade, fresh juices and artisanal ice cream. After a few hours in the Abu Dhabi sun, that last option feels like much more than dessert.
At Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the question was no longer how fast you could go, but how much water you were prepared to get into. The park holds the Guinness World Record for the most waterslides in a waterpark and now features more than 70 rides, slides and attractions. Among them is the UAE’s tallest waterslide, sending riders plunging from more than 40 metres, alongside high speed racing experiences and interactive attractions for families. At Dana’s Diner, Emirati and Mediterranean flavors include mezze, Machboos and traditional Luqaimat. Dockside Dining offers pizzas and fresh pasta, while Skinny’s Frozen Treats provides frozen lemonade, fresh juices and artisanal ice cream. After a few hours in the Abu Dhabi sun, that last option feels like much more than dessert.
Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Childhood, only bigger
At Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, childhood memories suddenly become real. Batman, Superman, Scooby Doo and The Flintstones occupy different corners of the indoor theme park, with immersive lands, live entertainment and attractions built around familiar stories. The newest attraction, Kryptonite Collider, takes visitors into a globally exclusive DC Super Hero story involving Lex Luthor and his latest experiment to unlock superhuman abilities in ordinary people. Motion, visuals, sound and lighting create the sensation that you are no longer watching the story. You are inside it. Even dining becomes part of the experience. The Starlight evokes Hollywood’s Golden Age, while Bronto Burgers and Ribs brings the world of The Flintstones to the table. In Gotham City, Hall of Doom turns an abandoned subway station into the setting for Southeast Asian cuisine. On Yas Island, even lunch needs a plot.
At Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, childhood memories suddenly become real. Batman, Superman, Scooby Doo and The Flintstones occupy different corners of the indoor theme park, with immersive lands, live entertainment and attractions built around familiar stories. The newest attraction, Kryptonite Collider, takes visitors into a globally exclusive DC Super Hero story involving Lex Luthor and his latest experiment to unlock superhuman abilities in ordinary people. Motion, visuals, sound and lighting create the sensation that you are no longer watching the story. You are inside it. Even dining becomes part of the experience. The Starlight evokes Hollywood’s Golden Age, while Bronto Burgers and Ribs brings the world of The Flintstones to the table. In Gotham City, Hall of Doom turns an abandoned subway station into the setting for Southeast Asian cuisine. On Yas Island, even lunch needs a plot.
A quieter kind of wonder
After so much noise and movement, I welcomed a completely different experience at teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island. There were no roller coasters or waterslides. Instead, there was light, movement, technology and an extraordinary sense that the environment itself was responding to me. The immersive installations change with movement and interaction. Light shifts, forms appear and disappear, and the visitor becomes part of what is happening. That was what stayed with me most. I was not simply looking at the art. I was helping create the experience. Housed in a 17,000 square metre space in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, teamLab Phenomena provided a fascinating counterpoint to the thrills of Yas Island. Here, technology was not making things move faster or higher. It was making me look differently.
After so much noise and movement, I welcomed a completely different experience at teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island. There were no roller coasters or waterslides. Instead, there was light, movement, technology and an extraordinary sense that the environment itself was responding to me. The immersive installations change with movement and interaction. Light shifts, forms appear and disappear, and the visitor becomes part of what is happening. That was what stayed with me most. I was not simply looking at the art. I was helping create the experience. Housed in a 17,000 square metre space in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, teamLab Phenomena provided a fascinating counterpoint to the thrills of Yas Island. Here, technology was not making things move faster or higher. It was making me look differently.
Beneath the surface
Back on Yas Island, the journey continued at SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The world’s largest indoor marine life theme park takes visitors through eight themed realms exploring the interconnected story of life on Earth and our oceans. There are more than 100 animal experiences and presentations, close up encounters, rides and entertainment. But amid all the spectacle, there were moments when I simply stopped and watched. At Fathom 11, sharks and rays become part of the dining experience through dramatic floor to ceiling windows. At Splash Burger, diners can enjoy burgers while watching dolphins move through their habitat. For a taste closer to home, Matbakh Ummi serves shawarma, kebabs and kunafa overlooking the Ocean realm. With 17 international dining outlets, there is something for almost every appetite.
Back on Yas Island, the journey continued at SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The world’s largest indoor marine life theme park takes visitors through eight themed realms exploring the interconnected story of life on Earth and our oceans. There are more than 100 animal experiences and presentations, close up encounters, rides and entertainment. But amid all the spectacle, there were moments when I simply stopped and watched. At Fathom 11, sharks and rays become part of the dining experience through dramatic floor to ceiling windows. At Splash Burger, diners can enjoy burgers while watching dolphins move through their habitat. For a taste closer to home, Matbakh Ummi serves shawarma, kebabs and kunafa overlooking the Ocean realm. With 17 international dining outlets, there is something for almost every appetite.
Defying gravity
At CLYMB™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, gravity once again became optional. The attraction houses the world’s widest flight chamber for indoor skydiving, alongside a state of the art climbing wall suitable for beginners and experienced climbers. You might arrive thinking, I will just watch. Then someone convinces you to try. And suddenly you are flying.
At CLYMB™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, gravity once again became optional. The attraction houses the world’s widest flight chamber for indoor skydiving, alongside a state of the art climbing wall suitable for beginners and experienced climbers. You might arrive thinking, I will just watch. Then someone convinces you to try. And suddenly you are flying.
The GCC team of journalists at teamLab Phenomena.
Five days later
On Sept 28, I arrived expecting to experience a destination. By Oct 2, I left feeling that I had moved through several different worlds. I had raced with Ferrari, plunged down waterslides, walked among superheroes, watched marine life, entered a universe of immersive art and tested the limits of gravity. But the memories I took away were not only about the attractions. They were about the laughter after a ride, the anticipation before a slide, the unexpected pause in front of an aquarium, the taste of a good meal after hours of walking and the feeling of discovering something completely new. Sometimes, the best part of a getaway is not the distance you travel, but how far it takes you away from your everyday life. For GCC families, Yas Island offers precisely that kind of escape. It is close enough to be convenient, yet expansive enough to feel like another world. You can come for the adrenaline and discover the food. Come for the children and rediscover your own sense of fun. Come for a weekend and still leave with a list of things you did not get to see. As for me, five days were enough to experience a lot, but certainly not enough to experience everything. And perhaps that is Yas Island’s greatest trick. Just when you think the adventure is over, it gives you another reason to come back.
On Sept 28, I arrived expecting to experience a destination. By Oct 2, I left feeling that I had moved through several different worlds. I had raced with Ferrari, plunged down waterslides, walked among superheroes, watched marine life, entered a universe of immersive art and tested the limits of gravity. But the memories I took away were not only about the attractions. They were about the laughter after a ride, the anticipation before a slide, the unexpected pause in front of an aquarium, the taste of a good meal after hours of walking and the feeling of discovering something completely new. Sometimes, the best part of a getaway is not the distance you travel, but how far it takes you away from your everyday life. For GCC families, Yas Island offers precisely that kind of escape. It is close enough to be convenient, yet expansive enough to feel like another world. You can come for the adrenaline and discover the food. Come for the children and rediscover your own sense of fun. Come for a weekend and still leave with a list of things you did not get to see. As for me, five days were enough to experience a lot, but certainly not enough to experience everything. And perhaps that is Yas Island’s greatest trick. Just when you think the adventure is over, it gives you another reason to come back.
By Marlon Aquino Malinao
Managing Editor, Arab Times
