The winters have dawned upon us in the UAE, and unlike the rest of the world, winters in this part of the world are pleasant and blissfully beautiful. And thus, it’s also that time of the year in the UAE when everyone heads outdoors for recreation and relaxation. Weekends now consist of families and groups of friends heading out to camp overnight and relish in delicious barbecue sessions in and around various parks. And just like all the other Emirates, The capital city Abu Dhabi also is all set to bring you some wonderful activities to indulge in this winter season, which are sure to appeal to everyone – young and old, shy and bold.
1. Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival – This one is Abu Dhabi’s little version of the Global Village in Dubai, but unlike the Global Village which is more of a commercial event, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival spins around Heritage and Cultural Display as its primary theme. It has pavilions showcasing different nations and their cultural significance and also some stalls to entertain the shopper in you. It runs from 29th November 2019 to 1st February 2020. Below are the some links for more information –
Website – http://www.zayedfestival.com/en/
2. Mangrove Walk Abu Dhabi – This is an upcoming attraction, said to open in January 2020. Now you can go for a stroll amidst the mangroves of Abu Dhabi and find solace in the serenity of Abu Dhabi’s natural heritage. There is also going to be Kayaking alongside to help you relish the beauty of the mangroves even better. Here is a link for more information – https://whatson.ae/2019/11/a-beautiful-mangrove-walk-is-opening-in-abu-dhabi-in-january-2020/
Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed during his tour of Mangrove Walk in Al Jubail Island, which he instructed to be completed by Jan 2020. In line with Abu Dhabi government’s vision to build sustainable communities, the project aims to showcase #AbuDhabi’s natural heritage. pic.twitter.com/4lrJK3jliV
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) November 12, 2019
3. Marina Eye – The Marina Eye is the beautiful Ferris wheel that very much defines Abu Dhabi’s skyline to a great extent. It’s at the end of the Abu Dhabi’s land strip and surrounded by water on almost all sides and is adjacent to the Marina Mall. The Marina Eye will give you a beautiful glance of Abu Dhabi’s landscape, the Corniche Street and a beautiful view of the sea that makes up the land masses of Abu Dhabi. Here’s a link for more info – https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/see.and.do/attractions.and.landmarks/family.attractions/marina.eye.aspx
4. CLYMB Abu Dhabi – This one is an attraction that’s very recently opened in the capital city and will definitely appeal to all the adrenaline junkies out there. It is an Indoor Sky Diving / Indoor climbing arena. Well this one’s not just for the winter, but since it’s quite recently opened you might want to go check it out. And also like a lot of world records our great nation holds, from having the tallest building in the world, to the most extravagant hotels, the highest bridges and so on., CLYMB Abu Dhabi also has already bagged the record of being the World’s Biggest Indoor Skydiving Flight Chamber. Here are some links for more info –
https://www.clymbabudhabi.com/
5. Beaches – Abu Dhabi is home to some wonderful beaches and what’s better than a swim in the ocean while the sun shines warmly on you and the cool breeze pats you comfortingly. There’s private beaches belonging to hotel properties and also some beaches for open to all. The Corniche Beach, Saadiyat Public Beach , Bateen Beach and The Hudayriat Island Beach are some beaches open to all you might want to check out.
6. Al Hosn Festival – This one is yet another beautiful festival to showcase the cultural richness and the gems of heritage this nation has to offer. It has to offer wonders from various spectrums such as Art, Theatre, Craft, Design and Heritage. The tickets are priced at just AED. 15/- for adults and Children below 4 enter free.
7. New Year’s Eve Concert at Du Arena, Yas Island – Every New Year’s Eve, Abu Dhabi presents an international sensation at the Du Arena. From Katy Perry to Eminem to Coldplay, many of the world’s renowned artists have performed and enthralled crowds here. This year it’s going to be Bruno Mars. All you Bruno Mars fans, what are you waiting for? Below is a link for more information – https://www.flashentertainment.com/
8. Recreational Parks at the Yas Island – What better season than the amazing winter to head to the Yas Water-world and the Ferrari World situated at the Yas Island. From enthralling water rides to roller coaster rides that will get your heart racing, this amazing island has a lot to offer. There’s also Warner Bro’s world for some indoor theme park action, but if outdoors is what gets you going , head to the amazing Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World to make some life lasting memories, and be part of yet another amazing world record – The world’s fastest roller coaster ride – The Formula Rossa.
9. The Ripe Market – Some of you may have come across this new and growing concept across the UAE – The Ripe market. They are markets around the UAE, which get to you some local produce, and also locally made products in the UAE out for sale to the public. From farm fresh produce to honey to beauty products, perfumes and more, they have a lot of stalls with various products to offer. The Ripe Market in Abu Dhabi is at the Umm Al Emarat Park every Saturday from 3 Pm to 9 Pm. The park in itself is a beautiful location to relax and unwind and a visit on Saturdays can get you some wonderful products from the Ripe Market.
10. Christmas celebrations – There are a lot of hotel properties and malls hosting a variety of Christmas activities like witnessing the Christmas tree lighting ceremonies , meet and greet and pictures with Santa Claus, Christmas Brunches, winter markets etc . Below is a link with a detailed summary of all you can do in Abu Dhabi for Christmas – https://www.ourglobetrotters.com/celebrate-christmas-in-abu-dhabi/
Also , below are some Hotel Properties and their list of activities for Christmas –
- Emirates Palace – Dec 10 2019 – https://www.kempinski.com/en/abudhabi/emirates-palace/dining/festive-season/
- Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi – Dec 5 2019 – https://www.facebook.com/events/417995772198062/
- Grand Millennium Al Wahda – Dec 7 2019 – https://www.facebook.com/events/584602072293838/
- Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi – Dec 4 2019 – https://www.facebook.com/events/2422291931352599/
- Saadiyat Beach Club – Dec 7 2019 – https://www.facebook.com/events/640377389825897/
- Bab Al Qasr Hotel – Dec 9 2019 – https://www.facebook.com/events/579234946169576/
So these were ten interesting things to do in Abu Dhabi this winter season. The weather does tend to get lovely and maybe even slightly chilly, but on the whole quite enjoyable. Do make the most of this season with family and friends, because before you know, these wonderful winters will come to an end and the scorching summers will gush their way into our land.
Enjoy and have a great winter !
