Adventuring at Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi

Who would have thought Abu Dhabi, with a landmass comprising mostly (70%) desert, could become one of the world’s best travel destinations? Yet it is, with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism announcing the emirate got 18 million visitors in 2022 and is expected to receive 33% more tourists (i.e., 24 million) in 2023.

There are many sites to visit, sights to see and things to do in Abu Dhabi. Travelers with a taste for adventure, in particular, will find the emirate provides an abundance of recreational opportunities. In Yas Island Abu Dhabi alone, there are four world-class theme parks offering a wide variety of amusement park rides.

One of these is Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi. This water park, set on 14.97 hectares in a central location in Yas Island Abu Dhabi, close to Yas Mall Abu Dhabi and the rest of the island’s theme parks, has an impressive portfolio of thrilling rides and slides.

Rides

There are plenty of exhilarating rides at Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi. These three, in particular, are a must-try:

1. Bandit Bomber

If you love adventure, you must like rollercoasters. Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi understands and has a unique rollercoaster ride called Bandit Bomber.

Bandit Bomber is the Middle East's longest suspended rollercoaster. A suspended rollercoaster is one where the train rolls underneath the tracks. Suspended rollercoasters offer a unique thrill because you hang suspended instead of gliding over a rollercoaster path.

In the Bandit Bomber, you and your friends will sit in bucket-like seats. Only a bar will hold you in place as the coaster climbs, turns and descends at great speeds. Some moments, you’ll feel like you’re about to hit something, and you’ll hang so low on the ground.

However, everything has just been calculated to up the ride’s excitement. You’ll find yourself screaming as the ride speeds and twists up and down through steep inclines.

Bandit Bomber offers more than exhilaration; it also provides unobstructed views of the park.

2. Rush Rider

Rush Rider is a sheet wave ride. It’s great if you have always wanted to try bodyboarding, flowboarding and surfing. It will help you learn the foundations of riding the surf.

You will be provided a board, and an instructor will teach you the basics of riding it. You will be taught the primary bodyboarding positions and body-balancing techniques so you’ll remain balanced and stable in the water.

Once you have learned the foundations, the ride instructor can teach you the more advanced techniques and positions you can apply when you try the next ride on this list, the Bubbles’ Barrel.

3. Bubbles Barrel

The Bubbles Barrel is intended for advanced flowboarders and experienced surfers. You’ll find the world’s largest surfing sheet wave here. Rest assured, if a challenge is what you seek, this ride has plenty of it.

Bubbles Barrel provides a constant onslaught of tall waves and barrels. You’ll never have to wait for favorable conditions to challenge your surfing skills.

Slides

This water park in UAE is all about the slides. The following are the top three slides to try:

1. Dawwama

Dawwama is a six-person tornado water coaster, the largest in the world. You and your friends start the ride sitting in a multi-person raft. Hold on tight as the raft plunges down a steep slide the height of a mountain before vigorously spinning into a 66-foot-high tornado funnel.

2. Sebag

Sebag is a racer water slide, perfect for a group of friends in search of adventure. You and your friends should take one lane each. When the light turns green, lie on your stomach on the provided mat and push yourself down the water chute.

The massive force of the water will carry you through the winding tube and onto the open slides and hurtle you into the pool of water below. The first one down wins.

3. Liwa Loop

Are you curious how it would feel to fall freely down a water slide? Wonder no more. Head on over to the Liwa Loop to experience it firsthand.

Liwa Loop is the first-ever freefall drop, body-speed water slide in the Middle East. Since it was first introduced until now, it has never failed to give adventure-seekers the thrill of their lives.

To slide down Liwa Loop, step into the transparent capsule at the top. Cross your arms in front of your chest and cross your feet to keep them together; doing these will keep your body as straight and narrow as possible.

The countdown will begin when the operator inserts the launch key into the slide control box. At the end of the countdown, the floor will swing open, launching you swiftly down a looping chute. The pace is so fast it should take you only about eight or nine seconds to reach the bottom of the slide.