Water Worlds

FROM THE RECENTLY OPENED LAGUNA TO LEGOLAND, YAS WATERWORLD AND BEYOND, THE UAE’S AQUA PARKS ARE THE IDEAL PLACES TO KEEP COOL OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS

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AQUAVENTURE

Atlantis The Palm doesn’t really do shy and retiring, and its water park is every bit as big, flash and impressive as you’d expect. From Shark Attack, a two-person tube slide ending inside a shark tank, to Zoomerango, a family raft attraction with huge vertical plummets and moments of weightlessness, the rides here will test even the most adventurous adrenaline junkie. Be sure to book online – you’ll get a discounted entry rate of Dhs275, and you’ll avoid the queues at the door.

Did you know?

Aquaconda, a family raft ride, is the largest water slide in the world, ending in the biggest fibreglass tube on the globe. How very Dubai.

If you try only one ride… Make sure it’s the park’s famous underwater shark safaris. The specially designed helmets mean you don’t have to be a scuba expert to get upclose-and-personal.

Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 10am to 6pm. Tel: [phone]. Taxi: Atlantis The Palm. atlantisthepalm.com

DREAMLAND AQUA PARK

Part holiday park, part classic water park, Umm Al Quwain’s Dreamland’s has 30 rides and attractions. From a free fall slide to family rafting, they remain open all summer round, with family passes for four costing Dhs450. It’s an old school UAE institution with plenty to do in the water and out – there’s also an amphitheatre, plus a mini zoo.

Did you know?

One of the UAE’s oldest and largest family attractions, Dreamland celebrated its 21st birthday last year.

If you try only one ride…

Make it the Twister – you slide along a 40-metre tunnel before hurling around a giant bowl like a pair of old socks in a washing machine drum. It all ends with a two-metre nosedive into the waters below.