Destinations
This is a guest post by Nina Patel, a travel writer and culture enthusiast with a passion for exploring vibrant cities around the world. Based in the UAE, Nina has a keen eye for uncovering the best indoor experiences Abu Dhabi has to offer, from art galleries to luxury shopping. Her work has been featured in several travel publications, where she shares tips on making the most of city adventures, no matter the weather.
Making the most of your time in Abu Dhabi is a must regardless of how long you’re staying here. This means exploring the city from morning to evening to enjoy various activities and see beautiful sights. But the city’s warm temperatures can make it challenging to go out in the morning and afternoon. During the hottest part of the day, you may only want to stay indoors where it’s cooler and more comfortable.
Fortunately, there are plenty of activities and experiences you can enjoy in Abu Dhabi without staying outdoors. From scaling the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall and enjoying indoor skydiving to visiting a theme park and discovering valuable art collections, you can make the most of your visit to this city even when temperatures are soaring.
Abu Dhabi’s Best Indoor Activities
Below are the top indoor activities you shouldn’t miss when you’re in Abu Dhabi:
Try indoor wall climbing and skydiving
If you like physically and mentally challenging activities, head to CLYMB™ Yas Island Abu Dhabi, the region’s top indoor adventure hub. It boasts the world’s biggest indoor skydiving flight chamber and the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall. The climbing wall, which is the world’s first indoor multi-pitch climbing wall, features five walls and 13 routes. As such, you can scale levels and paths based on your experience, prowess, and preference. After scaling new heights, get ready to conquer a higher one when you experience indoor skydiving.
The world’s largest indoor flight chamber is 32 feet wide and 104 feet tall. It’s powered by 16 state-of-the-art fans, giving you the perfect simulation of an exhilarating free fall without jumping from a plane. Whether you’re new or already tried indoor wall climbing and skydiving before, qualified instructors will guide you through the processes. Because of this, you’ll know what to do throughout the experiences and be safe doing them. You’ll also be given the equipment you need to conquer these challenges, so you don’t have to worry about these.
Click here to read about 10 things you must know BEFORE you travel to the UAE
Spend a day at a theme park
Abu Dhabi is home to both outdoor and indoor theme parks. Spend a day and have fun at the region’s largest and most whimsical indoor theme park at Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The massive indoor park is fully air conditioned and shaded, allowing you to hop from one ride and experience to another without breaking a sweat. It’s divided into six lands, all inspired by Warner Bros.’ most iconic TV and movie franchises, which are:
● Warner Bros. Plaza
● Bedrock
● Dynamite Gulch
● Cartoon Junction
● Gotham City
● Metropolis
The rides and attractions are based on the studio’s popular television and movie franchises and characters as well. The most popular ones are:
● The Flintstones Bedrock River Adventure
● Fast and Furry-ous Roller Coaster
● Daffy Jet-Propelled Pogo Stick
● Ani-Mayhem
● Acme Factory
● Scooby Doo: The Museum of Mysteries
● Batman: Knight Flight
● The Riddler Revolution
● The Joker Funhouse
● Superman 360: Battle for Metropolis
● Cartoon Junction Carousel
With over 30 rides and experiences, you need to explore the park from the time it opens, which is usually at 11 in the morning. But since it’s shaded and air conditioned, you can spend the whole day here without feeling hot and tired even if the outdoor temperature is high.
Go shopping
Abu Dhabi boasts dozens of malls, souks, and shopping centers beckoning you to splurge on new shoes, clothes, accessories, devices, food, and souvenirs to bring home. These places are mostly air conditioned, except for its outdoor green and dining areas, allowing you to spend as much time as you want here comfortably. Yas Mall is Abu Dhabi’s biggest mall and the country’s second largest. It’s near CLYMB™ Yas Island Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and other world-famous theme parks and attractions on Yas Island, which is only 25 minutes away from the city center.
The massive mall is home to 370 stores and around 60 indoor and outdoor dining options. Other must-visit malls in Abu Dhabi include:
● Abu Dhabi Mall
● Al Raha Mall
● Al Wahda Mall
● Al Seef Village Mall
● Bawabat Al Sharq Mall
● Dalma Mall
● Forsan Central Mall
If you want to try shopping at a souk, head to the following:
● The Souk
● The Souk at Qaryat Al Beri
● Souk Al Zafarana
● Souk Central Market
● Souk Al Mina
With these indoor shopping options, you can spend as much time as you want splurging on great finds.
Looking for other things to do in Abu Dhabi? Why not visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi.
Immerse yourself in history and culture
Instead of basking in the warmth of the sun, revel in the fascinating history and culture of the United Arab Emirates, which you can do at Qasr Al Watan. Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s official presidential palace. Here, you can go on an interactive journey that allows you to learn fascinating facts about the country, its history, heritage, governance, and culture.
The palace houses one of the biggest libraries in Abu Dhabi, the Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi Public Library. Its well-designed interiors make it the perfect place to read, research, study, and write. Moreover, it has hundreds of books and other reading materials curated in the past 35 years that cover a wide array of subjects and topics. This library also has audio-visual resources, digital files, and other multimedia materials. Panel discussions, learning camps, and live cultural performances take place here
regularly as well. Qasr Al Watan’s other zones that house priceless artifacts, artwork, and other collections are:
● The Great Hall
● Presidential Gifts Hall
● A Memory From the Palace
● House of Knowledge
● A Celebration of Acceptance
● The Presidential Banquet
● Spirit of Collaboration
● Commemoration of the Year of Tolerance
These zones allow you to immerse yourself in knowledge, history, and culture without any discomfort.
Get a bird’s-eye view of Abu Dhabi
If you want to see Abu Dhabi in a different light, make a reservation at the Observation Deck at 300, which is located at level 74 of the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. Standing at 300 meters above ground, the Observation Deck at 300 is a café that gives you stunning sights of the city skyline, Corniche, and Arabian Gulf. Here, you can take in uninterrupted views of these gorgeous sceneries regardless of where you sit or hang out.
As you marvel at the beautiful sceneries, treat yourself to a great meal or the afternoon high tea, which is popular among locals and travelers. Whether you visit the Observation Deck at 300 during the day or at night, you’ll get incredible views of the city. With these activities and destinations, you can enjoy the best Abu Dhabi has to offer even when temperatures are high.
Experience one of the best camping spots in Abu Dhabi; Al Hudayriyat Island
