Smart Traveller

In this, the next post in our series about things to do in Abu Dhabi, we’re taking a look at some of the sports and other activities that you can watch or try during your stay.

1. Go Sand Skiing - this sport is becoming increasingly popular in the Middle East, particularly in the Liwa sand dunes, near to the Liwa Oasis, about three hours’ drive from the city of Abu Dhabi. Head to the top of the dunes, strap on your sand-board and make your way down to the bottom! A number of tour operators in Abu Dhabi organise desert safaris which include sand skiing.

2. Watch a Camel Race - if you’re visiting Abu Dhabi during the winter, head off to the Al Wathba Racetrack, about 45km to the east of the city of Abu Dhabi, and watch a camel race. Camel racing takes place from the end of August until April and is one of the most popular sports in Abu Dhabi. Races are usually held at the Al Wathba Racetrack on Thursdays and Fridays.

3. Try Dune Bashing - As with sand skiing, this is an extremely popular activity in the United Arab Emirates, particularly in the dunes near the Liwa Oasis, and a number of tour operators offer dune-bashing experiences. The term “dune bashing” refers to the practice of riding up and down sand dunes at high speed in a 4×4 vehicle, and it’s a truly exhilarating experience.

4. Go Scuba Diving - the waters off the coast of Abu Dhabi are perfect for anyone wanting to go scuba diving. There are a number of diving clubs in the area, so whether you are an expert or a beginner, you should be able to find a scuba diving course or expedition to suit you.

5. Play a Round of Golf - there are a number of golf courses within the city of Abu Dhabi and in other parts of the emirate. Abu Dhabi Golf Club, for example, is about 10 minutes’ drive away from Abu Dhabi International Airport, and its 27-hole championship course plays host to the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Other courses in the emirate include: the Al Ghazal Golf Course, which is a sand golf course near Abu Dhabi International Airport; and the Al Ain Golf Course, in the city of Al Ain. New golf courses are also being constructed on Yas Island.

6. Take a Balloon Trip - Book a hot air balloon trip with Balloon Adventures Emirates and get a bird’s eye view of the desert. The company’s balloon flights operate daily (weather permitting) between mid-September until the end of May. The flights take off early in the morning from the desert, just north of Al Ain, but the company provides free transport from locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The entire trip will take about 5 hours.

7. Try Indoor Skydiving - Abu Dhabi has a vertical wind tunnel facility, SPACEWALK Abu Dhabi, at the Abu Dhabi Health and Fitness Club. Professional instructors will help you to fly on a column of air and you’ll experience what it feels like to skydive. There are a number of different packages available and you don’t need any skydiving experience to take part.

8. Take a Trip on a Speed Boat - See Abu Dhabi from the water on a trip on one of the Yellow Boats. The company offers a range of different tours, including adventure tours around Lulu Island and its 50 minute long Abu Dhabi Ultimate Thrill Ride.

9. Go Jet Skiing - the waters around Abu Dhabi are perfect for jet-skiing and you can hire jet skis from a number of operators.  You may find that you can hire jet skis from your hotel -  at the Hilton International Abu Dhabi Hotel, for example, you can hire jet skis from the Hiltonia Beach Club, and jet ski rental is also available at the Golden Tulip Al Jazira Hotel and Resort, which is situated between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

10. Take a Kayak Tour - Explore the mangroves near the city of Abu Dhabi on an eco-friendly kayak tour with the Noukhada Adventure Company. The company offers a number of different tours at different times of the day and also offers kayak fishing trips.

Read previous posts in this series by following the links below:

• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Yas Island Hotels: read about some of hotels on the newly developed Yas Island.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Yas Island: find out about Abu Dhabi’s new tourist area.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi Shopping: read about some of Abu Dhabi’s malls and souks.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Sheikh Zayed Mosque: in this post, we take a look at Abu Dhabi’s largest mosque.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi Corniche Hotels
  - find some great places to stay near the Corniche.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - The Corniche: find out about Abu Dhabi’s famous seaside promenade.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Emirates Heritage Village: find out about this popular tourist attraction.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi Overview: learn about Abu Dhabi and the other United Arab Emirates.
• Airport Guides - Abu Dhabi International Airport: information  for anyone booking flights to Abu Dhabi.

Image: Stevage

If you’re looking for the ultimate adventure holiday, how about storm chasing? There are many different storm chasing companies in the USA offering holidays that will allow you go in search of tornadoes in order to see the Mother Nature release her wrath up close.

The USA’s famous “Tornado Alley” is the media name given to the area of the country where most tornadoes occur. Although tornado experts don’t agree about exactly which areas are covered by Tornado Alley, the U.S States featured are predominantly in the Mid-West and include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Most storm chasing companies offer trips which last 7 - 14 days and which take place during the height of the storm season (April to June). You’ll spend much of your time travelling in an SUV chasing storms, but on days when the weather means that storms are unlikely, many tour operators will arrange for visits to local attractions, so you’ll still have plenty to keep you occupied. You’ll be accompanied by a professional storm chasing team and will learn all about the science of storm chasing and how tornadoes are formed, as well as hopefully being able to actually see tornadoes.

Storm chasing holidays usually aren’t cheap, with prices for a week’s trip starting from $1,800, and this doesn’t include flights or food. However, for a unique experience, it’s well worth the money.

Storm chasing tour operators include Tempest Tours, Tradd Storm Chasing Tours, Weather Gods and Violent Skies.

Whether you are concerned about your carbon footprint or just fancy travelling by land or sea rather than by air, low carbon travel website Loco2Travel could be just the site that you are looking for.

Recently featured in The Observer’s list of “Bright Young Things of Travel“, Loco2’s founders, Kate and Jamie Andrews, established the site after Kate found that her post-university travel plans were complicated by the fact that she couldn’t find very much information about low carbon travel options.

Loco2Travel is very much a work in progress, but looks set to become one of the UK’s leading travel sites. The site currently features a number of articles about low carbon travel adventures, including trips from London to Australia by bus, and the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolina railways, as well as providing information about European festivals. You can also read the Loco2 blog.

Image courtesy of:© Denis Stenderchuck | Dreamstime.com