Family holidays are often the perfect opportunities to treat loved ones to extraordinary experiences. It’s always exciting to plan where to stay, where to eat, and what to do.
If you will be visiting the UAE, there’s no shortage of splurge-worthy experiences to work into your itinerary. To get you started on planning your family’s holiday extravaganza, here are seven ideas you can consider.
1. A Seaplane Tour
Avoid the traffic and enjoy an aerial view of the country’s beauty. One of the best ways to gain this experience is by purchasing a seaplane tour package for your family. With a luxury private tour in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, you get to take your loved ones from one scenic location to another, explore the various sites and amenities, and take them back to the point of origin in style.
One of the highly in-demand tours will provide you with a private seaplane to Sir Bani Yas Island, which is about 100 kms off the Abu Dhabi Coast. Likewise included in this tour package is a 1.5-hour Wildlife Drive straight after disembarking the seaplane. An expert guide will drive you around to meet some of the country’s precious wildlife, such as the Arabian oryx, Urial sheep, sand gazelles, and sea turtles.
Afterwards, you can go swimming and take advantage of the different activities offered at one of the luxury resorts on Sir Bani Yas Island. This is a fully packed and unique tour that can deliver 100 percent enjoyment to you and your family.
2. A Yacht Rental and Tour
A private yacht rental with a tour is another popular offering for luxury travelers. You get a swanky, brand-new yacht with a designated captain who’s very friendly and knowledgeable about the different islands that tourists love to visit.
Sail from Maya Island to Dolphin Island while enjoying the sea breeze and a sighting of dolphins, listening to relaxing music, and sipping refreshing beverages. You can get off to swim, lounge around, watch the sunset, or enjoy a picnic at the beach for an hour or so before heading back to Abu Dhabi and calling it a day.
This leisure program is perfect for a day with lovely weather when you and your family just want to take things a little slower.
3. Indoor Skiing in Dubai
Relieve yourselves from the usual sweltering weather of the UAE with an instant winter getaway. Take the family to Ski Dubai for a full day of skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and tubing in the region’s largest indoor ski resort.
This completely human-made experience is truly worth splurging on. First of all, it’s not that expensive. Second, it’s a fantastic provision to take advantage of when you want to switch things up. Technically, most parts of the UAE have never gotten snow (the northernmost part of the country has experienced snow a few times, though), so it’s interesting to engage in winter activities while holidaying in a desert country. And third, if you have kids, there’s no doubt they’ll have a blast playing for hours in the snow.
4. A Night at Burj Al Arab
Burj Al Arab is one of the fanciest hotels in the world (in fact, the first one to claim a 7-star rating), and if you are planning to spend a night here, you will not regret it. The architecture and interior design of the place are outrageously beautiful and perfectly fit for kings and queens.
It’s not just the structure that impresses, however; the services are undoubtedly top-notch and the view from the Skyview Bar, especially while you’re having an elegant afternoon tea, is unbeatable as well. This may be the closest thing that you can ever get to the highest level of VIP treatment.
5. Amusement Park Hopping
You mustn’t miss out on the amusement parks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai if you have young children. A visit to Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi is undoubtedly a must on the itinerary, especially if you have motoring and speed enthusiasts in the family. This amusement park is the home of the world’s fastest roller coaster, the Formula Rossa, and it also holds the record for being the largest space frame structure ever built. What’s more, you can get to Ferrari World via seaplane, too.
After Ferrari World, hop on to Warner Bros. World, the newest theme park on Yas Island. It boasts of 29 thrilling rides and attractions, most of which will place you in a replica of a famous movie set.
When the weather’s unusually bright and hot, head to Aquafun at Al Bahar. This waterpark is famous for its wholesome activities, and it also has a bouncy obstacle course if you don’t just want to kick back and relax.
6. Gold Shopping Day
If you want a splurge with beneficial effects that will last longer than your holiday, head to the Gold Souk in Dubai and shop for high-quality gold jewelry and nuggets. Gold is quite valuable and is considered a financial asset.
Even if you are not particularly fond of jewelry, the Gold Souk can still prove to be quite an excellent stop for your holiday. If you have great appreciation for creative workmanship, for sure, you will delight in the artistry behind many of the jewelry items for sale.
7. Dune Bashing
Head to the Dubai Desert for a luxurious 4×4 ride across the dunes. Many consider dune bashing in Dubai a bucket list item because it is an adventure like no other. Every ride is different because the dunes change their shape every day and the expert drivers are very playful. They know how to make the experience as thrilling as can be for everyone.
Check out the different desert safari packages offered by travel agencies if this is an adventure that’s right up your alley. And with these packages, you’re not limited to a dune bashing experience; you can also try a hot air balloon ride to see the sunset, a camel ride across the desert, and a night-time banquet with entertainment.
Indeed, life is too short to experience and see all of the world’s amazing offerings. If you want to enrich your life with fun, meaningful, and memorable experiences with your family and other people you love by traveling to different countries, don’t hesitate to splurge. The experiences listed above can deliver the amazement and joy you desire for a truly memorable family holiday.
AUTHOR BIO
Mithu Agarwal is the Commercial Director at Seawings LLC, a trusted provider of commercial seaplane tours and charters in the UAE. The company offers aerial tours of the UAE, taking off from the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club through which you can discover the thrill of travelling by a seaplane. Whisking passengers to 1500 feet, the route soars past the iconic city skylines, offering sublime views of the country’s architectural marvels.