SimplyAbuDhabi IX

3 0 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I O ne day during our stay in Abu Dhabi, we decided to go and check out Yas Waterworld, the city’s world-class water park. Our expectations were high: after spending much time frequenting the city’s renowned restaurants, this would be our chance for some recreational fun amidst beautiful surroundings. Abu Dhabi’s first mega waterpark, the complex is set across 15 hectares on Yas Island and includes 43 rides, slides and attractions, among which 24 include 32 individual slides. It includes the world’s longest and fastest tornado waterslide, the region’s first looping waterslide as well as the world’s first interactive water and laser rollercoaster. We got ready for the ride! Before heading in for our day of aquatic adventure, we read up on the massive complex of Yas Waterworld. Made from 1.2 million kilograms of steel used to build the pearl crag, the park includes more rides, slides and attractions than any other water park in the Middle East. It was created from 526 trees, including palm trees; 38 kilometres of underground piping; 50,000 square metres of rock work and 12.6 million man-hours. In addition, the water park is the first in the Middle East to be certified with a “green” sustainability rating. It also includes five one-of-a-kind rides that have never been seen before in a water park, and features a unique pearl diving attraction showcasing traditional Emirati pearl diving. All of these facts made us even more intrigued to venture off to Yas Island to try the rides for ourselves. At the entrance we were greeted by Sultan and Co. – the joyful characters that star in the tale of the Lost Pearl, the Emirati story on which the park is based. According to the legend, a long time ago in a pearl diving village known as Qaryat Al Jewana, divers discovered what they termed the Mother Pearl lying among oysters on a sea bed. They soon snatched it and took it to the village where it brought prosperity and a bountiful pearl harvest. Yet one day, a fierce shamal wind blew in from the sea and for three days and nights the worst storm the people had ever seen battered the village. On the fourth morning as the winds subsided, the villagers came out from their homes to find that the Mother Pearl had vanished. Over the years, pearls became rarer to find and the village fell under a period of great hardship. Then, a greedy gang of bandits moved to the village and stole the many precious pearls that were found by the divers – what the people had deemed their only source of survival. Life had now become very hard in the village. A young girl named Dana asked her mother to tell her of the story of the Lost Pearl again; she wanted to find the great pearl and restore prosperity to the village. She then traveled across the desert and finally, after a long attempt, discovered the Mother Pearl and brought it to her village. This charming story set the stage for what we were about to experience. In line with the tale and the park’s Emirati focus was the first ride we took: the Pearl Masters Adventure, which took us on a treasure-hunt style