We’ve faced off some of the best water parks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai recently, looking at ticket prices, rides, slides and more. Now we take a look at them all, to find out, which is THE BEST water park in the UAE!
Overall, we found Yas Water World to be The Best Water Park in the UAE based on Price, Location, Things to do Nearby, Food, Rides and Value for Money.
That makes Yas Waterworld The Best Water Park in Abu Dhabi. For Dubai, the best water park was Laguna Water Park!
Read on to see how the others faired and why they didn’t quite make the grade of The Best Water Park in UAE!
Which Water Park is Cheaper?
Price is absolutely a key factor to consider when determining which waterpark is the best in the UAE. To break down this section, we will first be taking a look at comparing the online ticket prices for general admission or a day pass for an adult.
Ticket Cost | |
Aquaventure | 269 AED |
Wild Wadi | 199 AED |
Laguna Waterpark | 145 AED |
Yas Waterworld | 250 AED |
Next we go over what each ticket package entails and also any other relevant tickets, such as for children, to determine which is cheapest. However, for ease of comparison we will mainly be looking at basic ticket packages.
First up, Aquaventure‘s day pass for children comes in at 225 AED and those under 2 years of age go free. However, those who are also staying at Atlantis go free. For Aquaventure, there are all sorts of different add-ons you can have including cabanas, The Lost Chambers Aquarium, and Shark Safari.
Next, Wild Wadi‘s online tickets for children or under 1.1 metres is 149 AED, with children aged 2 and under going free. If you decide to opt for a main gate admission, prices are higher with tickets costing 229 AED per adult or for those 1.1 metres or over. As for those 1.1 metres and less, it will cost 159 AED at the main gate. You can also have free access if you are staying at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Burj Al Arab, Madinat Jumeirah, or Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. Much like Aquaventure, you can also rent a cabana.
As for Laguna Waterpark the ticket cost above covers those aged 12 and above, with tickets costing 99 AED for ages 2-12. Children under the age of 2 also go free. As with the previous waterparks, you can rent a cabana during your trip. There are also a range of add-ons and special offers you can keep an eye out for to enjoy even more savings.
Finally, Yas Waterworld doesn’t hold specific tickets for children, they just hold a standard admission ticket. However, children aged 3 and under are allowed in for free. There are also various offers and discounts available for certain days such as Ladies Day.
If you’re planning a visit soon, you may want to keep an eye out for Ramadan offers, as a few of the waterparks we’ve mentioned are offering deals!
Overall, the best waterpark for price is Laguna Waterpark, offering the cheapest adult tickets, cheapest child tickets, and also free entry to toddlers.
Which Water Park is in the Best Location?
The location of the waterpark can also make or break the visit. So now we take a look at which waterpark is the most scenic and also easy to access.
Aquaventure is situated on the stunning Palm Jumeirah. It offers a beautiful way to see the city from a different angle. But, as you can imagine it’s slightly out of the way. In terms of surrounding attractions, aside from within the Atlantis hotel, there isn’t a whole lot that’s new that you can’t already do within the main city. There are malls, spas, and shops, but you can find similar places on the mainland.
Wild Wadi is situated by the tranquil and popular Jumeirah Beach. This is perfect if you fancy an evening stroll on the beach after your busy day at the waterpark! There’s an abundance of hotels, shops, and restaurants nearby as well as big cultural attractions like Souk Madinat. It’s fairly easy to access too, being approximately a 20 minute drive from Downtown Dubai.
Laguna Waterpark ticks a lot of boxes, it’s nestled comfortably on the beach in a serene and scenic location, but is still easy to access. It is a mere 5 minute walk from La Mer beach, so much like Wild Wadi you can happily stop for a stroll on the beach after your busy day. There are also a lot of eateries in walking distance which is perfect for you to find a quick bite to eat without wandering around trying to find somewhere.
Finally, Yas Waterworld is located on the must-visit Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Despite being on an island off the city, there is plenty there for you to do. There are lots of nearby attractions, places to eat, and hotels so you could really make a trip of just visiting the island. As it is on an island, Yas Waterworld is not as accessible as some of the other waterparks, but that being said, it is only a 15 minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Overall, we’d say that each waterpark has its own strengths and weaknesses location wise. However, in terms of which has beautiful scenery, easiest access, and nearby attractions, Laguna Waterpark just about takes it.
Which Water Park is Best for Things to Do Nearby?
Sometimes, you want more than just a waterpark, so in this section we will be looking at what things there are to do nearby to the parks or any bonus activities.
Starting off with Aquaventure, which truly does kick this section off to a flying start. As the waterpark is part of Atlantis the Palm, you can absolutely fill up several days with entertainment. At Aquaventure and Atlantis, as previously mentioned you can take part in a Shark Safari, Mini Marine Biologist for the little ones, visit the Sea Lion Point, and make a new friend at Dolphin Bay. You can also visit The Lost Chambers Aquarium where there are all sorts of activities such as diving for different levels of experience, or you can simply unwind at the ShuiQi Spa.
Next up, Wild Wadi which is situated in the heart of Jumeirah and has Jumeirah Beach, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project, Tao Spa, Souk Madinat and many restaurants all located just a short walk away. This really isn’t an extensive list as there is so much to see and do close by.
Laguna Waterpark offers a particularly unique experience onsite, which is The Camp. The Camp is essentially camping under the stars at the waterpark, where guests can enjoy the sunsets before tucking into a BBQ and marshmallows over the campfire. Following this comes movies under the stars along with unlimited waterpark access and teamwork activities in the morning. The experience costs 700 AED for two people or 1,200 AED for four.
Yas Waterworld offers a plethora of quirky activities onsite including an Underwater Virtual Reality Experience which essentially puts you into different scenes such as the ocean, the sky, the Journey to Lost City, and even space! These cost 75 AED per person or 225 AED for groups of four. Yas Waterworld also offers various Pearl Diving Experiences which are of course, a big part of the UAE’s heritage. Yas Waterworld is also within a short walking distance to other big attractions on the island including Ferrari World, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, and the Yas Mall.
Wild Wadi runs it close but the clear winner here is Yas Waterworld. There is so much to do at Yas Island you could even spend a few days there!
Which Water Park has The Best Food?
The types and variety of food offered can also be a big influence on your trip, so now we will compare the amount and types of food places at each waterpark.
First up, Aquaventure has 6 places to eat onsite. Barracudas offers a wide range of food options including burgers, shawarma sandwiches, noodles, and falafel. Shark Bites’ menu consists of burgers, pizza, fried chicken, and snacks. Waves offers hot dogs, shawarma, and sandwiches. Snappers is the place to go for sweet treats like cakes, pastries, and a hot drink. Splashers is much like Shark Bites as it offers burgers, hot dogs, snacks, and sandwiches. Finally, Lagoons is perfect if you want to cool off with ice cream or milkshakes. As you can tell, Aquaventure has a good range of eateries although a lot of the primary food is not wildly different from one another.
Wild Wadi has 2 places to eat inside the park. First up is Julshan’s Burgers and Dogs which does what it says on the tin as the food served consists of burgers, chicken, hot dogs, and salads. The second restaurant is Riptide Pizza which again is quite self explanatory as it primarily serves pizza. The clearly labelled food types are quite useful to save you wandering around the park to find something to take your fancy. However, as you can tell there isn’t a hugely broad variety, but the two restaurants do serve different food.
Laguna Waterpark has 4 places to eat in the park. First up is the Pool Café which primarily serves light snacks. Takeout offers a selection of your typical fast food. The Diner is good to have a more substantial mixed meal. Finally, the Surf Shack stocks a range of snacks and desserts. The different places to eat have their own types of food, but you can always stop for a snack in the park and eat at one of the neighbouring restaurants by the beach after your visit if you are looking for something a bit different.
Lastly, Yas Waterworld offers 5 different places to eat. Skinnys Frozen Treats is the place for you to beat the Arabian heat as it offers frozen lemonade, juices, and ice cream. Dana’s Diner has a selection of grilled goods and snacks including burgers, salads, BBQ wings, and sandwiches. Chubby’s Kitchen offers a variety of food choices including fried chicken, pizza, noodles, and daal. Gahwat Nasser is perfect for a coffee break as there are Arabic coffees, camel-milk chocolates, and fresh dates. Finally, Salma’s Snack Shack is the perfect lunch stop as there are pastas, sandwiches, salads, fruit, juices, smoothies, and slushes.
This is actually a tough one to judge; although Aquaventure offers the highest number of eateries, Yas Waterworld definitely has the better selection. A lot of Aquaventure’s places to eat overlap with one another or offer the same food options, but Yas Waterworld has each place offering something different.
Therefore, we will give this round to Yas Waterworld.
Slides and Rides
Ultimately, the slides and rides on offer are the most important part of the waterpark. In this section we will take a look at the amount of main slides and rides at each park and how they compare.
Aquaventure has definitely established a reputation for having some of the most thrilling and high speed slides in the world with stunning designs. So let’s take a look at the slides and their thrill level.
- Odyssey of Terror – High thrill & the world’s tallest waterslide
- Shockwave – Moderate thrill & world’s longest family rollercoaster
- Medusa’ Lair – High thrill
- Blackout – High thrill & tallest vertical drop in the Middle East
- Hydra Racer – Moderate thrill
- Aquaconda – High thrill & the world’s largest tube waterslide
- Zoomerango – High thrill
- Poseidon’s Revenge – High thrill
- Slitherine – High thrill
Wild Wadi has 4 main water slides alongside a handful of other rides, so let’s take a look at the main ones and their thrill level:
- Tantrum Alley – Moderate-high thrill
- Jumeirah Sceirah – High thrill
- Burj Surj – Moderate-high thrill
- Master Blasters – Moderate-high thrill
In terms of waterslides, Laguna Waterpark has 5 main ones on the site, so let’s see how thrilling they are:
- Constrictor – High thrill
- Free Fall – High Thrill
- Mad Racer – High thrill
- The Loop – Moderate thrill
- Manta – High thrill
Finally, let’s take a look at Yas Waterworld to see how many main slides and rides they have and how they rate for thrill:
- Slither’s Slides – Moderate thrill
- Dawwama – High thrill & the world’s largest six person tornado water ride
- Sebag – Moderate thrill
- Jebel Drop – High thrill
- Liwa Loop – High thrill & the first waterslide of its kind in the Middle East
- Hamlool’s Humps – High thrill
- Falcons Falaj – High thrill
- Bandit Bomber – Moderate thrill
Even though it was a close call, there was only going to be one winner. Aquaventure’s waterslides and rides are renowned worldwide, from the intense thrills to the incredible creativity on the architecture front.
Value for Money
The last aspect we will look at is value for money. To do this we will divide the price per online general admission for adult tickets by the total number of rides and attractions at each waterpark to see which is the lowest.
In total, at Aquaventure, there are 15 main rides and slides across the park. At Wild Wadi, there are 8 main slides and rides. At Laguna Waterpark, there are 7 main slides and rides. Finally, at Yas Waterworld there are 15 main slides and rides.
Waterpark | Value for money |
Aquaventure | 17.93 |
Wild Wadi | 24.88 |
Laguna Waterpark | 20.71 |
Yas Waterworld | 16.67 |
When factoring in all of the main slides and extra rides such as river rapids, surfing simulators, and lazy rivers, Yas Waterworld comes out as the best value for money.
Conclusion
After the face-off between the best water parks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi we have our winner.
Based on Location, Price, Food, Things to do, Rides and Value for Money; Yas Water World is The Best Water Park in the UAE!
We hope you have a great day out at whichever of the amazing waterparks you choose to visit! If you haven’t read our previous face offs, they are all below:
Wild Wadi or Aquaventure
Yas Waterworld or Wild Wadi
Laguna Waterpark or Wild Wadi
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