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19 March 2024

Dubai for daredevils: 10 most exciting activities you must experience

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It is not surprising that celebrities flock to Dubai when they want to promote their ‘young, wild and free’ spirit in daring video clips. Nor is it surprising that daredevils find in Dubai the ultimate location to tick off a few more items of their bucket list.

Dubai has all the elements needed for a holiday powered by adrenaline; the sea is barely ever too cold to endure, mountains and desert are a natural concourse for adventure seekers and an the image from the sky is spectacular, which encourages hundreds of people every year to jump out of planes, scale tall buildings, take helicopter rides or drift off in a hot air balloon.

Emirates 24|7 lists the 10 most exhilarating activities that can be done in Dubai.
 
#1 Skydive Dubai

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It has become so popular that it almost looks as if it were a piece of cake. But when standing on the edge of an open window of an airplane flying at 4,000 meters above ground, you must have nerves of steel when this does not instigate an instant and overwhelming adrenaline rush.

“The intense wait, a racing heartbeat, the raging adrenaline rush, moments of insanity, then a strong gush of wind and shooting down at 210 km/hr,” are the words describing the adventure on the Skydive website.

It is worth the nerve-wracking experience, would most jumpers say. There is probably no better angle to see the Palm-shaped Island from, and no more liberating journey than to surf the waves of the wind in an hour-long descend back to earth. The first minute of the jump is a true free fall, than the parachute will be opened and it is time for sightseeing.

Where: Skydive Dubai, Dubai Marina

How much: Dh1,999
 
#2 Bungee jumping

[Image via Shutterstock]

Some may say it is more nerve-wracking than skydive, because of the speed of the fall. However, the bungee jump is made from a 50 meter height. Surely, the moment of truth when standing on the edge, knowing that you will dive into air headfirst, instigates similar feelings of adrenaline.

Originating from the pacific archipelago of Vanuatu, the bungee jump was traditionally a ritual to rich yam harvest and proving manhood, by tying the ankle to vines before jumping off a rock. Fortunately, the elastic rope that is used nowadays provides a more secure jump and also allows for the bounce, which many bungee fans describe as the best part of the jump.

The sport only recently debuted in the Middle East and is most active in Dubai, where the jump can be made against the backdrop of Burj Khalifa for more dramatic photography.

Where: Gravity Zone, Sheikh Zayed Road

How much: Starting from Dh360
 
Drive a race car

[Image via Shutterstock]

If you thought that driving a Bugatti was the closest a regular driver could get to the racing experience, think again. Driving a true racing car on a true racing track would really put you in Schumacher’s shoes.

Any driver who holds a valid driving licence for more than 12 months is permitted behind the wheel, a valid driving license being a GCC, European, North American, Australian or International License. The location: Dubai Autodrome in Motor City.

Within 4 seconds, the 80 BHP single-seater will bring you at a speed of 100 km/h. Choosing for the Audi TT 2.0 Turbo, you reach the same speed in 6.5 seconds. But it is not only about the acceleration. On the racing track, the guest driver will follow an instructor who will speed up lap by lap, to experience the feel of a racing car. Especially the single seater allows the driver to hug the circuit corners at high speed and feel every millimetre of the track.

Where: Dubai Autodrome

Cost: (for renting a single-seater) Dh 875
 
The Shark Tank

[Image via Shutterstock]

When glooming through the glass wall from the safe side of the aquarium in Dubai Mall, there seems to be little danger to this water mass. But when suddenly a couple of divers appear between the sharks that inhabit the aquarium, it becomes more exciting.

Swimming with sharks is one of the leisure activities offered in Dubai Mall Aquarium and Aquaventure Water Park. Experienced divers will take you down the 11 meter deep tank, to become accustomed with 33,000 creatures of 140 different species, among them more than 400 sharks and rays.

The dive itself, for an unexperienced diver is challenging, as not everybody is able to cope with the deep water pressure, heavy equipment and breathing techniques. But only panicking would put the guest diver really to danger, as the sharks have not eaten anybody alive so far.

Where: Dubai Mall and Aquaventure

How much: Starting from Dh875
 
iFly

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Flying seems to be the dream of many, with the most creative methods resulting in the most enticing experiences. iFly, which is also called indoor skydiving, is one of the newest trends in Dubai and available at various ventures.

Although it resembles a skydive and is considered a good learning ground for regular skydivers, iFly is not as scary as jumping out of an airplane. Supported by an upward windstream that can reach 220kmph, the human bird will be lifted up in a vertical acrylic glass wind tunnel of ten meters high. During the flight, you learn how different body positions can help finding the right balance.

Where: Playnation, Mirdif City Center

Costs: Starting from Dh220
 
Flyboarding

[Image via Shutterstock]

If you thought you had seen it all after wakeboarding, jet skiing, and kitesurfing, you will be surprised to find yet another technique of jumping over waves; flyboarding is just that. However, this new technique truly takes watersport to another level. Powered by a jet ski, the boarder will be launched 10 meters above the sea, or take giant leaps forward as though walking on water.

Anybody can do this sport, according to the companies presenting the activity. It does not look easy though, as the boarder is only strapped by the ankles when flying meters high in the air. Protective wear is required for the first couple of sessions.

Similar as with any board sport, the boarder places his feet in two boots. The board is connected to a jet ski through a ten meter long water pipe, through which water pressure will be executed. The water pressure will lead to the powerful launch.

After a couple of minutes of practice, the boarder should be getting the feel of the jump and be able to assert his hidden talents on the board. An experienced flyboarder can balance his jump into different directions, make flips and do other tricks.

Where: Jumeirah Harbour

How much: Starting from Dh300
 
Kite surfing

[Image via Shutterstock]

Another adventure sport that combines water and air is kite surfing. As the words explain, kite surfing involves a giant kite and a surfboard, where the wind pulls the surfer through the water and through the air, if the kite is skilfully mastered.

This sport may not be scary, as it does require skill. Unless you are a natural, a couple of lessons are needed to get you going, without getting strangled in the ties of the kite while trying to find the right balance on the board. Once you have found the right balance, it is a liberating experience.

Where: Umm Suqeim Beach, various

How much: Starting from Dh350 per hour per person
 
Thrilling slides

[Image via Shutterstock]

What is a water slide doing in a list with nerve-wracking activities such as jumping from a plane, or driving a race car? Well, the slides of Dubai are not for the weak-hearted, as many have confirmed.

Off course, you have to know which slide to take, but the instructor will not let anybody go down these scare busters. The name Jumeirah Sceirah says enough. This newly opened water slide in Wild Wadi Waterpark has the guest forst climb a 32 meter tower. At the top, the countdown begins, while the person to be launched stands above a tube. Suddenly the ground under him disappears and he rushes through the 120 slide with a speed of 80kmph.

Smaller but equally scary is the Leap of Faith in Aquaventure Water Park. From the top of a 9 stories high tower, you glide down an almost vertical tube, which leads into the shark tank. The fall is that steep that it only takes a mere second before you find yourself sliding through the aquarium.

Where: Wild Wadi Park and Aquaventure Park

How much: Dh275 at Wild wadi Park. Dh250 at Aquaventure
 
Hot air balloon

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This ride may be a little daunting for those with fear of heights, but there is very little that can go wrong, and a sense of relief may be that there is nothing that the passenger needs to do but to relax.

From the ground, the giant balloon passing by the setting sun is a beautiful sight. From within the basket and with the wide ranging view over the skyscrapers, desert hills and sea must be truly magic.

Most balloon rides are up in the sky for about an hour and offer sunrise and sunset rides, to get most out of the experience. The hot air balloon ride is available with various companies in Dubai.

Where: Various locations

How much: Starting from Dh900
 
Jet skiing

[Image via Shutterstock]

It may not be an adrenaline-rushing activity. But in Dubai, it is not allowed to step on a jet ski without a license to drive it. A jet ski is certainly not an easy apparatus to control, and safety issues are taken very serious as there have been accounts of accidents.

However, the water sport lover is not all out of options. In other emirates the sport is alive and available, also for the inexperienced driver. Towards the north, al Mamzar Beach is the closest option, while in Abu Dhabi the fun begins in Ghantoot. In both places the organisers promise safe environment.

Where: (closest from Dubai) Ghantoot and Mamzar Beach

How much: In Ghantoot prices start at Dh300. In Mamzar Beach prices start at Dh250