Now that fully vaccinated Australians can enter Abu Dhabi without quarantining, we thought we’d celebrate with a roundup of all the fantastic new experiences that cropped up in the Emirates capital while borders were closed.

Whether your clients are holidaying in Abu Dhabi or have opted for an extended stopover, there are so many cool activities and places to stay from kayaking around the Louvre to the newest hotel attraction – the Warner Bros. Hotel, which is a world-first.

Plus, it’s only a 14-hour flight to Abu Dhabi from Sydney, which isn’t that long of a slog when you consider how long it takes to get to Europe!

Here are our top picks to add to your client’s bucket lists:

1. Kayaking through The Louvre Abu Dhabi 

Visitors can not only explore this unique museum’s collections but also hop into a Kayak and explore the waters around the stunning building, which sits on the Arabian Sea.

New in 2020, the museum teamed up with Sea Hawk tours and is now offering kayaking at sunrise and sunset. At dusk and dawn, the skies around The Louvre transform to include dusky pinks and vibrant orange hues so it makes the perfect background to take in the Middle East’s most spectacular museum.

2. The Mangrove Sanctuary

    

Only open since January 2020, the experience at Jubail Mangrove Park (featured image) has quickly become one of the most popular attractions with international travellers.

Tourists can enjoy a tranquil mangrove sanctuary with three meandering boardwalk pathways through the water, floating platforms with netting where they can see underwater marine life and a tall viewing deck for photo moments.

3. Nine different experiences – Abu Dhabi with a certified tour guide

Nine different cost-effective tour possibilities are available through Emirati Experiences tours. These tours are great for families and larger groups, where visitors can delve into local culture with an Abu Dhabi guide.

Experiences include learning about the country’s history of pearl diving with hands-on sessions with traditional tools that pearlers used, as well as visiting hidden local gems dotted around the city such as the carpet souq at Mina Zayed and learn all about the delicate art of negotiation – the Abu Dhabi way – from a local expert.

4. The New Warner Bros Hotel on Yas Island

Open from November 2021, the new Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi hotel on Yas Island is a world-first and the region’s top new hotel attraction.

The 257 room hotel has a ‘Friends’ fountain inspired by the hit sitcom in the hotel lobby and the hotel itself is filled with curated artwork, props and costumes from Warner Bros. films and TV shows.

Giant digital screens spanning the height of the entire eight-storey building, play original content created for the hotel – and the hotel is only steps away from the award-winning Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi Theme Park.

5. Visit the largest Aquarium in the Middle East

    

Abu Dhabi’s newest attraction, The National Aquarium has just launched on the 12 November and is not just an educational, but a multi-sensory experience that takes you into an awe-inspiring underwater world.

The National Aquarium is designed to rescue, rehabilitate and preserve native species to the UAE, and is home to 330 unique species and more than 46,000 animals.

You can explore 10 themed zones like UAE National Treasures or the Frozen Ocean, hang out with puffins, and for the bolder of us, go scuba diving with sharks and stingrays above the Middle’s Easts largest aquarium tunnel.