SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is hosting a neon-themed festival. Photo: SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is hosting a neon-themed festival. Photo: SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is hosting a neon-themed festival. Photo: SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is hosting a neon-themed festival. Photo: SeaWorld Abu Dhabi

Things to do in the UAE this week, from an underwater neon festival to silent yoga


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Indoor festivities continue this week as UAE temperatures peak this summer. There are plenty of things to do in the shade, with a busy calendar of events to choose from.

Here, The National rounds up seven things to do from Monday to Sunday.

Monday, July 22

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is hosting its Electric Ocean Festival. Filled with neon colours, sounds and other live elements, it tells the story of the human connection to the ocean.

Visitors can expect live performers, from breakdancers to stilt walkers, in neon-painted luminous marine-inspired costumes. A live DJ is on site to provide the beats. Children, or even their adult companions, can head to the neon art station to create their own glowing artworks. There's also a station to get glow-in-the-dark face paints, as well as a collection of in-theme merchandise to browse through.

Daily until August 25; 6pm-8pm; from Dh290 for a day pass; Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; seaworldabudhabi.com

Tuesday, July 23

The H Dubai can offer some inner peace as the hotel celebrates International Self-Care Day with a silent yoga session.

Taking place at The Gallery Cafe, the fitness activity combines the serenity of yoga with the power of immersive music. Participants can expect a guided yoga flow by Dayana Solano, while wearing headsets that play soothing melodies to enhance their focus.

July 23; 6.30pm-7.30pm; Dh100 per person; The H Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road; hhoteldubai.com

Wednesday, July 24

A still from City of God. Photo: Cinema Akil
A still from City of God. Photo: Cinema Akil

How about movie night at Cinema Akil in Al Quoz, where the annual Summer of Classics film festival returns? The art house cinema is playing 17 movies as part of the seasonal programming, including Korean drama Oldboy (2003), British film Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and Japanese-French classic Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959).

On Wednesday, movie lovers can catch M Night Shyamalan's hit horror The Sixth Sense (1999) at 7pm and crime drama City of God (2002) at 9.45pm.

Until September 20; Dh56.50 per film; Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai; cinemaakil.com

Thursday, July 24

Aquaventure World at Atlantis The Palm is hosting Summer of Sharks and involves guests taking part in education activities, learning about UAE's native shark species and other ocean-themed fun.

Guests can try hand-feeding stingrays for Dh480 per child and Dh530 per adult. There's also a guided free diving experience for Dh795. The venue has set up a shark discovery trail too, as well as educational stations and expert talks to to provide a deeper insight into the creatures. Arts and crafts stations are also on site. And look out for a friendly shark mascot roaming around.

Until August 12; 10am-9pm; Aquarium day passes start at Dh85 per person; Palm Jumeirah, Dubai; aquaventureworld.com

Friday, July 26

Order some vegan ice cream from House of Pops on Deliveroo. Photo: House of Pops, Deliveroo
Order some vegan ice cream from House of Pops on Deliveroo. Photo: House of Pops, Deliveroo

Get your ice cream fix from House of Pops, which has partnered with delivery platform Deliveroo to create exclusive summer flavours inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine.

Three flavours are available: watermelon with a hint of basil, a fragrant blend of rose water and tangy lemonade as well as a fusion of vegan ashta, apricots and saffron.

Until July 31; Dh39 for a pint, Dh99 for a pack of three; exclusive on Deliveroo; houseofpops.ae

Saturday, July 27

A one-day-only brunch is being hosted at Above Eleven to celebrate Peruvian Independence Day. Bringing the spirit of Fiestas Patrias to the Japanese-Peruvian restaurant in Dubai, diners can expect colourful traditions, live music and, of course, dishes from the South American country.

The brunch menu features a range of classic ceviche and anticuchos, as well as an umi selection, la cevi-carretilla, un poco de verde and quinotto or a traditional Peruvian quinoa risotto. Finish the meal with an assorted dessert platter. Food aside, live entertainment is available to set the mood, from dancers to drummers and a DJ.

Guests are encouraged to wear red and white to the party.

July 27; 1pm-4pm; from Dh350 per person; Above Eleven Dubai, Marriot Resort Palm Jumeirah, Palm West Beach; 04 666 1420

Sunday, July 28

Pop culture geeks can head to Times Square Centre in Dubai for a speedy swap event. Entrepreneurs, artists and enthusiasts can trade, buy or sell different paraphernalia on site, from handmade items to comics, Funko pops, trading cards and other pop culture memorabilia. Card games and other digital tournaments are also part of the event.

Enthusiasts of all ages are welcomed, from seasoned collectors to curious newcomers.

July 27 and 28; noon-9pm; free to attend; Picnic Square, Times Square Centre; timessquarecenter.ae

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
'Panga'

Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta

Rating: 3.5/5

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

Brief scoreline

Switzerland 0

England 0

Result: England win 6-5 on penalties

Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)

TCL INFO

Teams:
Punjabi Legends 
Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Updated: July 22, 2024, 4:40 AM`