If ice skating in the usual oven hot climate of the Middle East seems farfetched an idea, think again. When ultramodern technology is coupled with money that can afford it, what was once seemingly impossible to come up with becomes a reality. So as far as ice skating under the Abu Dhabi skies goes, it doesn’t get better than the Abu Dhabi Ice Rink, where more than 400 square meters of real ice is waiting for your skating tryouts.
The Abu Dhabi Ice Rink is part of the Zayed Sport City, which is a massive enclosure home to many indoor and outdoor sports you can enjoy. Located right on the edge of the Sports City, the Ice Rink and its companion facilities made their debut in 1987, and has been growing in popularity ever since. As the Zayed Sport City is home to the Abu Dhabi Falcons Ice Hockey Club and team, you might also catch a match or two going on at the Rink while you’re there.
Even if you don’t know at least the basics of skating, don’t make it a reason to leave the Abu Dhabi Ice Rink off your list of places to visit. There is a group of friendly instructors waiting out just for you so taking your first few slides along the ice will not be a problem at all, and soon you will be spinning pretty on the ice; if you keep at it, that is. The Ice Rink is open almost all days of the week, with a special ladies’ day on Thursdays.
And if you check the schedules, you will be lucky to catch the annual special performance put on by the Abu Dhabi Figure skating Team each year, where each act is themed on some special interest, such as a popular fairy tale or a historic event. With luck, it is possible to find some special performance of some internationally acclaimed skating act going on at the Rink on certain times of the year, so keep your eyes open. The Abu Dhabi Ice Rink also has a chic rinkside cafe where they serve a great selection of meals and beverages, so you can tuck into your favourite dish when off the ice, or if you’re just watching the action.
There’s a good selection of Abu Dhabi hotels where you can stay at, locacted quite close to the Abu Dhabi Ice Rink. Depending on the length of your stay, you can choose to enjoy the comforts of one of the many Abu Dhabi luxury hotels, like the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara with your friends and family.
