Thursday, November 17, 2011

Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium

The state of the art Sheikh Zayed Stadium is arguably one of the world's finest cricket grounds. It was opened in May 2004 and staged its first first-class match when Scotland played Kenya in the Intercontinental Cup that November.

With a capacity of 20,000 it has hosted a variety of international and domestic games, while it's proximity to the city – just 30 minutes drive from the Abu Dhabi Island City — makes it an ideal venue for sports, concerts and corporate events.

Iceland Water Park Ras Al Khaimah

The Iceland Water Park comes as the first offering of WOWRAK, a 120 acre family entertainment destination being developed in the Emirate of Ras AlKhaimah, 80kms north of Dubai. WOW RAK is planned to include the Iceland Water Park, Amusement park, Shopping Mall and Resort facilities.

With a panoramic view of the Al Hajar Mountains in the East and the Arabian Gulf in the North, the venue blends the scenic beauty of the mountains and the spirit of the sea to provide a unique setting for the Water Park. Inspired by the phenomenon of Global warming, the experience at Ice Land Water Park is all about a new home land for the Penguins along the coastal waters of the Arabian sea.

Iceland Water Park is spread over an area of 103,000 sqmtrs, extensively themed as a Penguin Home Land with a day capacity of up to 10,000 guests. Besides traditional water park attractions, Ice land would offer some unique attractions with the Penguin Falls, World’s Largest Man made Waterfall, Rocky Polar Mountains with the largest assortment of waterslides, Penguin Bay 6000sqmtrs Rain Dance Pool, Aqua Soccer for the First time ever, Coral Isle a snorkeling pool and other thrilling experiences at the Arctic Wave Pool, Tundra Baths, Eddy Pond and the Kids Cove a dedicated area for the kids.

A Food Court with sea side’s eating for 650 covers offering multi-cuisine fast foods, Snow Castle Restaurant with an intriguing location overlooking the Arabian Sea offering a fine dining experience and The Platter altogether offer wide dining options from fast food to a fine dining experience.

Iceland Water Park in Ras Al Khaimah a 45 minute drive north of Dubai.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The United Arab Emirates

Dubai City Tour [HD]

U A E National Day song

8 Stunning Wonders in Dubai

8 Stunning Wonders in Dubai

posted in Middle East . posted by Alex Ion on August 04, 2008 . 13 Comments
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There are many reasons why Dubai is grabbing more and more headlines these days. One of them is that the emirate city is experiencing a construction boom, with stunning new buildings going up at a pace that rivals even China’s urban development.

Dubai Air View
Image by Michael Foley

Dubai’s crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and his team of advisors know full well that Dubai’s oil reserves are finite and may well run dry by 2030. As a result, tourism and commercial development is slated to replace black gold as the main engine of the economy. Here then are 8 structural wonders that will change Dubai forever.
Hydropolis – First Underwater Luxury Resort


Hydropolis - First Underwater Hotel in Dubai
Image by mhvenkat

About the size of London’s Hyde Park and some 66 feet beneath the Persian Gulf, the reinforced concrete and steel multi-star hotel off Jumeira Beach will employ Plexiglass walls and a bubble-dome ceiling to allow guests to view marine life. “Sea-view room” anyone?

The hotel will feature 220 suites at a cost of £300 million ($594.34 million) and will be built entirely in Germany, with assembly in Dubai. After several long delays, Hydropolis is set to welcome guests by 2009.
Burj Dubai – World’s Tallest Building


Burj Dubai - Tallest Building in the World
images by 1, 2

With construction that began in September 2004, the Burj Dubai, with 2009 as the inaugural date, is already the tallest man-made building on Earth. With a spectacular design inspired by the indigenous desert flowers that often appear as decorative patterns in Islamic architecture, the total cost of the super skyscraper is going to be close to $4.1 billion. When completed it will have used 330,000 cubic meters of concrete, 39,000 metric tons of steel and 142,000 sqm of glass.
The Palm Islands

Palm Islands in Dubai


Image by Wikipedia

The three largest artificial islands in the world are in Dubai, nestled in the Persian Gulf. Named Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira, they will add 520 km of beaches to the city and will include residential pockets, as well as leisure and entertainment centers.

Palm Island Jumeirah, Dubai

Palm Island Dubai
Images by 1, 2

Palm Jumeirah consists of a trunk, a crown with 17 fronds, and a surrounding crescent island. Expected to be ready by mid 2008, Palm Jebel Ali is slightly bigger and should be able to accommodate 1.7 million people by 2020. The largest of them all, Palm Deira, is expected to be finished in 2015.
The World Archipelago

The World Islands Archipelago in Dubai

After the construction of three decorative artificial islands, how will Dubai up the ante even further? Well, an archipelago dubbed The World will replicate the world atlas and will include some 300 islands that will be primarily built using sand dredged from the sea bottom.

The World Islands Archipelago in Dubai



The total development cost is going to be close to $14 billion. No surprise then that the islands, which range from 250,000 to 900,000 square feet, are being sold to developers for prices that reportedly start at $6.85 million.

The World Islands Archipelago in Dubai
Images 1, 2, 3, 4

Distance between the islands is going to be around 100m and travel should only be available by boat. With more than 60% of the islands sold by January 2008, there are bound to be some super yachts on the premises sometime in the near future.
Wind-powered rotating skyscraper

Dubai Rotating Skyscraper

Dr. David Fisher is the man behind Dynamic Architecture, the firm that will build the 420 meters (1,378 feet) high wind-powered rotating skyscraper in Dubai. There will be 48 wind turbines installed between each floor (which actually rotates independently) with the express aim of making the entire structure self-sufficient from an energy standpoint.

Dubai Rotating Skyscraper



Dubai Rotating Skyscraper

Instead of traditional ground-up construction, the plan here is to have a nearby factory prefab each floor in segments. The hope is to switch on the turbines by 2010.
The UAE spaceport

The UAE Spaceport, Dubai



With an estimated price tag of at least $265 million, the world’s first spaceport will fall inside the border of a nearby emirate, Ras Al-Khaimah. A quick drive from Dubai, America’s Space Adventures are the wacky developers behind the high profile project slated to target the most affluent tourists. Early renderings indicate that the spaceport will feature a triangular runway (call it a launchpad if you like) and domed passenger termina

World's new seven wonders of nature named, Bu Tinah Island loses race gracefully




Dubai: The Amazon rainforest and the Philippines’ Puerto Princesa Undergound River were named among the new seven wonders of nature, while Abu Dhabi’s Bu Tinah Island settled for a place among the top 14 finalists of the global poll.

Bu Tinah was the only finalist representing the Gulf region among 28 finalists in total, from an original 447 sites from around the world. Competing countries have launched a massive vote campaign in hopes of dominating the poll.

Vietnam's Halong Bay and Argentina's Iguazu Falls were also named among the world's new seven wonders of nature, according to New7Wonders organisers.

The other three crowned the world's natural wonders are South Korea's Jeju Island, Indonesia's Komodo and South Africa's Table Mountain, said the New7Wonders foundation, citing provisional results. Winners ecstatic over outcome

The New7Wonders Foundation in Zurich, Switzerland, the organiser of the global vote, explained in a statement posted on its website that the names of the seven wonders have been announced in alphabetical order and they do not have any ranking.

Final results will be announced early 2012, said the Swiss foundation, warning however that there may yet be changes between the provisional winners and the final list.

The results come after a long consultation process lasting from December 2007 to July 2009, when world citizens were asked to put forward sites which they deemed were natural wonders.

More than a million votes were cast to trim the list of more than 440 contenders in over 220 countries down to a shortlist of 77.

Campaign for Bu Tinah

The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) had conducted an extensive campaign to encourage people to vote for Bu Tinah. The campaign received support from the UAE rulers and every section of the society.

Bi Tinah Island is a habitat for seven groups of plant and animal species such as coral reefs, dugongs, natural mangroves, hawksbill turtles, dolphins, ospreys and socotra cormorants.

Located around 130km west of Abu Dhabi, it was established as a natural reserve in 2001 and then accepted by Unesco as a core area within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve in 2007 — the first such reserve in the region.

EAD officials said they were not bothered by the results of vote because the campaign for Bu Tinah Island had already born the fruits in terms of the awareness about biodiversity and environmental conservation.

"People who thought the UAE's natural environment was not beyond desert were astonished to know that the country has the second largest population of dugongs, globally significant presence of endangered hawksbill turtles, 13 types of dolphin species and significant presence of mangroves," a senior EAD official told Gulf News.

The new world wonders

Amazon rainforest: The forest covers over a billion acres, encompassing areas in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. At least 40,000 plant species, 3,000 freshwater fish species and more than 370 reptile species exist in the Amazon.

Halong Bay: Vietnam's attraction is made up of 1,600 islands and islets. The islands are dotted with caves, most of which can only be reached by a charter boat. It was first listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994.

Iguazu Falls: The site in Argentina is a network of 275 different waterfalls spanning an area that is 3 kilometres wide. The part with the largest volume of water is the narrow horseshoe of the Devil's Throat, which cradles between Argentina and Brazil. Unesco declared the Iguazu Falls as a World Heritage Area in 1986.

Jeju Island: South Korea's subtropical volcanic island is located 130 kilometres off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. It is known for its scenic mountains, waterfalls, forests, caves and beaches. In 2002, Unesco declared Jeju a "biosphere reserve", and listed it as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2007. In 2010, it was awarded "geopark" status.

Komodo: Indonesia's Komodo island is famous for its unique fauna and its unusual inhabitant, the Komodo dragon, which is considered the world's largest living lizard. Komodo island also features a beach with pink sand - one of only seven in the world.

Puerto Princesa Underground River: The underground river in the Philippines is reputed to be the longest navigable underground river in the world. It can be reached through an organised boat ride. To enter the river, one needs to go on a short hike from Sabang town in Puerto Princesa. One of the river's distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences. The area has some of the most important forests in Asia and is home to more than 250 bird species, 800 plant species and at least 295 types of trees. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999.

Table Mountain: This tourist hotspot in South Africa is a level plateau edged by impressive cliffs. The plateau forms a dramatic backdrop to Cape Town. The mountain's vegetation landscape, home to at least 2,200 plant species, is a protected area and is a World Heritage Site.

UAE island in seven wonders contest

(IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has asked its people to vote for the country’s Bu Tinah island, which has been short-listed as one of the 28 global finalists in the seven new wonders of the nature contest.

The deadline to vote via SMS or online for the Bu Tinah island in the New7Wonders of Nature (N7W) contest is 11/11/11, a statement said.

The N7W contest was created to celebrate the planet’s most beautiful natural areas and foster greater appreciation for the earth’s fragile habitats and species.

In March 2010, Bu Tinah was announced as one of 28 finalists, shortlisted from a list of around 500 natural sites from around the world.

Bu Tinah island in western Abu Dhabi is closed to the public. This has been a critical factor in protecting it from the negative impact of development and human-related activities that allows its biodiversity to flourish in peace.

Bu Tinah is home to unique coral reefs, mangroves, endangered Hawksbill turtles and dugongs, dolphins, Ospreys and Socotra cormorants.

Dubai, UAE - BBC World Wonders

8 Wonders of Dubai [Amazing]

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A building boom in the emirate has led to a whole host of chart breakers, in categories including highest apartment, biggest mall, and one of the world’s most unique resorts.
Tourism is also being promoted at a staggering rate with the construction of Dubailand and other projects that include the making of mammoth shopping malls, theme parks, resorts, stadiums and other various tourist Attractions. Dubai is determined to be main contender worldwide in the world tourism industry. Dubai is already a top favorites tourist destination and continues with its outstanding never been done before projects.
The early part of the 21st century is quickly becoming known as the age of Dubai. Many of the world’s most impressive, breathtaking, and startling architectural projects are being constructed in a city.
Some of the Dubai’s engineering master piece are shown as under. I Listed them as 8 Wonders of Dubai:-

Burj-Al-Arab


The Burj Al-Arab is named as “Tower of the Arabs” in Arabic. It is a luxury hotel in Dubai, in the largest city of the United Arab Emirates, which is marketed as “the world’s first seven-star hotel”.
In english “Burj Al Arab” means The Arabian Tower. Burj Al Arab was one of the most expensive buildings ever built. At night, it offers an unforgettable sight, surrounded by choreographed color sculptures of water and fire. This all-suite hotel reflects the finest that the world has to offer.

SKI Dubai


Ski Dubai is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East and offers an amazing snow setting to enjoy skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing or just playing in the snow. Young or old, there is something for everyone, from the beginner to the snow sport enthusiast.
Ski Dubai is a unique mountain-themed attraction that offers you the opportunity to enjoy real snow in Dubai all year round. Ski Dubai is the Emirates’ latest extravaganza.

Burj Tower


Burj Tower is the largest skyscraper in the world which is currently under construction in Dubai. Burj Tower is the centerpiece of the Gulf regions most prestigious urban development, entitled Downtown Dubai.
Burj is an Arabic word which means ‘Tower’. So, Burj Dubai means ‘Dubai Tower’ or ‘Tower of Dubai’. Its exact height hasn’t been disclosed but it is suggested that it will be over 700 meters tall. Its design was influenced by the six petal desert flower as well as incorporating patterns found within Islamic architecture.

The Palm Islands


The Palm Islands also known as the Palm Dubai and The Palms. The Palm Islands are the three man-made islands in the world. These Palm Islands are built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Palm islands are considered as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
These islands are built in a shape of a date palm tree and consist of a trunk, a crown with fronds, and are surrounded by a crescent island that acts as a breakwater.

Hydropolis


Hydropolis is the world’s first luxury underwater hotel. It is under construction. Joachim Hauser is the developer and designer of the hotel. He said that Hydropolis is not a project. It is a passion. It has already been compared to both a jellyfish and a sea turtle.
The land on which this project Hydropolis is being built belongs to His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

Rotating Skyscrappers


The Arab city which has amazing and impressive buildings like palm-shaped islands and the sail-shaped hotel is now going to build a rotating skyscraper.
Rotating Skyscraper is an eclectic skyline and it is a 30-story apartment tower that revolves on its base. The tower will use the Persian Gulf’s abundant sunshine to power the building’s slow rotation that brings it full circle once a week.

Dubai Sports City


Dubai Sports City is the world’s first purpose-built sports city. Dubai Sports city will incorporate state-of-the-art sporting venues and academies along with residential and commercial developments.
Dubai Sports City offer a world class venue for sports events and activities at all levels with a residential lifestyle unrivalled in the region and possibly the world.

DubaiLand


Click here to see the Picture in Full Size……
Dubailand is a part of Dubai Holding. Dubailand is an entertainment complex which is under development in Dubai. Dubailand is a tourism, real estate, hospitality, entertainment, leisure and retail mega project.
Development of Dubailand is divided into six theme worlds. The development is expected to be a full featured city. It is being managed by Dubai Government’s Dubai Development and Investment Authority and is being built to secure Dubai as the premier tourist destination for the Middle East.