Kelly Slater’s Abu Dhabi Wave Pool Shatters Skepticism to Become One of Time’s ‘World’s Greatest Places’
About a year-and-a-half ago, I had the honor to visit to Surf Abu Dhabi – the Kelly Slater Wave Company joint, creating manmade waves in the Middle East.
It was a luxury experience. After a couple hours of surfing amidst the contrasting cerulean tubes, and sunburnt desert in the background, I was treated to a surf n’ turf meal overlooking the Abu Dhabi skyline. The facility was flawless. It was the most extravagant surfing experience I’ve ever had, and in one of the unlikeliest of places.
Now, Time magazine has recognized Surf Abu Dhabi as one of “The World’s Greatest Places,” ranking amongst cultural, natural, and culinary hotspots.
For Surf Abu Dhabi, Time writes:
“The new Surf Abu Dhabi in the UAE is the first to break through the pro surf world’s skepticism about man-made waves. Surfing legend Kelly Slater spent a decade developing the wave technology, and partnered with local developer Modon Holding to open the facility, which pulls water from the sea, offering salty swells with a backdrop of the city’s shimmering skyscrapers. It has already earned three Guinness World Records, including the world’s longest artificial surfing wave and largest wave pool.”
Ryan Watkins, Surf Abu Dhabi’s general manager, spoke to the facility’s mission:
“There’s no natural surf break in the world that runs perfection 365 days a year, but ours does. We run the wave roughly every three minutes and 40 seconds—the interval that allows the basin to settle so each wave is perfect.”
They also broke down the costs of riding waves at Surf Abu Dhabi:
“Surf sessions start at AED 350 ($95 USD) for a beginner lesson, or up to AED 20,000 ($5,445 USD) to privatize the pool, yet demand remains strong.”
Worth it? Guaranteed tubes ain’t cheap these days.