Yas Island

Yas Island (Arabic: جزيرة ياس‎) is an island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[1] It occupies a total land area of 2,500 ha (25 km²). It is a popular leisure island and one of the top tourism projects in Abu Dhabi. Yas Island holds the Yas Marina Circuit, which has hosted the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009.[2]

This article is about the manmade island. For the natural island, see Sir Bani Yas.
Yas Island
View of Yas Island as seen from no ps
Geography
Coordinates24°30′N 54°36′E
Administration
United Arab Emirates

Yas Island was named the world's leading tourism project at the World Travel Awards in November 2009.[3]

Development

The island's development project was initiated in 2006 by Abu Dhabi-based Aldar Properties, with the aim of turning the island into a multi-purpose leisure, shopping and entertainment center. The investment was planned as a multi-staged project to unfold in phases until 2018, with project stakeholders foreseeing the possibility of extending development by adding new venues and upgrading existing facilities.[2]

Attractions

Ferrari World
Main article: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
Formula Rossa, the world's fastest rollercoaster in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
Entrance to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

The park's foundation stone was laid on 3 November 2007. The development was completed in a little under three years, opening to the public for the first time in November 2010.[4]

Formula Rossa, one of the park's most famous attractions, is the world's fastest rollercoaster reaching a speed of 240 km/h (149 mph).[5]

Yas Waterworld
Main article: Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi

Yas Waterworld is a water park located in Yas Island. It has the Surf's up! Bubbles' Barrel slide which is the largest surf-able sheet wave surf in the world. The World Waterpark Association awarded it the Leading Edge Award in 2012.[6]

The park was named the second-best water park in the world by the Los Angeles Times in May 2013.[7] It was also listed by CNN as one of the top 12 water parks in the world in July 2013.[8] It also won the World Travel Awards award for the Middle East's Leading Tourist Attraction of the year 2013.[9]

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
Main article: Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is located on Yas Island near Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld and was built by Miral Asset Management.[10] WB World is organized into six themed lands, Gotham City, Metropolis, Cartoon Junction, Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch and Warner Bros Plaza. Gotham and Metropolis are based on the cities of DC Comics super heroes Batman and Superman. Warner Bros.'s Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera cartoon libraries are featured in Cartoon Junction and Dynamite Gulch except for Bedrock which features the Flintstones. Warner Bros Plaza mimics the Hollywood of the past.[11] The park opened on July 25, 2018, which makes it the world's third Warner Bros. theme park.[10]

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
Main article: SeaWorld Abu Dhabi

On December 13, 2016, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment announced a new partnership with Miral to bring SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to Yas Island. The park, which will be situated to the northeast of Ferrari World, is set to open in 2022 and will be the first SeaWorld without orcas.[12][13]

Sports and entertainment

Yas Marina Circuit
Main article: Yas Marina Circuit
Yas Marina Circuit as seen from space.

The full circuit length is 5.554 km (3.451 mi) and can be configured in five different ways to accommodate a variety of motorsport events. Yas Marina Circuit is the only motor sports venue in the world that offers covered and shaded grandstands throughout the facility, coupled with pit lanes that run partially beneath the track.[14]

Three charter boat companies operate from Yas Marina namely Jalboot Marine, Captain Tony's and Azure Marine. Seawings operates flights to and from Dubai to Yas Marina and 20 minute Abu Dhabi tours from Yas Marina.[15]

Part of Yas Links with Yas beach in the background

Yas Links is a golf course designed by Kyle Philips, ranked 44th World's 100 Greatest Golf Courses outside the USA (Golf Digest 2018).[16] 1.8 million cubic metres of material were dredged to form the 18 Hole Championship Golf Course, Golf Club & Golf Shop, pool Area, air-conditioned swing studio and meeting and conference rooms for corporate events.[17]

As of August 2019, Yas Links Abu Dhabi is managed by Troon International [18]

Yas Beach

Yas Beach is a beach located in Yas Island close to Yas Links. The beach is lined with mangroves. A mangrove tour is launched daily from Yas beach by the Noukhada Adventure Company.[19]

du Arena and Forum
The crowd at Bocelli's Concert in du Arena, Abu Dhabi in 2013

The "du Arena" (formerly known as the "Yas Arena" until June 2012)[20] is a large open-air concert venue located in Yas Bay. The venue opened in 2009, depending on configuration, the venue can hold up to 35,000.

The re-branding preceded the first Madonna concert, part of her MDNA Tour, in the Arab region on 3 and 4 June 2012. du and Think Flash revamped the venue for Madonna's concert, including building up a new 23m x 54m stage and developing a complex pyrotechnic and lighting system.[21]

The arena has hosted many international musicians under the telecom's entertainment platform du Live! in addition to Beyoncé, Madonna, including the Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson, Black Sabbath, Eric Clapton, Kylie Minogue, Shakira, Linkin Park, Nickelback, Eminem, Rihanna, Andrea Bocelli, Metallica, Kanye West, Sting, Creamfields dance music festival featuring DJs such as Tiesto, David Guetta and Armin Van Buuren.[22] Furthermore, the du Arena has also been the venue for the Middle East's first KCON event featuring various K-pop artists such as Bangtan Boys, Taeyeon of Girls' Generation, Cho Kyuhyun of Super Junior, Monsta X, Ailee, SS301, and Spica last March 25, 2016.[23]

The "du Forum" (formerly known as the "Flash Forum" until June 2012) is an indoor events venue. It seats up to 4,500. The venues are owned by Adler Properties and operated by Spectra.

The du World Music Festival

The du World Music Festival has been organized annually by du Live! and their partners since 2011. The first du World Music Festival took place at the Burj Khalifa Steps in Downtown Dubai and The Walk in JBR between 26 February and 25 March 2011, with performances by artists from around the world such as Tamer Hosny, Mona Amarcha, Janet Kapuya, Mashrou’ Leila, Amit Chatterjee Alliance, Sponge Cola, Wust el Balad.

The second du World Music Festival took place also at the DownTown Burj Khalifa Steps, took place on 7–16 March 2012. Free and ticketed events included performances by Gabrielle, The Gipsy Kings, Amr Diab, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Stanley Clarke, Salif Keita, Sarah Geronimo, George Benson.

The third du World Music Festival took place between 22 March 2013 and 6 April 2013, and included Andrea Bocelli, Natalie Cole, Guns N’ Roses, Kadim Al Sahir, Amr Diab, Eraserheads, Sonu Nigam, Train, Frank Gambale, Papon among others. This edition included performances at the du Arena in Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre in Dubai, and in Ras Al Khaimah.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Yas Island has hosted four Ultimate Fighting Championship events: UFC 112 in 2010, UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Nelson in 2014, UFC 242 in 2019, and UFC 251 in June 2020. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the UFC announced that Yas Island would host UFC 251 and several UFC Fight Night cards on Yas Island, in a quarantined environment dubbed "Fight Island". The venue is designed primarily to facilitate fights involving international fighters affected by U.S. travel restrictions implemented due to the pandemic.[24]

Hotels
The outline architecture of the W Abu Dhabi, a five star hotel located on the Yas Marina and the first hotel in world to be built over an F1 race circuit

Yas Plaza Hotels

Yas Plaza has multiple hotels catered for tourists. The seven Yas Plaza hotels are:

  • Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island
  • Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi Yas Island
  • Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi Yas Island
  • Park Inn Abu Dhabi Yas Island
  • Rotana Yas Island
  • Centro Yas Island
  • Warner Bros Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island

Transportation

Yas Express

Yas express Saadiyat route is a shuttle service which interlinks St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort and Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi with Yas Island's attractions. Operating daily, the shuttle service transports guests to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, Yas Island and back.[25]

Retail

Yas Mall
Main article: Yas Mall

Yas Mall is a large retail mall located in Yas Island. It is considered one of Abu Dhabi's largest malls and it is located close to IKEA. In January 2017, Forbes recognized Yas Mall as one of the top five shopping malls in Abu Dhabi.[26] In close proximity to Yas Mall is IKEA. The 33,000 sqm store with a total sales area of 19,150sqm is the largest IKEA store in the MENA region.[27] Previously located within the Marina Mall complex, the store was moved to Yas Island primarily due to limited room for expansion. An ACE Hardware is also located in close proximity. The Yas Island branch is the UAE's second largest ACE Hardware store, with 5,200 square meters of retail space.[28]

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