Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark — Palm Jumeirah

Aquaventure is comfortably the most ambitious waterpark in the region. A single-day pass covers the original Aquaventure tower plus the 2021 Trident tower expansion — together that's more than 105 slides and water experiences, plus access to the private beach, Atlantis Splashers kids' zone and the Lost Chambers Aquarium.

Must-do slides

• Leap of Faith — a near-vertical drop from 27 metres through a transparent tube inside a shark-filled lagoon. The most-Instagrammed slide in the UAE.

• Tower of Poseidon — twin slides racing through the centre of the Ziggurat.

• Aquaconda — the world's largest waterslide of its kind, four people at a time on a giant inflatable raft.

• The Slithering Slopes — Trident tower's newer set of high-speed body slides.

Beyond the slides

If queues get long (and they do on weekends), retreat to the private beach — 700 metres of soft sand with loungers and an unobstructed view of the Dubai skyline across the bay. The Lost Chambers Aquarium is included and is genuinely worth 90 minutes; it's themed as a fictional 'lost city' and houses 65,000 marine animals across 21 displays.

Practical info

• Lockers, towels and life-jackets are available on-site for hire.

• Bring waterproof phone pouches — there are very few dry zones.

• Children under 1.2 m are restricted from the high-thrill slides.

• Food court has the usual brands plus Atlantis-operated restaurants; outside food is not allowed.

Getting there

By car, free valet parking is included with your ticket. By Dubai Tram + Palm Monorail, the journey from Dubai Marina takes about 40 minutes. Several hotels in the area offer Aquaventure shuttle bus packages.