Ras Al Khaimah: The exciting, $100 million Ice Land Water Park in Ras Al Khaimah, is due to open its doors to families on September 29.
The ice-themed water park has been designed around the theme of global warming, and tells a story about how penguins find a new home in the coastal waters of the Arabian Gulf.
The Ice Land Water Park is phase one of the 125-acre WOW RAK theme park and resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
The water park will be officially opened by Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, at a grand opening function on Wednesday.
The Ice Land Water Park, spread across an area of 110,000 square metres, packs an array of unique attractions including the world's largest manmade waterfall and "rain dance pool" along with more than 50 exhilarating water slides and rides.
Ice Land Water Park is managed by Polo RAK Amusement and is a joint venture between India's Polo Amusement Group and RAK Properties PJSC and RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA).
The fun park for families has been equipped with a full set of utilities including four megawatts of its own power generation, a water desalination plant capable of producing 525,000 gallons a day, and water filtration systems to maintain the four million gallons of pool water, to ensure uninterrupted enjoyment for visitors.
Speaking at a press conference to launch the park, RAKIA chief executive officer Dr Khater Massaad said that the water park would be a wonderful addition to the tourist attractions of Ras Al Khaimah.
"The Ice Land Water Park is a unique and wonderful project for the whole of UAE. I hope that this will add to the tourist attractions available in Ras Al Khaimah and attract people from across UAE and overseas," Dr Massaad said.
He added that the park would have two more phases which when completed in 2012 would create a 400,000 square metre park on a league with the biggest parks around the world.
Balwant Singh Chawla, managing director, Polo RAK Amusement said: "The Ice Land Water Park currently qualifies among the top five parks in the world in terms of size and the attractions offered”.
“We hope that with the addition of more facilities planned to take place within one year it will be among the top three water parks in the world,” Chawla said.
Mohammad Sultan Al Qadi, managing director and CEO of RAK Properties PJSC added: "Families and theme park enthusiasts from all over the UAE and the rest of the region have been eagerly awaiting the opening of Ice Land Water Park and we are certain that they will not be disappointed with the water park's excellent mix of traditional and unique water attractions and slides”.
“Designed to accommodate up to 10,000 visitors, Ice Land Water Park underlines Ras Al Khaimah's continuing thrust to offer a premium selection of business, leisure and lifestyle amenities and to attract more visitors to the emirate. Ice Land Water Park will certainly reinforce the growing reputation of Ras Al Khaimah as a safe, secure and exciting place to live, work and play," Al Qadi said.
The signature attractions of the park include the Penguin Falls – described as the world's largest man-made water fall that stands 120 feet tall and 540 feet wide with 100,000 gallons of water cascading down its contours each minute.
Penguin Bay, an interactive water play area, is the largest “rain dance pool” in the world measuring 30,000 square feet and offering shaded discos, open discos, rain showers and the "Rock Hoppers’ Den" - a fully equipped stage with excellent acoustics and theatre lighting to create pulsating performances. Rain dances and on-the-spot contests are to be a regular feature of the Penguin Bay.
Other novel attractions of Ice Land Water Park include the Aqua Games, a regular-sized soccer field with soft turf, shallow water and rain showers to offer a unique soccer experience; the Coral Reef, which offers real-life snorkelling in a man-made coral reef complete with live fish; and the Tundra Baths, forerunners of the modern-day spas and jacuzzis that possess the therapeutic powers of hydro massage.
There is also the kids’ cove, a dedicated play area for the toddlers. It includes shallow waters, miniature slides and a sand pit; and the slide zone with 24 water slides emerging from five towers from heights of up to 110 feet, giving visitors a majestic view and a unique experience as they slide down heavily themed snow-clad mountains and mountain streams.
Ice Land Water Park offers a unique panoramic view of the Al Hajar Mountains to the east and the Arabian Gulf to the north and will also offer visitors a wide range of food and beverage options, including a food court, plus buffet and a la carte dining options. The venue also has car parking space for about 2,500 vehicles and 75 buses, while the shaded seating areas are designed to accommodate up to 2,000 guests. Walk ways are also covered with synthetic turf to prevent slips and provide bare feet with comfort in the heat.
The entire park operates on a hi-tech radio frequency identification system which manages ticketing, lockers, food court and merchandising transactions. Trained lifeguards will also be on duty.
Ice Land Water Park is the first phase of WOW RAK, which is working to become the complete family entertainment getaway. A chalet-type seaside resort and the shopping mall, which comprises the second phase of WOW RAK, are expected to open in autumn 2011.
The shopping mall is being designed to offer a rich entertainment experience which includes multiplex theatres, “four dimensional” theatre, and an ice-skating rink. The Planet Earth amusement park, which is to include five themed zones (cosmos, oceanic, Amazon, mountain and desert) each featuring a signature ride besides other attractions, will open in autumn 2012.
