Dubai is an international hub for entertainment. Artists from all around the globe frequent the metropolis for their concerts and shows every year. The Laughter Factory always puts up high caliber shows using the best international artists.
Stand-up comedy
The city is also fast becoming a popular hot spot for stand-up comedy as well. There are some fantastic stand-up comedy venues in Dubai where well-known, local and international stand-up comedians perform their popular routines.
Laughter Factory Comedy nights
The Laughter Factory is the Middle East’s longest-running comedy night, since 1996. In partnership with the UK’s Comedy Store, the Laughter Factory hosts a fresh bill of three different professional comedians every month, many already stars of the screen on UK TV shows. With a reputation for quality and a sharp eye for talent, The Laughter Factory has showcased reams of A-list comics on their way to superstardom. The Laughter Factory’s commitment to comedy has been recognised by numerous publications, winning several accolades over its two-decade history, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from Time Out Dubai in 2013.
The Laughter Factory
Laughter Factory locations
The Laughter Factory locations include Movenpick JBR, Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens Dubai, Grand Millennium Al Barsha Dubai and Hilton Dubai in Jumeirah.
In June 2021 the Laughter Factory celebrated its 25th birthday. Because of restrictions due to Covid-19, the Laughter Factory is currently offering Zoom-based comedy shows.
Laughter Factory 25th birthday. In June 2021 the Laughter Factory celebrated its 25th birthday. Because of restrictions due to Covid-19, the Laughter Factory is currently offering Zoom-based comedy shows.
Other stand-up comedy venues in Dubai There are several stand-up comedy venues in Dubai. Some of them are:
Dubomedy
The second best stand-up comedy venues in Dubai is Dubomedy, a local comedy club known for nurturing local talent. Established over 11 years ago, Dubomedy, or Dubai + Comedy, is one of the pioneers of local stand-up comedy in Dubai.
Over the years, the club has successfully held shows like Comedy Carnival, Funny Girls, Dubomedy International Performing Arts Festival, Monday Night Funnies, Improv Revolution, Sketch@TV and Clowns Who Care Volunteer Project. The events are held at multiple locations across Dubai.
The Courtyard Playhouse
It’s the first and the only improv comedy theatre in Dubai. The Courtyard Playhouse Dubai auditorium has a seating capacity for 70 guests. Besides offering improvisational comedy shows, the centre also offers training and development for budding comedians and artists. The classes are suitable for kids, teens and adults. Online courses are also available for those interested in an entertainment career.
Dubai Opera
Dubai Opera is also a popular stand-up comedy venue. In the past, leading comedians have entertained residents across the city at the Dubai Opera.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is an Emirate-themed water park located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi offering 45 rides, slides and attractions, and a diversity of seasonal events and shows.It is set in 37 acres of land, just minutes away from Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, and CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi.
Since 2013 the water park has hosted World Flow boarding Championships. It offers special training sessions to learn to ride the waves on body boards called Yas Flow League.
Yas Waterworld is based on a theme originally developed exclusively for the park based on the narrative of The Legend of the Lost Pearl, which is inspired by Emirati culture and history . As a result the entire construction reflects traditional Emirati architecture. Its pearl is seen from outside the water park, and all the characters, attractions, shops and restaurants are also based on the story.
Yas Waterworld
Abu Dhabi Yas Waterworld attractions
The water park’s attractions are grouped into four categories: Adrenaline Rush (extreme thrill), Exciting Adventures (high thrill), Moving and Grooving, and Young Fun (low thrill). The highest rides are Jebel Drop and Hamlool’s Humps, and the fastest is Liwa Loop. The water park includes six rides that can’t be found anywhere else in the world: Bandit Bomber, Bubble’s Barrel, Cinesplash, Dawwama, Falcon’s Falaj and Slithers Slides.
Abu Dhabi Yas Waterworld Bandit Bomber
Bandit Bomber is a 550m long suspended roller coaster which includes on board water bombs and laser special effects. Every seat features laser rays which riders can use to activate water cannons and fountains, which drops massive amounts of water on two footpaths below the track, dumping water on other park visitors. However, unsuspecting visitors can retaliate with water canons near the footpaths which shoot water at the roller coaster, leading to an interactive water battle.
Abu Dhabi Yas Waterworld Bubble’s Barrel
Bubble’s Barrel features a soft, inclined sheet over which 7,000 litres of rushing water per second, creates a ferocious, 3m high wave. You can choose to ride the waves on a body board (lying down flat on your chest and holding on to the board) but more advanced swimmers prefer to stand on the board and surf. However, before you get to ride the Bubble’s Barrel, you need to learn the basics on Rush Rider, a miniature version of Bubble Barrel.
Yas Waterworld
Abu Dhabi Yas Waterworld Dawwama slide
The Dawwama is a gigantic upgrade from the regular water tube slide. This tornado slide offers the chance to 6 adventurous people to ride-board an inflated raft, which is then shot along a 20m high funnel. State-of-the-art hydro magnetic power pushes the riders uphill for a hair-raising ride.
Abu Dhabi Yas Waterworld Marah Fortress
Marah Fortress is an enormous playground equipped with six mini water slides, water cannons, 2 dumping buckets and so much more to keep your child entertained.
Abu Dhabi Yas Waterworld Amwaj Wave Pool
Amwaj Wave Pool can alternate between serene, calm waters to less gentle waves, reminiscent of the beach. The pool isn’t deep; so young children can swim freely here when the waters are calm.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is an indoor theme park in Abu Dhabi, developed at a cost of $1 billion. The park features characters from Warner Bros.’s franchises, such as Looney Tunes, DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, and others.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi Location
The park is located on Yas Island near Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and CLYMB Abu Dhabi, and is the third Warner Bros.’s theme park. The park contains 29 rides, and shows.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi : Indoor
The theme park is indoor and fully air-conditioned, as is typical of most major theme parks in the region due to the extreme heat in the summer. Standing at 1.65 million square feet, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi was named the world’s largest indoor theme park by Guinness World Records in 2019.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi : Themed Lands
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi features six themed lands; Gotham City, Metropolis, Cartoon Junction, Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch and Warner Bros. Plaza. Gotham and Metropolis which are based on the fictional settings of DC Comics super heroes Batman and Superman, respectively.
Gotham City
Warner Bros. World Gotham City
Gotham City is a themed land at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. The area is inspired by the dirty industrial city portrayed in Batman comics, and hosts attractions themed to this concept, including Batman’s Night Flight, and The Joker Funhouse. Gotham City features dark imposing warehouses, and faux crumbing amusement park rides.
Joker Funhouse
Gotham City has the most sinister of the six themed lands at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, with thrilling high-tech rides and attractions, immersive experiences, and thrilling shows inspired by DC’s comic book characters and movies. The Penguin and Scarecrow can now both be spotted in the park’s Gotham City section. Guests will be able to interact with the characters and take photographs with them. Every week, the two characters will be featured with a motley group of other DC criminal masterminds including Joker, Harley Quinn, Riddler and Catwoman, during Frightful Fridays, an event that leaves Gotham City in complete control of the bad guys.
The Scarecrow
Warner Bros. World : The Scarecrow
Known as the Master of Fear, the Scarecrow is a former psychology professor who uses hallucinatory toxins and psychological tactics to take advantage of his victims’ fears. The villain was portrayed by Cillian Murphy on screen in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
Warner Bros. World : The Penguin
The Penguin, otherwise known as Oswald Cobblepot, the self-proclaimed Gentleman of Crime sports a full tuxedo complete with a top hat and monocle. He also carries an umbrella, which is often a disguised sword or gun.
One of Batman’s most prevailing adversaries, The Penguin has been portrayed numerous times on film, most notably by Danny DeVito in the 1992 Batman Returns and by Robin Lord Taylor in the series Gotham.
Batman: Knight Flight
Warner Bros. World : Batman: Knight Flight
Batman: Knight Flight utilizes a next-generation robotic arm dark ride system (the first of its kind outside of Universal Entertainment theme parks) to take guests on a wild flight over the streets of Gotham. With stunning practical sets, effects, and animatronic figures, this state-of-the-art flight experience takes guests to new heights of immersive storytelling. Stepping into Wayne Tech, guests are soon recruited by Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, for a special mission utilizing one of his company’s new “Drone Wing” crime-fighting aircraft. Once again the Joker has escaped from Arkham Asylum and is wreaking havoc on the streets of Gotham using some sort of suspicious “control device.” It’s up to guests to help Batman capture the Clown Prince of Crime and his merry coterie of supervillains, all of whom have a few diabolical tricks up their sleeve.
Warner Bros. World : The Joker Fun house
The Joker Fun house immerses guests into a fun house of mind-bending tricks, tests, and surprises, including a hall of mirrors, a shrinking corridor, a labyrinth, and a hallucination hallway.
Warner Bros. World : The Clown Prince of Crime
The Clown Prince of Crime has requisitioned and repurposed an age-old fun house, welcoming guests to join his gang of miscreant minions. Guests are invited to join the Joker and his gang of goons, thugs, and hooligans as new henchman recruits. To join Gotham’s most feared villains, guests must explore, climb, and slide through a rogue’s gallery of silly, sideshow-inspired rooms filled with mischievous contraptions. Guests take on a series of physical and mental challenges conjured up by Batman’s nemesis in this villainous twist on the classic carnival walk through experience.
Christ Church, Jebel Ali is an Anglican church based in Dubai. It is the southernmost of the five Anglican churches in the Chaplaincy. It is located halfway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It was inaugurated on 8 March 2002.
The church is mainly for foreign workers who constitute the bulk of the population. Most of the foreign workers are manual workers commanding low pay. Taking this into consideration the ruler of Dubai donated the land to build the church, for the betterment of the life of foreign workers.
Christ Church Jebel Ali History
In 1977, as more expatriate Christians came to Dubai, the small fellowship constituted itself as a church, called the International Evangelical Church of Dubai. The church met on Sundays in the Jumeirah American School (now the American School of Dubai), and Sunday School was held there in the afternoons.
In 1990, the church leased a large Arabic style villa in Jumeirah (the “Jumeirah Villa”), which remained the church home until September 2003, and continued thereafter to be used for Sunday evening services and other churches’ meetings until the Dubai Municipality ordered the villa’s closure in June 2006.
The Ruler of Dubai in 1998 granted a piece of land to United Christian Church of Dubai (UCCD) and Arabic Evangelical Church of Dubai (AECD). In September, 2003, the Friday services commenced at the new Dubai Evangelical Church Centre3 in Maranatha Hall at the Churches Complex in Jebel Ali Village.
In 2010, UCCD sent out a number of members and staff to establish a sister church, Redeemer Church of Dubai, on the opposite side of Dubai. UCCD continued to support Redeemer Church of Dubai financially until 2012, by which time it had grown into a self-supporting church.
Generally Muslim nations are less tolerant towards other religions and licences to hold Christian worship or build churches are restricted. But Dubai, and for that matter UAE, are tolerant of other religions.
Generally Muslim nations are less tolerant towards other religions. But Dubai, and for that matter UAE, are tolerant of other religions.
Christ Church Jebel Ali Marriage Services
For Christians, church is the place to get married. The church provides this service along with baptism of babies.
Christ Church Jebel Ali congregations
There are 30 congregations, worshiping in 16 languages in this church building. Christians in Dubai are almost all expatriate workers, mostly Catholics from the Philippines and India.
Given the land and financial constraints, the Jebel Ali church is used by 30 different congregations. Whereas in their country they would have 30 different churches for each of the denominations. Services are conducted in many languages.
Other Churches
The Chaplaincy of Dubai with Sharjah and the Northern Emirates consists of five churches in the United Arab Emirates: Holy Trinity Church, Dubai Christ Church, Jebel Ali – consecrated March 2002 St Martin’s Church, Sharjah St Luke’s Church, Ras Al Khaimah St Nicholas’ Church, Fujairah The emirate of Abu Dhabi is a separate chaplaincy with two churches: St Andrew’s Church in Abu Dhabi St Thomas’ Church in Al Ain
Congregations worshiping in Christ Church Jebel Ali
The following congregations worship in Christ Church Jebel Ali
Christ Church Jebel Ali
Anglican
Abundant Life United Pentecostal Church
New Apostolic Church
Kings Revival Church
RCCG Grace Assembly Parish
The Gatekeepers
Light of Life Ministries
Gateway
Seventh Day Adventist
Shona – The African Apostolic Church
TWI – Victory Bible Church
Christ Church Jebel Ali
Here are some of the services offered in other languages. Afrikaans – First Dubai Afrikaans Church Cebuano – Adonai Christian Fellowship International Church Chinese – Chinese Gospel Church German – German Evangelical Church Hindi / English – Christian Church Bethesda Brother Manuel Ministries Church of North India, Jebel AliKorean – Dubai Korean Full Gospel Church Dubai Sarang Church Malayalam – CSI Malayalam Church of God Prarthana Sangamam New Testament Church Saint Gregorios Orthodox Church Satwa Pentecostal church Sharon Fellowship Church The Brethren Assembly
Nepali – Dubai Nepali Christian Fellowship Victory Christian Fellowship (Nepali) Punjabi – Gospel of Grace Ministries International Portuguese – Insejec International Brazilian Fellowship Sinhala – Kings Revival Church Gethsemane Gospel Church Spanish – Iglesia De Dios Tamil – CSI (Tamil) Kings Revival Church The Goodness of the Lord Church Tagalog – Jesus is Lord Church English / Tagalog – Word International Ministries Telugu – Gospel of Grace Ministries International Reidlands Bible College Urdu – Church of Pakistan
Kalba is a city in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It is an exclave of Sharjah lying on the Gulf of Oman coast north of Oman. Khor Kalba (Kalba Creek), an important nature reserve and mangrove swamp, is located south of the town by the Omani border.
Kalba Mangrove reserve
Kalba Mangrove reserve is open to the public and was developed as an eco-tourism resort by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority. Some conservationists think that the tourism development could endanger the last remaining natural mangrove forest which is home to some species of birds, marine animals and reptiles. These fauna here have no other home in the Emirates.
Kalba Fort
Kalba development
Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah and member of the Supreme Council, announced in July 2020 the proposed development in Kalba. These include the restoration of historical sites, the development of the corniche, the renovation of public spaces, the construction of new buildings, and others.
Kalba Beach Corniche
Kalba Beach Corniche project was launched in April 2021 to improve rainwater drainage, the construction of a running track, the establishment of public seating areas and the planting of trees. The park also has an open playground for children and access to a beach, but this is not ideal for swimming. The neat and well-maintained park also provides public restrooms and easily available parking spaces. Nearby, one can find accessible grocery shops, cafeterias and restaurants.
Kalba ecotourism
Kalba is the most popular destination for ecotourism in the Emirate of Sharjah, with opportunities to go wildlife spotting while trekking, kayaking, as well as scuba diving. Tourists also go there to see the Arabian oryx, the national animal of the UAE. Picnic is a popular activity in Kalba.
Kalba Birds of Prey Centre
This center has live demonstrations displaying various raptors and highlighting their historical significance to the tourists. The outdoor shows take place twice a day while the aviaries containing owls, buzzards, eagles, falcons and vultures can be seen any time during the day. The center remains open for 6 days a week with Monday being a holiday.
Kalba museum
There are several historical sites to visit in Kalba, including the Bait Sheikh Saeed bin Hamed Al Qassimi museum, a restored fort and a sleepy seaside promenade. The museum was built in 1901 and used to serve as a royal residence, making it one of the most prominent places to visit in the country.
Kalba Kayak
Kalba camping
Camping is popular in Sharjah, especially as part of desert safari tours. With several idyllic places to choose from, outdoor enthusiasts often do a bit of trekking to find the perfect spot. For sandy terrain, there are camping spots like Fossil Rock, Mleiha and Al Dhaid. For those who love the mountains, the foothills of Hajjar near Khorfakkan offers an unparalleled view. Some locals, however, prefer to camp near a Sharjah beach for a cool breeze over the sound of waves. This is especially recommended if you’re trying to make the best of Sharjah weather.
The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is developing the city at a faster scale for encouraging more tourists to visit the area.
Kalba Kingfisher Lodge
Kalba Kingfisher Lodge is the only hotel that exists within the boundaries of Kalba. It is a 5-star tented camp that ranks as one of the best hotels in Sharjah. Also known as Mysk Kingfisher Retreat, the resort offers from 1-bed to 3-bed tents along with facilities such as a garden, private beach area, a restaurant and other hotel amenities. You can find more hotels near Kalba in Fujairah City, such as: Royal M Hotel Fujairah Mall , Al Bahar Hotel & Resort , and Nour Arjaan by Rotana.
Taxis and buses are the only public transport available in this area. Some buses provide intercity travel.
In this high-end Tuscan-style mall with architecture inspired by the medieval hill town, San Gimignano, luxury fashion labels are showcased. This Outlet Village in Dubai is a discount shopping mall.
Buying high-end branded products on discounts may seem alien to most, but only until they visit Outlet Village. The Dubai Outlet Village sale, goes on year-round, regardless of the holiday season. And these discounts are big, sometimes even bigger than you can possibly imagine. Think of Armani going up to 70% off and Giuseppe Zanotti selling products at 50% and 70% discounts!
Outlet Village in Dubai is fashioned after the other outlet villages across the world, with charming cobbled streets, plenty of eateries and other attractions.
Outlet Village
Brands offered in Dubai Outlet Village
Retail brands include Adidas, Calvin Klein, Armani, DKNY, Roberto Cavalli, Tommy Hilfiger, Coach, Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein, Fred Perry, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Carolina Herrera, Ted Baker and Tommy Hilfiger. There are more than 100 stores in total. If you’re on a budget and looking for some bargains, this is the place to find those deals. Along with fashion, The Outlet Village shops are well stocked with kids’ wear, footwear and sportswear. Fill your wardrobe with high quality clothes, while being kind to your credit card.
The Outlet Village in Dubai offers the Meraas Gift Card. The gift card can be used at any Meraas destination within Dubai, including Outlet Village, such as The Beach, BoxPark, La Mer, Al Seef, Bluewaters and City Walk. The gift card is available in multiple denominations depending on how much you want to spend. Besides using the Outlet Village gift card for yourself, it also makes for a perfect gift for your loved ones. The gift card can be easily activated online at the official Outlet Village website. The Meraas Gift Card is valid for 12 months.
Outlet Mall
Dubai Outlet Village Transport facilities
Outlet Village Dubai operates a complimentary shuttle bus service on 7 different routes that cover areas like Palm Jumeirah, Bur Dubai, JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence), Al Barsha, Dubai Marina and more.
Retail stores in Dubai Outlet Village
With more than 240 stores, Outlet Mall is another popular discount outlet in Dubai. There are factory outlets of several popular high-end brands at Outlet Mall. These top stores have a variety of popular products from international brands at highly discounted prices. There are over 1,200 brands on display at Outlet Mall.
Dining in Dubai Outlet Village
You can find a varieties of local and international cuisine here. Cafe Nero offers fine Italian coffee. Operation: Falafel provides pitas packed with crunchy falafels drizzled with tahini sauce and punchy salad. Urban Seafood encompasses modern, innovative and affordable seafood dishes that serve the best the ocean has to offer. This eatery’s signature dishes are lobster rolls and fish and chips.
Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet offers a range of flavours from all over the world. The brand opened one of its eleven kitchens in The Outlet Village, Le Café’, offering select signature dishes from Le Gourmet international kitchens as well as a selection of items from its specialty grocery counter.
Salties Restaurant specialises in Italian dishes, pizza and pasta. Godiva offers world famous Belgian confectioneries. Starbucks sells top-quality Arabica coffee, You can personalise your drink with various blends, extra shots, your choice of milk, and flavoured syrups.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, and it is the key place of worship for daily prayers. During Eid, it is visited by more than 41,000 people. The mosque is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the UAE.
The Architecture of the Mosque
It was constructed between 1996 and 2007 on 12 hectares of land excluding exterior landscaping and vehicle parking. The building is aligned in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Natural materials such as marble stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics were used in the construction. The building has 1,096 amethyst-and-jasper-embedded columns, 82 white marble domes, reflective pools, gold-plated Swarovski chandeliers, an iconic prayer hall, and a courtyard featuring one of the largest marble mosaic artworks in the world. The mosque holds a Guinness World Record for the largest hand-woven carpet and also boasts one of the largest chandeliers in a mosque. It is interesting to look at the calligraphy encircling the hollows of its domes, etched with verses from the Quran and painted with gold leaf in An-Naskh lettering.
Founder of the Mosque
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding father of the UAE, had the mosque built in the capital city Abu Dhabi to create a cultural haven that would unite the cultural diversity of the Islamic world with the historical and modern values of architecture and art. In 2004, Sheikh Zayed died and was buried in the courtyard of the mosque.
The Offices
Administrative offices offices are located in the west minarets. These offices also conduct educational cultural activities and visitor programs. In the northeast minaret is the library with classic books and publications addressing a range of Islamic subjects: sciences, civilisation, calligraphy, the arts, and coins, including some rare publications. The collection comprises material in a broad range of languages, including Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Korean.
Daily Prayer
The mosque can accommodate over 40,000 worshipers, while the main prayer hall can hold over 7,000. There are two smaller prayer halls, with a capacity of 1,500 each, one of which is reserved for women’s prayer. The four minarets on the four corners of the courtyard rise about 107 m in height.
Best time to visit the Mosque .
At about dusk is the best time to visit the mosque because the fading sunlight bounces off the white facade to create a beautiful glow, and after the sunset, you can witness the majesty of the building as it becomes illuminated by lights. Nevertheless you will enjoy the visit regardless of what time you arrive. Free guided tours, in Arabic and English, are the best way to get the most from your visit. Dress code requires that shoulders and knees must be covered and shoes must be removed at the entry gate. Women are also asked to wear abayas which are provided free of charge.
