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5 unusual things to do during UAE National Day

Dubai - You can either follow the herd and see the National Day usuals or try these 5 activities

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There is going to be a lot of activities going on this week in the buildup towards the UAE National Day with fireworks and other UAE-themed events taking place around the clock. But if you're one of the persons who prefer celebrating the holidays in a different way, have we got a list for you. Here are five unusual things you can do, places you can visit during National Day.
Be a pilot in Umm Al Quwain
There is an abandoned plane sitting in Umm Al Quwain that is currently being used as a billboard for a local hotel. Located just a fair distance to Dreamland Aquapark, the aircraft is a Soviet-era Ilyushin IL76 that has rumours surrounding it. The most prominent of which is that it was supposedly used to ferry illegal arms from Eastern Europe to Africa via the UAE. Today it sits in an abandoned airfield along with another airplane open for photographers to enjoy and explore.
Check it out in this video below.

 

A video posted by Samuel W Turner (@fearsam) on Apr 25, 2016 at 11:52pm PDT

Try out stand-up paddling
Stand-up paddling or SUP for short is a great way to explore the UAE's waters and also improve two aspects of your life - balance and health. SUP has a thousands of scientifically proven benefits attached to it PLUS, you get to wave the UAE flag right in the middle of the ocean!
Hunt for ghosts in RAK
Ras Al Khaimah is rife with ghost stories being passed on from person to person. There are two locations in particular - the abandoned village of Jazirat Al Hamra and the defunct Al Qasimi Palace. While Khaleej Times had already visited these places before, you can always 'confirm' yourself whether there really are supernatural occurrences in the two locations.
See Dubai's hidden attractions
If you're in Dubai, the city has a lot of attractions just hiding in plain sight. If the sights of crowds are too much for you, avoid places such as Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab and even the newly-opened Dubai Canal. There are better spots in the city that have events going on related to Emirati culture. Al Serkal Avenue and Bastakiya for example have cultural events taking place.
Take a boat to Abu Dhabi's mangroves
The Capital has a vast body of water surrounding it and they've taken care of it and made developments aimed at highlighting this feature. Take a boat down one of the charter companies and see the natural beauty of the mangroves, spot private islands, see humongous yachts moored offshore and if you're really lucky - spot flamingoes and oryx at an island just off Yas Island.