A flurry of new flight launches over the coming weeks means that UAE residents will be spoilt for choice when it comes to planning their summer holidays.
Etihad Airways, Emirates, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and flydubai have all added new destinations to their route networks for the summer season, offering opportunities to explore new parts of already popular destinations, such as Mattala in Sri Lanka, or emerging destinations such as Tivat in Montenegro.
Here are seven options to consider.
Mattala, Sri Lanka
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has launched affordable flights to Mattala in Sri Lanka, with fares starting from Dh179. This is the airline’s first destination in South Asia and the route is operated three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Mattala is Sri Lanka’s third international airport and has been dubbed “the world’s emptiest”. Located in a forested area 250 kilometres from Colombo, it is ideal for those wanting to explore the country’s wildlife sanctuaries, including the Yala, Udawalawe, Lunugamvehera and Bundala National Parks, as well as the beaches and small villages of south-eastern Sri Lanka.
The airport is 18km from the town of Hambantota, the site of a 272-room Shangri-La resort, which is home to the only 18-hole championship resort golf course in the country.
Nice, France
Etihad is introducing a new seasonal flight to Nice on Wednesday, June 15, connecting Abu Dhabi to the French Riviera. The twice-weekly service will depart from the capital on Wednesdays and Sundays, touching down in Rome before continuing on to Nice.
A playground for the rich and famous, France’s Cote d'Azur is dotted with private beaches, high-end restaurants, five-star hotels and harbours brimming with private yachts.
Famed for its seaside location and pretty 7km-long Promenade des Anglais, Nice has been a tourist magnet since the 1700s and a Unesco World Heritage site since 2021. Its breezy beaches, balmy weather and Mediterranean vibe make it the quintessential French Riviera resort town, while visitors will also want to check out its traditional open-air market and public parks.
France is the third most popular European destination for travellers planning summer trips from the UAE this year, according to recent data from online travel agency Skyscanner.
Crete, Greece
Etihad will also launch flights to the Greek island of Crete for the first time on Wednesday, June 15. Famed for its ancient ruins, bustling cities and glorious beaches, it offers an island escape in the Aegean Sea.
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, with a coastline that is more than 1,000km long. Famous attractions include the Palace of Knossos, which features the remains of an immense palace built in 1900 BC, as well as courtyards, private apartments, baths and beautifully preserved frescoes, and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, one of the largest and most important museums in the country, home to artefacts spanning 5,500 years, from Neolithic to Roman times.
Etihad services from Abu Dhabi will fly into Heraklion, the island's capital. Operated via an Airbus A320 on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the journey time is under five hours.
Catania, Italy
Flydubai is making Sicily more accessible to Dubai residents with the launch of seasonal summer flights to Catania.
The second-largest city on the island, Catania sits on the east coast, at the foot of Mount Etna. It is home to stunning baroque architecture, a charming Duomo Square and the impressive Norman Cathedral, as well as ancient underground thermal baths and catacombs.
The fish market, located behind the Cathedral of Catania, is the perfect place to sample Catanese culture at its most effusive, while the Historical Monastery San Benedetto on Via dei Crociferi is a Unesco site that dates back to the 1700s.
Flydubai will operate three weekly flights to the destination from Tuesday, June 14.
Pisa, Italy
In a further expansion of its Italian network, flydubai will also launch thrice-weekly flights to Pisa on Friday, June 24.
Best known for its Leaning Tower, an architectural project gone very wrong, this vibrant city is home to a vibrant cafe and bar scene, Renaissance squares and Gothic churches.
While a visit to the ill-fated Leaning Tower, or Torre Pendente, which leans 3.9 degrees off its axis, is essential, the Piazza dei Miracoli and Duomo are also not to be missed. Pisa is also a gateway to the rest of Tuscany, making it the ideal starting point for a longer Italian adventure.
Tivat, Montenegro
Among the 10 new destinations that flydubai has added to its network this summer is Tivat in the Bay of Kotor, in south-west Montenegro. A Unesco World Heritage site, the Bay of Kotor is the largest natural harbour in the eastern Mediterranean and is now home to Porto Montenegro, a luxury marina with waterfront residences, hotels, restaurants, shopping, water sports and other leisure activities.
Hiking or biking trips up the pine forest-covered Vrmac mountain offer expansive views of the bay and surrounding area, while Gornja Lastva, an abandoned 14th-century village, is located 3km from Tivat and offers a trip back in time.
Flydubai will operate twice-weekly flights to Tivat from Dubai from Friday, June 24 to Friday, September 16.
Bali, Indonesia
While not strictly a new destination, summer holidays to Bali are back on the cards. After a two-year hiatus, Emirates resumed operations to the Indonesian island in May and will increase the frequency on this route to daily from Friday, July 1.
Famed for its beautiful beaches, epic surfing, rice paddies and ancient temples, Bali has long been a popular holiday destination, with a flight time of about nine hours from the UAE.
The route reopening coincides with the Jumeirah Group opening its first property in Bali, in the Pecatu region in the south-west of the island. The all-villa Jumeirah Bali is located on Uluwatu Beach, famed for having some of the destination's best coastline.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
The five pillars of Islam
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
RESULTS
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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Japan 30-10 Russia
Tries: Matsushima (3), Labuschange | Golosnitsky
Conversions: Tamura, Matsuda | Kushnarev
Penalties: Tamura (2) | Kushnarev
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
First-round leaderbaord
-5 C Conners (Can)
-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);
-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)
Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)
Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)
1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)
3 R McIlroy (NI)
4 D Johnson (US)
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
