Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and The Dubai Fountain have made it to the Top 20 of the "world's most beautiful sights".
In the list compiled by travel company Kuoni, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque comes in at No 8 globally while the Dubai Fountain is at No 11. No other sights in the Middle East made it to the list.
Kuoni said it compiled the ranking by analysing TripAdvisor data for sights in more than 267 cities around the world. Using the Things to Do section of the TripAdvisor website, the sights in each location that had the largest number of mentions of "beautiful" in their review were ranked as the most beautiful sights for the specific location or city.
Data was compiled from reviews up to the end of June.
Central Park in New York City topped the list, with 22,880 mentions, while the Trevi Fountain in Rome came in second, with 18,283 mentions. The US has the most number of sights in the Top 20 with a total of five, including the Fountains at Bellagio in Las Vegas, Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and San Antonio River Walk in Texas.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque had 8,831 mentions and The Dubai Fountain had 7,269 mentions.
Launched by the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in the mid-1990s, construction of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was completed in the autumn of 2007. Sheikh Zayed did not live to see the mosque completed, following his death in 2004, but he was buried in a courtyard tomb that was then part of the building site.
Officially inaugurated in 2009 along with The Dubai Mall, The Dubai Fountain at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest structure, has become a popular tourist attraction in its own right. Spanning 274 metres in length, it sprays water 152 metres into the air — the height of a 50-storey building — and has more than 48 songs in its repertoire. On average, there are 13 shows of The Dubai Fountain daily, each at 30-minute intervals starting at 1pm.
Top 20 most beautiful sights around the world
- Central Park in New York City, USA: 22,880 mentions
- Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy: 18,283
- Fountains at Bellagio in Las Vegas, USA: 16,750
- Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain: 16,158
- Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France: 12,930
- Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic: 10,870
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, South Africa: 9,924
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE: 8,831
- Stanley Park in Vancouver, Canada: 8,797
- Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, USA: 8,742
- The Dubai Fountain in Dubai, UAE: 7,269
- Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria: 7,005
- Parque del Retiro in Madrid, Spain: 6,788
- Christchurch Botanic Gardens in Christchurch, New Zealand: 6,704
- Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA: 6,580
- San Antonio River Walk in Texas, USA: 6,028
- Duomo di Milano in Milan, Italy: 5,997
- Plaza de Espana in Seville, Spain: 5,916
- Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia: 5,519
- Grand-Place in Brussels, Belgium: 5,505
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Norway
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Canada
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The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
