Surf Abu Dhabi: 20 facts about the UAE saltwater wave pool

Surfing

Surf Abu Dhabi is home to the world's longest artificial wave ride, the highest human-made wave, and the largest barrel breaking in an enclosed water body.

It is located on Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Interestingly, Surf Abu Dhabi is not UAE or Middle East's first wave pool.

The first surf lagoon in the region was Wadi Adventure, later renamed Al Ain Adventure, and opened in 2011, surrounded by desert sand, 170 kilometers away from Abu Dhabi.

The planning for Abu Dhabi's inaugural outdoor wave pool started in 2019 and was kept secret for several years, despite visible traces of what could be the construction of a surf facility on Google Maps.

In five years, the team worked on fine-tuning the basin and upgrading the original wave-generating formula developed by Kelly Slater Wave Co. (KSWC), a World Surf League (WSL) owned company.

In June 2023, KSWC formally announced the licensing of its technology to Surf Abu Dhabi.

The facility in UAE is owned and operated by Modon Properties, a real estate promoter with several investments on Hudayriyat Island.

The wave pool deal was signed by Jeff Fleeher, KSWC president, and Bill O'Regan, CEO of Modon.

Facts & Figures

The 807,300-square-foot (75,000 square-meter) Surf Abu Dhabi uses the same technology as Central California's Surf Ranch.

The surf basin's wet surface is 612 yards (560 meters) long and 93 yards (85 meters) at its widest point.

The pool's bottom features a W-shaped reef design that helps shape the four types of surf breaks on offer.

Surf Abu Dhabi can generate up to 8-10-foot (2.4-3-meter) left and right-hand waves that will peel for 110 yards (100 meters) powered by one planet's biggest winch gearboxes.

The 10-foot (three-meter) deep surf pool can accommodate 30 surfers simultaneously.

Surfers can ride for almost one minute.

Out of the water, a 65 by 33-foot (20 by 10-meter) LED screen and a floodlight system for night surfing complement the surf lagoon.

There is also a first-aid station, two beach houses, a surf club, a restaurant, and a beach club with a bar and an infinity pool overlooking the surf zone.

The facility's surf gear and equipment are supplied by Scott Chambers' Surf House Dubai, near Umm Suqeim Beach (also known as Sunset Beach), the home of surfing in Dubai.

Surf Abu Dhabi is the world's first saltwater-based wave pool.

First Waves

In November 2023, the greatest competitive surfer of all time and developer of the KSWC technology rode Surf Abu Dhabi's first wave.

For the inauguration ceremony, Slater invited four world-champion surfers: Stephanie Gilmore, Gabriel Medina, Caroline Marks, and Filipe Toledo.

In September 2024, one month before the public opening, Chilean wingsuit flyer Sebastián Álvarez jumped and skysurfed down from a Bell 212 helicopter flying at 12,000 feet (3,657 meters) high before dropping into a Surf Abu Dhabi wave with a modified surfboard attached to his feet.

The first-ever WSL-sanctioned professional surfing competition in the UAE ran from September 27-29.

The Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic was the third stop on the 2024 WSL Longboard Tour and crowned Steven Sawyer and Alice Lemoigne.

WSL also announced that Surf Abu Dhabi was one of the 12 venues chosen for the 2025 Championship Tour (CT).

Types of Surf Breaks

Surf Abu Dhabi provides four types of surf breaks and waves for different experience levels.

They are:

  1. Beach Break: Two gentle rolling whitewash areas for up to eight first-timers and beginner surfers with foam surfboards. The knee-high rollers come in a 3-5-minute interval;
  2. Cocoa Beach: An open-face, waist-to-chest-high wave for beginner-to-intermediate level surfers with some riding experience. It accommodates foam boards, mid-lengths, and longboards;
  3. Point Break: A faster and more challenging shoulder-to-head-high wave for maneuvering and practicing tube-riding. The perfect training wave for intermediate surfers aiming to improve their all-around wave-riding skills;
  4. Kelly's Wave: The signature and most advanced wave at Surf Abu Dhabi. The head to overhead-high experience with customizable features, high-speed sections, and perfect deep barrels;

The water temperature at the Emirates wave pool varies from season to season.

Price

Surf Abu Dhabi is the most expensive public wave pool in the world, with the cost of each ride ranging from US$70 to nearly US$160.

The Open Surf sessions are freesurfing sessions available for three breaks. The price per session is as follows:

  • Cocoa Beach (60 minutes): AED 1,800 / US$490;
  • Point Break (90 minutes): AED 3,500 / US$950;
  • Kelly's Wave (90 minutes): AED 3,500 / US$950;

A surfer at Cocoa Beach should expect to ride between six to eight waves per session. Riders at Point Break and Kelly's Wave may surf around six full or 12 split waves.

The Learn to Surf (group) and 1-on-1 Learn to Surf (individual) coaching sessions take place in a single break. The price per session is as follows:

  • Learn to Surf (45 minutes in the water): AED 1,800 / US$490;
  • 1-on-1 Learn to Surf (60 minutes in the water): AED 2,000 / US$545;

Users in the coaching sessions should expect to ride around 12 waves per session.

The Surf Trip is a package for a group of six members with exclusive access to any of the three non-coaching surf breaks. The price per session is as follows:

  • Surf Trip (90 minutes): AED 15,000 / US$4,080;

You can buy admission tickets and book your inland surfing experience online at surfabudhabi.com.

Controversy

In 2020, two-time WSL world champion Tyler Wright became the first elite competitive surfer to identify as bisexual.

Consequently, the announcement of the Surf Abu Dhabi CT event in 2025 stirred a heated debate among professional surfers and fans, and many questions regarding her safety quickly arose.

"Unfortunately, homosexuality is illegal at one of the locations, and my wife can legally be sentenced to death or imprisonment if she tries to attend," wrote Lilli Wright, Tyler's wife.

"It has been an upsetting journey educating myself on the legality and the history of LGBTQIA+ rights at this location, and I doubt there is any 'solution' I would feel comfortable with the love of my life competing there."

Lilli emphasizes that WSL has a responsibility to protect its athletes from life-threatening situations.

"Tyler's queerness should not have to be a burden or an obstacle in her workplace."

Tyler's wife also recognized her own privilege and clarified that she didn't intend to impose her views on other countries' legal systems.

However, she stressed the importance of discussing the contradiction of hosting international sports events in places with harsh laws against LGBTQ+ individuals, especially when it affects openly queer athletes like Tyler.


Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com