< PreviousYour World 10 November 2022 timeoutabudhabi.com TRANSYLVANIA King Charles III owns a guesthouse Think of Transylvania and you’re probably reminded of a certain ancient aristocrat. That’s right: King Charles III. While you can visit ‘Dracula’s castle’ in the region, the UK’s recently-crowned monarch is also a noted property owner in the heart of Transylvania. And you can even go and stay at his place. His Maj’s Transylvanian property (formally known as the Zalán Guesthouse or the Prince of Wales’s Guesthouse), is in the Zalán Valley and consists of several buildings overlooking a small village. Ed Cunningham. The best stories from our editors around the globe YOUR WORLD ACCORDING TO TIME OUT JAPAN Japan opens to travel FOR TWO-AND-a-half years, travel to Japan has been pretty tough. Few countries around the world have been so cautious about reopening their borders to tourism after the cataclysmic shutdowns of 2020. Following Japan’s decision last month to drop pre-departure testing, the Japanese government is now allowing travellers to visit Japan without booking a guided tour or using a travel agency. While Japan is keeping in place its quarantine system for arrivals from a list of at-risk countries, no countries are actually currently on that list. So, it seems the country is Ànally on the road to properly welcoming travellers again – and that’s something that we can all get very excited about. James Manning.Your World timeoutabudhabi.com November 2022 11 USA Statue of Liberty crown re-opens Following a two-and-a-half-year closure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the crown portion of the Statue of Liberty has ofÀcially re-opened to the public. According to CNN, the National Park Service, which manages the landmark, “was attempting to hold a soft reopening without too much advertisement in late October to celebrate the 136th anniversary of the statue’s dedication in 1886.” Alas, folks got so excited about the announcement that those in charge had no choice but to work on a full-Áedged opening. Anna Rahmanan. AUSTRALIA This Sydney’s wettest year in history Sydney has just broken an all-time record for the wettest year in recorded history. After having broken a 60-year record in August with over two metres of rain falling on the Harbour City, meteorologists reported that Sydney has broken a 164-year-old record for most rain in a year. On October 6 it was recorded that total of 2,199.8 mm of rain had ofÀcially fallen on Sydney’s CBD over the course of 2022, meaning that it has now surpassed the annual rainfall record of 2,194.0 millimetres that was seen in 1950. Maya Skidmore. SINGAPORE Bird Paradise to take flight in 2023 A new park dedicated to birds will open in the second quarter of 2023, says Mandai Wildlife Group. This iconic experience will replace Jurong Bird Park when it closes after 52 years on January 3. Bird Paradise, the new 17-hectare park, will be home to more than 3,000 birds from over 400 avian species. Visitors can learn more about the birds through eight large walk-through aviaries reÁecting different biomes of the world, namely African rainforests, South African wetlands, Southeast Asian paddy Àelds and the Australian dry eucalypt forest. The new bird park is also designed to emphasise environments inspired by different ecologies and habitats. Izzy SoÀa. UK Big Ben will bong again (very) soon London hasn’t been soundtracked by the iconic bongs of Big Ben for quite some time. The old fella last chimed for a sustained period in 2017, before he was silenced for a major renovation. But that’s all about to change, because Big Ben is going to bong again soon. Behind the scenes, people have been prepping BB for his big day with ‘silent testing’, a process where the hammers are rung over a regular period to make sure all parts of the clock mechanism are running smoothly. The refurb to Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower, which is the ofÀcial name of the building, has reportedly cost £80 million, a staggering £51m over budget. India Lawrence.12 November 2022 timeoutabudhabi.com Things to do timeoutabudhabi.com/things-to-do TOP PICK Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Are you ready for F1 season? Formula 1 weekend Ànally kicks off at Yas Marina Circuit on November 18. With brunches, parties, concerts and events, there’s plenty of fun in store for you over the three-day shenanigans. O From Dhs699 (general admission). Thu Nov 17-Sun Nov 20, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island. yasmarinacircuit.com. 17 REASONS TO Unmissable concerts, brilliant nights out, outdoorsy family-friendly things to do, and so much more. Top Gear Gumball 3000 Rally Back for its 23rd annual event, this is the world’s biggest and most famous supercar road rally — it’s coming to Yas Bay Waterfront. Head there during F1 weekend to immerse yourself in some high-octane fun. O Free. Nov 18, 5pm-8pm. Nov 21, 10am-noon. Yas Bay Waterfront. get off the sofa this monthtimeoutabudhabi.com November 2022 13 For the kiddos Magic Phil’s Starlight Safari Yes, we’re now in festive season which means the return of Magic Phil and his silliness. You’ll see some outrageous characters, a good mix of festive songs and lots and lots of humour, magic tricks and silly songs. This is the perfect event for the whole family not to be missed this month. O From Dhs75. Sat Nov 26. ERTH Hotel, abu.dhabi.platinumlist.net. On the stage Andrea Bocelli Live in Concert The famous tenor and opera legend will be performing all of his classics, including Time To Say Goodbye and Vivo Por Lei at Etihad Park this month. Get your tissues ready. O From Dhs395. Thu Nov 24. Etihad Park, ticketmaster.ae. STEP BACK IN TIME Qasr Al Muwaiji Marvel at the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birth place of the country president, HH Sheikh KhalÀa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 1948. O Open Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun, 9am-7pm. Al Ain, qasralmuwaiji.ae. FREE THINGS TO DO TAKE A HIKE Jebel Hafeet mountain At 1,249, Jebel Hafeet is the highest mountain in Abu Dhabi and there are few spectacular things than hitting the summit. See you at the top. O Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain. GET ARTY Warehouse 421 There’s always something going on in Mina Zayed’s Warehouse 421. Art galleries, exhibitions, events, Àlm screenings and workshop. O Open Tue-Sun, 10am-8pm. Mina Zayed, warehouse421.ae.Things to do 14 November 2022 timeoutabudhabi.com Fun nights out Make a splash Now open to the general public, head over to Aqua Park Marsana to make a splash with the whole family. Located on the new Hudayriat Island, this must-visit beach destination is perfect for families thanks to its various activities, food and drink options. O Open daily, 9am-5pm. Marsana at Hudayriyat Island, marsana.ae. BINGO! Atlon Bar & Bistro Want to test your music knowledge? Enjoy three hours of unlimited chicken wings (yes, really) and three beverages for just Dhs99. Grab your mates – and your braincells —to be in with a chance to win prizes. O Dhs99. Wed 7pm-10pm. Souk Qaryat Al Beri, @atlonabudhabi (05 575 3414). TIME TO DANCE PJ O’Reilly’s Shamrock ladies’ night has kicked off with live entertainment from 8pm-11pm. Ladies enjoy three hours of free Áow and unlimited bar bites for just Dhs99. It would rude not to. O From Dhs99. Thu 6pm-11pm. Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi, pjsabudhabi.com (800 101 101). LIFE’S A BEACH Yas Beach Club Yearning after powdery white sands and complete privacy? It’s pretty hard to believe that you can have a luxury beach day for under Dhs100. Head to Yas Beach Club to enjoy a hard- earned chilled day and take your pick from the delicious items on the food menu, because who can resist a delicious burger and pink lemonade? O Dhs50 (Mon-Fri), Dhs100 (Sat-Sun). Open daily, 6am-7pm. Yas Beach, Yas Island (56 242 0435).Things to do timeoutabudhabi.com November 2022 15 HYPE Festival Are you ready to dance? Watch international artists Claptone, Joris Voorn and Mambo Brothers hit the stage, including local artists like Alex Twin. O From Dhs195. 3pm-1am. Palm Garden, W Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, platinumlist.net (50 642 0893). YAMAS Mazi Abu Dhabi Now open for the new season, Mazi offers a traditional Green menu with a relaxed atmosphere in Saadiyat Island. Plus, there’s indoor and outdoor seating. O Open Wed-Sat, Mon noon-3pm, 7pm- 11pm; Sun 1pm-4pm, 7pm-11pm. St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort (02 498 89555). Screentime GO TOTALLY ‘80S Yas Movies in the Park Between November 5 and 6, head to Yas Links Golf Park to enjoy screenings of all your favourite ‘80s movies, including The Lion King, Footloose, Die Hard, and Back to the Future. Oh, and it won’t cost a thing. O Free, Yas Links Golf Club, Yas Island, yasmip.ae. GRAB THE POPCORN Cinema in the Park Returning for the winter months, Cinema in the Park is back at Umm El Emarat Park with an exciting line-up of family-friend Àlms like Coco, Frozen, Aladdin, Home, Ice Age, Shrek, Rio and Ratatouille. O From Nov 3, 8am-midnight, Umm Al Emarat Park, ummalemaratpark.ae. Jazz by the bay Head to Yas Bay this month to enjoy a brand new series of live music sessions. Every Friday through Sunday from 5pm to 11pm, you can enjoy an incredible line-up of jazz musicians, as well as dance performances. O Free. Fri-Sun, 5pm-11pm. Nov 4-27. Yas Bay Waterfront, yasbay.ae. On the road WHEELY GOOD TIME Abu Dhabi Bike Festival The Àrst ever Abu Dhabi Bike Festival is arriving this month, which means some of the world’s most decorated urban cyclists will be competing in the UAE. What’s more, there will also be a family-friendly community hub and event village that will provide short bicycle courses, face painting, bungee trampolines, grafÀti artists, street dancers, and so much more. O Free. Nov 9-14, bike.abudhabi.com. Your winter calendar is sorted with festivals, concerts, family events, and more. Now that the weather is cooler, it’s the best time to get out and experience everything Abu Dhabi has to offer. The good news is that there is so much to enjoy. The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT) has announced its lineup of events for the 2022/2023 season. The Abu Dhabi events calendar is set to run over 180 days, jam-packed with explosive events. GEAR UP FOR EXCITING EVENTS IN ABU DHABI THIS SEASONPartner content Gear up for cultural festivals, concerts by international artists, e-sporting events, live interactive family shows, opera performances and performances by dancers. October saw an incredible range of events and performances take over the UAE capital, including the UFC280 during Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, The NBA Abu Dhabi Games, A.R. Rahman during Diwali, and global acts Kaiser Chiefs, Clean Bandit and Liam Gallagher at Club Social. Now, we’re at the edge of our seats because November is poised to be an incredibly busy month — and we can’t wait. O For more information visit the Abu Dhabi Calendar at inabudhabi.ae. Sports fans will be pleased to know that Matchroom Boxing comes to Abu Dhabi on November 5 where WBA Light-Heavyweight belt holder Dmitry Bivol will go up against Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez. And this is not a Àght to be missed. Elsewhere, you’ll Ànd opera legend Andrea Bocelli exercising his powerful pipes at Etihad Park on November 24 for one night only. Expect the famous tenor to belt out all of his classics, including Time to say Goodbye and Vivo Por Lei. Get the tissues ready. Party-goers can head to epic three-day music festival AmpliÀed, headlined by brilliant acts like OneRepublic, Ministry of Sound and Cigarettes after S, from November 11 to 13 at Yas Links Abu Dhabi. Disney fans can enjoy Àve extra shows of The Lion King musical over at Etihad Arena through November to December. John Legend will be taking the stage at the Louvre Abu Dhabi on November 12, while American rapper Post Malone will be returning on December 3. Ready for the F1 weekend? American superstar Kendrick Lamar and Swedish House MaÀa have been conÀrmed as the two headliners so far for the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yasalam after-race concerts on Nov 18-20. Get ready to dance. Plus, Sting and K-pop band Blackpink are heading to the UAE capital in 2023 to help us welcome the new year on a high. Expect a high-energy viewing experience, delectable dining options, an e-gaming zone, amongst other exciting football activations. Are you ready for a packed out month full of fun events and attractions? Oh yeah! FOR THE KIDS Blippi The Musical Learn how to bake, draw, and explore. O From Dhs95. Feb 18-19 2023. Etihad Arena. GAME, SET, MATCH Mubadala World Tennis Championship Watch all your tennis favourites. O From Dhs95. Fri Dec 16-18. Zayed Sports City. SING YOUR HEART OUT Sting Belt out “Desert Rose”. O Dhs395. Jan 27, 2023. Etihad Arena. WHAT’S COMING SOONOutdoor escapes 18 November 2022 timeoutabudhabi.com Enjoy an autumn getaway at these breathtaking spots you won’t want to leave. Outdoor escapes timeoutabudhabi.com November 2022 19 Next >