Fantastic treats, and where to find them…

With the Holy Month anticipated to begin over the weekend, we’re setting you up with an off the clock schedule heavy on wholesome fun.

Friday, April 1

New at the cinema this week

The early reviews for Jared Leto’s entry into the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU) as titular vampire Morbius, aren’t looking great, but fans of the actor, comic book die-hards and anyone down for a spot of accidental vampirism will likely still flock to see it. Elsewhere in movie land you can catch The Lost City, an enjoyable addition to the bizarrely booming world of jungle-based action films starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and Brad Pitt.

Tickets: Book now

An ‘either oar’ situation

Mangroves Abu Dhabi

Sea Hawk offers guided kayak tours through some pretty cool locales, but their two-hour trip through the Eastern Mangrove National Park — is possibly their most chill-filled. Navigate through the calming surrounds of the mangrove forest, led by a kind who’s on hand to dish out nuggets of mangrove wisdom as well as prevent you from getting lost in the botanical maze. The price of your trip includes gear rental, water, a fruit salad and a place to clean yourself up after your adventure.

Eastern Mangrove Promenade, Al Salam Street,Sheikh Zayed, Daily trips; 7am, 9am, 11am, 2pm and 4pm, Dhs168. Tel: (02) 673 6688, sea-hawk.ae

Safari so good-y

Al Ain Zoo offers some pretty wild opportunities to get close to its impressive collection of animal inhabitants. You can for example, stick your neck out and have breakfast with giraffes (Dhs252); play tug of war with a tiger; there will even be an option to break your fast with the Mufasa this Ramadan, through a very special ‘iftar with the lions’ experience (Dhs840). But if you fancy getting out and seeing animals in a more natural setting, there is a safari encounter available, staged across a 217 hectare stretch of the Savanna-esque scrub-dashed foothills of Jebel Jais. There are a few flexible touring options available, priced from around Dhs210 — aboard either 20-seater safari trucks or private SUVs and your safari guide will be selected from a passionate team of Emiratis with a Wikipedic knowledge of the park’s wildlife.

Al Ain Zoo, safaris 9.30am to 5pm daily (season dependent), from Dhs210 (includes zoo access). Tel: (800) 555, alainzoo.ae

Saturday, April 2

Feeders of the lost shark

Recently opened homage to the life aquatic, The National Aquarium is full of salt water surprises. Take for example, their range of marine life meet and greets — you can have an ‘Ocean Encounter’, feeding sharks measuring up to two metres in length for just Dhs180. And that price includes access to the ‘Aquarium Journey’.

The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi, Al Qana, Al Maqta, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (02) 418 6666. thenationalaquarium.ae

Arabian nights

For Ramadan, Bab Al Qasr Hotel transforms its garden into a beautiful Arabian space that features an open-air majlis with intimate dining spaces within. Enhancing the dining experience, guests enjoy traditional Middle Eastern specialities, cuisines from around the world and local traditional delicacies served a la carte, with chefs demonstrating their skills at the cooking stations.

Bab Al Qasr Hotel, from sunset. Tel: (056) 992 2078. restaurants@babalqasr.com

Sunday, April 3

Fresh starts

Online food delivery service, FreshToHome is all about making life easier, and during the special time of Ramadan, their curated Holy Month care packages are a great way to take some of the pressure off iftar prep. They also make thoughtful gifts for friends, family and journalists. There’s a 10 per cent discount available for shoppers throughout Ramadan, and their range includes savoury items such as kibbeh, fatayer, shish tawook and sambousek — as well as bountiful fruit baskets, chocolates and dates.

Ramadan fruit boxes priced from Dhs54. ae.freshtohome.com

This beach club has you Covered during Ramadan

Cove 2.0 iftar

Two.0 is all set to welcome its guests with iftar, featuring an Arabic and international buffet that includes mezze, salads and sushi, a barbecue station, Ramadan juices, water and Moroccan tea.

Cove Beach Abu Dhabi, Reem Island, sunset to 8.30pm, Dhs179. Tel: (056) 398 7895. @covebeachabudhabi

Images: Provided/Getty