We all know and we all have been to abras crossing Dubai Creek. The memorable experience, when you travel from one side of Old Souq to another just for 1 dirham, is fully upgraded by Modern Abra Tours cruising from the newly build Dubai Marina Harbour around Dubai.
Modern Abras opened its operations in February 2022 and their brand new boats resemble the typical old abra we know from old Dubai. However, their boats are brand new with modern facilities and very much group friendly. Modern Abra Cruise innovates typical yacht cruises.
We love the old city abras so hearing about the modern version we had to try it. We tested the private cruise during a weekend. The new Marina Harbour provides free parking with enough parking lots for everyone. Once we reached the orange and blue boat (which cannot be missed) we were welcomed by a friendly crew. The staff are very nice and accommodating, they’ll make sure you enjoy your cruise. They will show you all the landmarks you pass and take your stunning pictures.
The abra is fully covered by a sunroof so you are protected from the sun your whole journey. It has all equipment you would expect a boat to have such as a sun deck, a cooler with ice for your drinks, an amazing sound system for your party beats (Bluetooth connectivity), tables, life jackets, a shower and a toilet. The tables and the benches are arranged in a circle which is a perfect layout for any friends' gathering compared to yachts where you don’t have so many common areas and people have to be spread everywhere. If you want to spend time with your friends this is just perfect. Make yourself even more comfortable and bring your food and beverages. The highlight of the boat is definitely the elevated deck at the back. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy the ride and take the best pictures of your friends.
The best time for the cruise is definitely before sunset. We headed off at 6 pm and reached Blue Waters right before the sunset. Dubai skyline is so beautiful in the golden hour.
There are different routes and times you can choose from. You can also take a partner and try the shared cruise or book the whole abra and take all your friends. All routes begin and end at Dubai Marina Harbour. You can stop to swim during the private cruise which is for up to 18 people. Bring your friends and have a celebration or just cruise around and chat. It’s up to you how you’re gonna use the Modern Abra.
1-hour variant - Marina Promenade Cruise: Dubai Harbour, Dubai Marina Skyline, Dubai Marina Mall, Pier 7, and JBR Area
1.5-hour variant - Ain Dubai Cruise: Dubai Harbour, Dubai Marina Skyline, Dubai Marina Mall, Pier 7, BlueWaters Island, Ceasars Palace, Ain Dubai and JBR Area
2 hours variant - Atlantis The Palm Cruise: Dubai Harbour, Dubai Marina Skyline, Dubai Marina Mall, Pier 7, Ain Dubai, Bluewaters Island, JBR, The Palm, Atlantis The Palm, and Skydive Dubai
3 hours variant (Burj Al Arab Cruise): Dubai Harbour, Skydive Dubai, Cruise Terminal, Palm West Beach, Royal Lagoon (option for anchoring and swimming), Madinat Jumeirah, and Burj al Arab
