A Day At The Farm | Al Rahba Entertainment Sports Club

Time Out

The year is about to end and having been stuck at home for the most part, we finally had the chance to take a short and well-deserved break. Well, we really did not have to go far, it is still well within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi but it is away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

If you have been following along, you may have seen that my kids had the chance to be "little equestrians" at the Dhabian Equestrian Club in Al Rahba.

In this post, I will be sharing with you our experience at the Al Rahba Entertainment Sports Club, the place where we stayed overnight.

Amidst The Pandemic

You can actually describe the trip as almost "unplanned". It was the birthday of my youngest in late November and it seemed just right that we celebrate it differently this time. The pandemic did not make the decision very easy, considering we have small children, but since restrictions have eased and safety protocols (masks, sanitizing, social distancing, etc) have almost become a norm, we thought we could just go ahead and just be extra cautious.

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Al Rahba Entertainment Sports Club

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_{Al Rahba is 55 kilometers off Abu Dhabi City. I have never really been here before, though we pass by here at E11 whenever we travel to Dubai. We took E10 via Sheikh Zayed Bridge then on to E11. There is no public bus route available so if you'd decide to come here, a private car or taxi would be the way to go.}

I booked the place a day before our son's birthday. I was torn between this place and the Emirates Park Resort but ended up here because it was much more affordable. The trip had to happen no matter what especially that we have already mentioned it to the kids. My friend who worked at the Dhabian Equestrian Club which is just a few blocks away from this property thankfully gave me some insights on what to expect.

They also have a 4.2* on Google Review which made me at ease. Okay, this should not be too bad. Since this is not a 5* hotel or resort, you should not expect high-calibre amenities or top-notch service. They offer affordable rooms should you decide to stay overnight as we did. Since we booked just a day before the trip, we were only able to take the room with a single bed and majlis.

The lady in charge was very specific that no outside food is allowed inside their farm. She gave me the menu ahead of time so that I can pre-order the food that they will serve to us during our stay. The menu was mostly Indian food but she said they can also prepare other food upon request. So I ordered fish biryani which I asked to be served for lunch after we check-in (check-in time is 2:00pm) and broasted chicken for dinner. Though they have a restaurant, we requested for the food to be served in our room.

Knowing my little picky eaters, I "smuggled" food that I know my kids would eat. It's my son's birthday so I kindly requested the lady in charge to allow us to bring a cake at least. Of course, apart from the cake that we "legally" brought inside the premises, I had others like spaghetti and pork barbeque, canned juice, and chips hidden somewhere in our luggage. 😆

I would assume that pre-pandemic, this place was busy with guests. There is a small playground for kids, a space great for ball games, and other group activities. There was even a small stage that still had a banner of what seemed to be a wedding reception.

The cabins are located at the far end of the club. I was not able to wander far out, but I saw 4 doors including the one that we occupied.

It gets dark early these days and it was already pitch dark when we finished the horseback riding activity. When we returned to the farm, we saw it was decorated with festive lights. What a mood it would really put you into!

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The Morning After

We spent the afternoon after check-in for late lunch and the horseback riding so after a quick dip at the pool in the evening, the kids were exhausted and retired early.

The following morning, we were woken up by the animal sounds and the cool farm breeze. For a moment, I forgot that we were in the middle of the desert and just enjoyed the surroundings.

Wandering around, I reached the side where they had their fruits and vegetable plantation. They must have already harvested most of the rockmelons and only small ones were left but the sweet smell lingered in the air. They also had different kinds of gourds. I could not resist but imagine how it would be to have such a farm like this of our own in the Philippines.

They have a small stall just by the entrance where they sell their fresh produce. There are fresh chicken and duck eggs, gourds, long beans, and herbs.

We bought some fresh vegetables and eggs before we left, which are much cheaper than the ones you can buy at the supermarket.

They have lots of animals on their farm - they have goats, pigeons (as big as chickens! lol), ducks, chickens, ostrich, peacocks, and a lot more.

The place has really brought us closer to nature. The plants and animals delighted us, but above anything else, the children were most excited about the vast place they could run around and the playground that they had practically to themselves. Some more guests arrived later on in the day, but for the most part of the morning, we had the grounds to ourselves which was great.

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A Memorable Family Get-Away

We do not have lots of times like this that is why I am so grateful we had the chance to take this time out even for just a day. It had truly been a nice way to unwind and just forget about all worries even just for some time. It was a time well-spent that did not have to break the bank.