Fresh from clinching a memorable bronze medal in the 10 Metre Men’s Platform event at this summer’s Olympic Games, London 2012 poster-boy, Tom Daley, 18, has taken a well-deserved break from competition with a heritage-rich, leisure break in Abu Dhabi.

Having swelled his crowded trophy cabinet with gold medals in the 3-Metre Synchronised Springboard and 10-Metre Individual Platform events at this month’s 19th FINA World Junior Diving Championships in Adelaide, Australia, Daley stopped off in Abu Dhabi en route to the UK with Etihad Airways - the UAE’s award-winning national carrier - for some much-needed rest.

Instead of taking a city break in the UAE capital, the popular diving sensation opted for the newly-opened Arabian Nights Village - a destination nestled deep in Abu Dhabi’s heritage heartland of Al Ain that lets visitors experience the mythical and timeless beauty of the Arabian desert and traditional Emirati lifestyle.

Although internet is available for emergencies, there are no TVs on-site at the village - all part of the retreat’s philosophy to create an authentic, serene experience for guests seeking desert tranquility.
“It’s like a mini world and feels like your own personal oasis,” said Daley. “It’s quite a strange sensation to be driving in the vast desert and seeing how the endless sand makes crazy-shaped dunes and then be ‘wow, there’s a fort!’ It’s very traditional, beautiful and it all really fits the culture of Abu Dhabi. It’s a perfect retreat to chill out and just get away from it all - there’s total peace and serenity. It’s been a great experience.”

In addition to sampling camel-riding, a falconry show and traditional Arabian cuisine in the Al Maqam restaurant, Daley opted to stay in Beit Shaar - lodgings based on the woven tents of nomadic tribes. Arabian Nights Village also offers Beit Al Barr, modern updates on traditional desert mud houses, and Beit Al Bahr, rooms designed to mirror original Emirati beachfront houses made from palm fronds. All the retreat’s overnight options are luxuriously re-imagined with in-room AC units, en suite bathroom facilities and modern beds.

Sporting a ghutra, traditional Emirati headwear, the energetic teen also tried out various leisure activities, including sand-boarding, dune bashing and quad-biking. “I’d never rode a camel before so that was amazing; sand-boarding is unlike anything I have ever tried and driving through the dunes in a 4x4 was so much fun. There was a sensible way in but I wanted to take a crazy route that weaved up and down these unbelievably steep slopes. What a choice that was! The quads were brilliant too and the perfect way to get up and down the dunes. I always thought the desert would be harsh, but it’s like a never-ending playground.”

Naturally, an idyllic 200m² swimming pool also caught the Olympian’s eye. “The pool is amazing - it’s like a beautiful spring in the middle of the desert,” added Daley, who was hosted in Abu Dhabi by Arabian Nights Village and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

Hailing from Plymouth, England, Daley’s London 2012 success has underlined his credentials as a global sporting icon and one of the world’s most marketable international athletes. According to M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, Daley accounted for 57% of all social media mentions amongst the top 10 most talked about Team GB athletes during London 2012. In terms of Facebook mentions, Daley was the London Games’ most talked about international athlete – eclipsing US swim star, Michael Phelps, and Jamaican sprint king, Usain Bolt.

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