Small-Group Self-Drive Speedboat Tour in Yas Island Mangroves
Badge of Excellence
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Inject outdoor adventure into your Abu Dhabi stay without organizing anything for yourself on this small-group self-drive speedboat tour. Head for the city’s oceanside Mangrove National Park, and after instructions, pilot a 2-seater speedboat along the mangrove-lined channels behind a guide craft. Watch for wild herons, turtles, flamingos, and dolphins; and then accelerate across the lagoon to a deserted islet to walk or swim. No speedboat experience is required, and life jackets and a choice of departure times are included.
- Drive a 2-seater speedboat in Abu Dhabi’s mangroves on a small-group tour
- Hassle-free combo: pilot a speedboat and connect with nature in one trip
- Cruise canals, visit an island, and look for turtles, birds, and dolphins
- Easy: no experience needed, choice of time slots, and life vests supplied
What's Included
- Life jacket
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Al Bandar Water Transport StationFJ22+J72 - Al Rahah - Al Bandar - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates
Go to Al Bandar Marina. Park in the designated visitor spots, then head towards the exits leading to the outside plaza area. From there, stroll down to Gate 1 entrance where your Rhino guides will be waiting to greet you 30 minutes before check-in time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Abu Dhabi (Pass By)
Yas Island (Pass By)
Yas Links Abu Dhabi (Pass By)
Yas Beach (Pass By)
Aldar HQ Building (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Minimum age to drive: 18
- Minimum age for passenger: 3
- Total weight limit for all passengers per boat: 225 kg
- Wearing shoes in the boat is not allowed
- Check-in time is strictly 30 minutes before departure
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Fatimah
Beautiful experience, my first time driving a speedboat i really enjoyed it although i was pissed off with locals splashing water using their jetski. I would say it would be really nice if they change their location. The company was good enough too to change my date as i wasnt feeling well and they rescheduled my tour. The tour guide was professional and made sure that safety comes first. I would highly recommend it on weekdays avoid weekends more jetskis and also avoid the heat choose sunrise or sundown.
Reviews
4.5
based on 107 reviews
Joanne_W, Nov 2025
Arrive about 10-15 mins before, to sign waver, put on life jackets and instructions about the boat. Fantastic trip, great time had by all the family. Highly recommend Rhino Speedboat Tours, a must do whilst in Abu Dhabi.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that you and your family had such a fantastic time on our Rhino Speedboat Tour. Our team always aims to deliver a fun, safe, and memorable experience for guests of all ages — and it’s great to know we hit the mark!
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure on the water soon.
sarah_H, Oct 2025
This was an excellent experience made special by the guide Irfan. He made it such an enjoyable afternoon looking at the Yas Island by boat. Would definitely recommend this trip with him.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your afternoon exploring Yas Island with Irfan — he’ll be very happy to know he made your trip memorable.
Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you back soon for another exciting adventure on the water!
Warm regards,
Olivier
Leanne_C, Oct 2025
Brilliant time on mangroves with Irfan who was a fantastic guide. Lots of fun seeing the sun go down
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear you had a brilliant time exploring the mangroves and enjoyed watching the sunset with Irfan — he truly is a fantastic guide and will be thrilled to hear your feedback.
We hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure on the water!
Warm regards,
Olivier
Paul_S, Sep 2025
Excellent experience, highly recommended. Special thanks to Irfan for being an excellent guide and making it so interesting
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you had an excellent experience exploring Yas Island with us. Irfan will be so pleased to know his guiding made the trip even more enjoyable and interesting.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon for another fun ride on the water!
Warm regards,
Olivier
trisha_c, Sep 2025
Loved it fun on the boats. Great time on the boats guide was nice and fun. Would highly recommend, hot day but breeze was nice
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your great review! We’re so glad you loved the tour and had lots of fun on the boats. Our guides always aim to make the experience enjoyable, and it’s wonderful to hear you appreciated the breeze and the adventure — even on a hot day!
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon for another ride on the water.
Warm regards,
Olivier
Drina_R, Jun 2025
We arrived at the jetty and was met early by our host. He gave us thorough instructions on how to drive the boat as it was our first time.
We headed out to various points round Yas where our host told us about the areas and took time to take pictures of us.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you had an amazing trip and that our guide made you feel comfortable and confident on your first self-drive experience. Exploring Yas Island by boat is always special, and we’re glad you enjoyed the stops, stories, and photos along the way.
We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back soon for another adventure on the water!
Warm regards,
Olivier
Fatimah, May 2025
Beautiful experience, my first time driving a speedboat i really enjoyed it although i was pissed off with locals splashing water using their jetski. I would say it would be really nice if they change their location. The company was good enough too to change my date as i wasnt feeling well and they rescheduled my tour. The tour guide was professional and made sure that safety comes first. I would highly recommend it on weekdays avoid weekends more jetskis and also avoid the heat choose sunrise or sundown.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your kind and detailed review! We’re delighted to hear you had a beautiful experience and enjoyed driving a speedboat for the first time. We truly appreciate your compliments about our team’s flexibility and our guide’s professionalism and focus on safety.
We also understand your feedback regarding the jetskis — weekends can indeed be busier on the water. Your suggestion about choosing weekday, sunrise, or sunset tours is spot-on and will certainly help future guests.
Thank you again for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you back soon for another great adventure!
Warm regards,
Olivier
Gavin_B, May 2025
This was truly the most epic experience I've had in Abu Dhabi. I was blessed to have the most amazing sunrise, and I couldn't have asked for a better guide, Irfan, who was the most courteous, friendliest, knowledgeable guide,,,I truly had the best time with him and I cannot recommend Irfan enough... 20/10 200% I'm a fan of Irfan! The thrill of going full throttle was such fun.. I had a blast! Thank you 😎😎🥰🥰
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your incredible review! We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that your sunrise speedboat adventure was one of your most epic experiences in Abu Dhabi. The morning light over Yas Island truly makes it unforgettable! 🌅
We’re also so happy to hear your praise for Irfan — he’ll be over the moon to know he made your day so special. His friendliness, knowledge, and focus on safety make him a real star on our team. 🚤💨
Thank you for the 20/10 rating — we love your enthusiasm and can’t wait to welcome you back for another thrilling ride!
Warm regards,
Olivier
Dan_F, Mar 2025
Fantastic experience
A very knowledgeable guide
A must to do in Abu Dhabi
Thoroughly enjoyed it 👏🏽
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a brilliant experience and enjoyed exploring Yas Island with our knowledgeable guide. It’s always great to know our guests had as much fun as we do out on the water!
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon for another exciting ride!
Warm regards,
Olivier
Mahbubul_H, Nov 2024
This one was one of my favourite activity amongst many that we did on our trip. It was a mixture of speeding on the speed boat, sightseeing, swimming in the water etc
You don’t get to see any kind of wildlife but tbh that’s what I expected from reading the reviews.
jamespaterson67, Nov 2024
Fantastic early morning speedboat trip around the mangroves and Yas Island.
Serene waters and fast enough to also be thrilling.
Our guide was outstanding and was even kind enough to wait for us after we got caught in the early morning rush hour traffic.
Highly recommended.
Joanne_K, Oct 2024
The Guide was super, just a great experience. Very easy to reserve, with good communication from the booking agent. A very positive experience.
Mark_B, Oct 2024
This has got to be a MUST for all staying in Abu Dhabi.
From the very beginning with a warm welcome, Ifran our guide and host put us at our ease, answered all questions, delivered clear and simple instructions within his safety briefing.
He took time to ensure this was an experience we will not forget.
At no additional cost he took over 70 photos using his phone to later share with us, allowing us to share with family and friends.
His route took us to various significant locations, and again Ifran stopped, explained their significance, showing a depth of knowledge.
If I could give 10 instead of 5 stars I would.
Simply go, enjoy and be glad you did.
Rahliq_H, Oct 2024
This self-drive speedboat tour around Yas Island Mangroves was an unforgettable experience! It truly felt like driving a boat, offering full control and excitement. I highly recommend bringing a passenger to snap photos along the way because the views are stunning. The host was fantastic and even let us cool off with a swim, though the water left us feeling a bit icky afterward. Overall, a perfect adventure for thrill-seekers and nature lovers alike!
Anne_M, Jun 2024
This trip was super fun and brought back fantastic memories of when I was larking about in boats in Abu Dhabi as a teenager. Thanks to the very nice group tour leader, whose name I’m unfortunately unable to remember, for such good stewardship of the group! He’s a great asset to your business.
Katrina_C, May 2024
We absolutely loved our tour! Lawrence, our guide, made it very enjoyable and the weather was perfect. I recommend bringing your swimsuits as we didn’t and missed a chance to swim on the small private island surrounded by mangroves. We will definitely do this tour again on one of our future trips to Abu Dhabi.
GJ_B, Feb 2024
Was a bit nervous to drive the speedboat but as soon as we set off after the safety briefing I found my sea legs and now want a career change :-) Loved zipping through the waves and the great views of Abu Dhabi from the sea. If felt totally safe and the guide was really considerate of the entire group. Definitely recommend and would do again.
Una_A, Dec 2023
It was a great experience. A good safety briefing and the guide Irfan was friendly and very helpful . We enjoyed every minute , Thank you Irfan
Patrick_G, Dec 2023
We had a wonderful time on this tour. Irfan was great! He was informative and fun! The perfect amount of time on the speedboats. Highly recommend doing this tour.
Aleksandr_P, Oct 2023
I was with my family. When briefing started in was like in prison. My wife afraid of water. I asked the instructor to be fast. He told me no, after he gave me the phone of his boss. The boss told me to listen to what they says. The instructor and his manager is not polite person. I ask finish the trip and return to the boat station. Highly not recommended.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear the experience did not meet your expectations. However, we would like to clarify that our safety briefing and instructions are mandatory for all participants before departure. These are required by coast guard regulations for self-drive boats and are in place to ensure the safety of all guests, especially families and first-time drivers.
Our guides always aim to communicate clearly and patiently so that every guest fully understands how to operate the boat and follow the coast guard rules on speed, distance, and navigation. These steps are essential for maintaining a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone on the water. If your wife is afraid of water and you want to do crazy things and not obey the rules, the guide and management will recite clearly the rules for you.
We regret that you chose to end the tour early, but safety must always come before speed or comfort preferences. We hope you can appreciate that our priority is the well-being of all guests and compliance with maritime law.
Kind regards,
Olivier
Mark_S, Sep 2023
Fabulous trip. Really enjoyed it. The boats, scenery and organisation were brilliant. Irfan our guide, was amazing. Helped us with the boats, lots of information and took us a lovely route. Thank you Irfan. Would very highly recommend this tour, especially the last one of the day at sunset. Stunning.
Michelle_F, Aug 2023
We enjoyed this tour even though it was an extremely hot day. We were unintentionally the only ones on the tour which gave us undivided attention from the guide. Highlight was the mangrove crossing where fish jumped 5-6 feet out of the water - it was surprising and fun. Expect 75-90 minutes of boating. Kayak is longer and know there are other motor boats in the water which may toss you around a bit.
Shane_O, Jun 2023
A fun and unique experience with a great company. The company was responsive and helpful in booking and professional upon arrival.
Robert_W, Mar 2023
Such a fun adventure. Irfan is kind, very clear in his instructions, and a lot of fun! He challenged our boating skills but only under is watchful eye.
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you on behave of Irfan's and Rhinos. Wonderful that you shared a moment of your vacation with us... million thanks for your 5 stars!
Janice_W, Mar 2023
Ifram our guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable excellent must do tour not to be missed great from start to finish
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you so much for your fantastic comments... Irfan is blushing and thanks you
Neil_H, Mar 2023
A fantastic experience and very well managed from the very start with a comprehensive safety briefing. Special thanks to Irfan who was our guide for the event and who coached us through the things to look out for during our tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Wow , thank you for your 5 stars and great feedback. irfan is waiting for you to come again... cheers
Rita_M, Feb 2023
It was fun and a different side of Abu Dhabi.
We (me and my friend and other group members) had a problem sometimes hearing the guide's explenations, sinse he wasn't close enaugh so we could hear, mainly becase of the moter noise.
We asked him to raise his voice, but it didn't realy help.
Also, after we got the explenation about operating the speedboat, and our guide explaind us hot to change speed in the boat, we went straight to the tour, and since it was my first time driving a speed boat, it took a few minutes to fully understand how to operate it.
I would suggest afret the explenation, to take a 3-5 minutes of "practice" to see that everyone manages the operating on the water.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you for your positive feedback, yes although Irfan your guide talks loudly, it is sometime hard to hear. We will try to have all gather around more closely to him. Happy you had fun and a memorable time. cheers
Stuart_H, Nov 2022
Amazing trip to the mangroves, stopped off a a small deserted island and got to explore. Saw a variety of wildlife and the tour guide was excellent!!!!!
Khangelani_M, Nov 2022
They never communicated and they didn’t pitch, we also didn’t get a refund🚮
The booking was confirmed and we waited that they going to contact and they did not.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry for the misunderstanding, but according to our records and Viator’s booking policy, this was a no-show — the guests did not arrive at the meeting location or contact us prior to the tour’s scheduled start time.
Our team was present at the dock, and all tours include detailed meeting instructions, contact information, and live location links provided by Viator. Unfortunately, as per Viator’s terms and conditions, no-shows are non-refundable, as our guides and boats are reserved and prepared exclusively for each booking.
We always encourage guests to reach out before the tour if there are any difficulties finding the location or delays, and we do our best to assist whenever possible.
Kind regards,
Olivier
Thomas_F, Nov 2022
Excellent value for money, we loved driving the boat and seeing lots of flamingos! The tour guides were excellent and their English was great.
From $153.24
per group (up to 2)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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