If scuba diving is high on your list of vacation activities, you might want to add Bahrain to your travel list. The island nation is known for its historic buildings, vibrant textiles, and spice shopping, but soon it’ll be home to an underwater experience available only in a handful of other places around the world.
Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority has teamed up with the Supreme Council for Environment and a handful of locals in the private sector to take on an unusual task: sink a Boeing 747 and turn it into a subterranean waterpark. The 230-foot airplane will be part of a 100,000-square-foot diving site, according to MSN.
Aside from the plane, the site would also feature artificial reefs, sculptural art, architectural replicas, among other custom attractions. Aside from providing guests with an entirely unique diving adventure, the project is focused on promoting marine life growth. According to CNN Travel, to help keep with this commitment, the Boeing 747 will undergo some special treatment before being lowered into its watery resting place. A spokesperson for the project shared a few words with CNN Travel around how the airplane is being prepped for the task: “All aircraft surfaces will be subjected to a high-pressure wash with bio-friendly detergents to ensure all post-production coatings, oil, and grime are removed. A vast amount of time has been spent removing contaminants from the aircraft. This has included removing all wiring, all hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems, and all adhesives, insulation, plastics, rubbers, chemicals, or other potential toxic substances."
Details around how much the experience will cost or when it will be open—the projected timeline is set to complete in summer 2019—are scarce and the Dive Bahrain website is just as mysterious. But keep your ears open for more information on when this underwater waterpark will be open to visitors.
