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WOMEN from across the Gulf are flocking to a Bahrain water park attraction for the chance to throw off their abayas for a night of fun, thrills and freedom.
The Lost Paradise of Dilmun has opened its doors for a second year to stage a 'Ladies Only Night' following the event's splash-tacular success last year.
Word has spread across the region that girls can have fun and uphold their traditional standards of modesty away from the prying eyes of men.
Banna Alkuyri, 19, a college student from Qatar, explained: "This is my second visit with friends to the water park and my first experience of the ladies only evening. We really liked it, it was great fun and we felt a lot more comfortable."
Nada Mahmood, 23, a corporate banking senior manager, from Manama, visited the park last Thursday and enjoyed every moment. "This is my first time and I will be definitely coming back!"
The event also featured female DJ Eman who encouraged the ladies to sing along and dance to a mixture of popular music.
Sisters Noor Isa, 13, and Mariam Isa, 19, from Budaiya, were also paying their first visit to the park and particularly enjoyed the sandy beach area and its wave pool.
Mariam said: "We have had so much fun and hadn't expected that the park would be this huge... we thought maybe it would just have a couple of pools!
"The idea of a Ladies Night added to the attraction and allowed you to really let your hair down."
The comfort level was apparent as many of the guests pushed aside any inhibitions and soaked up the atmosphere dressed in a variety of swimwear from one-piece costumes to skimpy bikinis'.
Although no men were present one disapproving guest, Khulood Khalifa, 46, a midwife from Hamad Town, said: "I feel that the park is too free for women to dress in any manner. The non-Arab girls seem to dress better than some of the Arab girls here!"
The park first initiated its Ladies Night Out last summer. It was the brainchild of Mohammed Ali, sales and marketing director, who said: "We have been very successful with our Ladies Nights and never expected them to be such a huge hit.
"We have informed all the ladies' associations in Bahrain and neighbouring Saudi Arabia and it appears that thanks to word-of-mouth it has spread all over the GCC.
"At the start we had 1,200 visitors and within a few months we were close to 3,000 ladies!"
Ladies Night Out is held every Thursday from 6pm to 12am until August 20. Entry costs BD14 for guests above 1.2m in height and BD5 for those below. Boys aged up to 10 are allowed in providing they bring proof of age. For further details call 17845100 or visit www.lpodwaterpark.com
