My long overdue trip to Sir Baniyas Island!
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), specifically Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, has been my home for the past 18 years. I always spend my holidays abroad and hardly take the opportunity to explore the rest of Abu Dhabi. Since the beginning of 2018, I have traveled to four different countries, but I have stayed true to my decision to explore the western region of Abu Dhabi. In July 2018, I prepared a three day weekend to enjoy the beautiful Sir Baniyas Island, which is part the Gharbia region. It is the largest natural island in the United Arab Emirates, located 170 km (110 miles) southwest from the Capital of Abu Dhabi.
About Sir Baniyas Island
The Arabian Wildlife Park, with roaming Giraffes, cheetahs and Gazelles are what attracts local and international visitors. The wild life reserve was established in 1977, by the late and memorable Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The name Sir Baniyas originates from the Bani Yas tribe who were the first inhabitants of Abu Dhabi. The island served as a retreat to Sheikh Zayed. In 1977 he passed a law prohibiting hunting on the island and developed it into a wild life reserve. Several millions trees were planted and numerous animals species introduced to the island, including gazelle, oryx, llama, rhea, giraffe and ostrich. The island was eventually opened to tourists and became a popular destination. Due to the Islands popularity tours had to be reserved one year in advance. Many new species have been introduced to the island over the years. There are more than one- hundred species of wild birds on the island. The island is home to about 13, 000 animals indigenous to the Arabian Peninsula including the Arabian Oryx and Sand Gazelle.
Hospitality
Located adjacent to a lagoon, northwest, is the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara with 64 rooms including six private lodges. The resort is also home to three restaurants, a spa, health club, kid’s club and business facilities. I was very excited to get booking at the beautiful Desert Island Resort & Spa by Anantara. If you enjoy road trips, I would suggest going by car. There is not much scenery along the way, but the views remind you of a once undeveloped Abu Dhabi. If you research Abu Dhabi city, the Western region looks completely different, but has its own unique feeling to it.
The Abu Dhabi that I and so many of my fellow expats have grown accustomed to seizes to exist beyond the exit marked Al Ruwais (Exit 142)where there lies a completely unspoiled version of Abu Dhabi. The two and half hour drive is nothing but stretched our road and sand everywhere. The town of Ruwais is home to the largest oil refinery in the UAE. Once a small fishing headland from which a handful of people scratched a seasonal living, Today, Ruwais is one of the most modern industrial complexes in the Middle East and home to many expats and their families. Not far from Ruwais is Jebel Dhanna, the jumping – off point for Sir Baniyas Island. I was surprised to find a beautiful blue sea awaiting at the end of our road trip. I thought for a moment I was in the Maldives. We stopped and took a few pictures. There is overnight parking provided by the hotel. Our bags were taken from us by the porter and we were directed to wait for our boat. The welcoming office looks like the hotel lobby of a five star hotel. We were served freshly brewed coffee and cookies, all part of Anantara hospitality service. I felt like I was already getting the five star treatment and I was not even on the resort. A few minutes later and a lot of selfies, the boat was ready to depart. Wearing a brightly mustard yellow all in one shorts and one of my favorite pair of Timberland sandals. I felt like a million bucks. Ready for my luxury wild life retreat. I love having that extra treat when I am on holiday. So the luxury 20 minute boat trip definitely made me feel that my money was being well spend. When arriving at the port, there was a bus awaiting for us to board. The short drive allowed us to get a small peak of the animals roaming around.
The welcoming drink and cold hand towel was a big relieve from the hot July weather. I could not stop taking pictures of the hotel lobby. The enormous pot plants and high ceiling did not escape my admiration.
The Hotel
This luxury resort on Sir Bani Yas Island is just steps from the wildlife sanctuary. It features a spa with massage services and an infinity pool with panoramic Arabian Gulf views. Prices vary all year round, but if you want to save money and experience a truly magical experience for less, the best time would be during the summer months, from June through August. If you can’t handle the humidity and heat, fall and winter, September through February will be better time for you. The island has a lot more visitors and prices become very expensive. We stayed in the Premier sea view room, with a private balcony with beautiful views of the Arabian Gulf, waking up to this view felt amazing and dreamlike. I loved the Nespresso machine and hotel amenities available for our convenience. I made sure to enjoy a cup of coffee on the balcony before heading off to breakfast.
Moonlight Kayaking
Our first night was amazing. After checking into our room, a safari jeep whisked us away to our awaiting kayaks. I love to kayak, but was not expecting to kayak in the evening. The sun set was a back drop that made a perfect start to exploring Sir Baniyas mangroves. Besides spotting a bird, we did not see much animals. However, the tranquility and seclusion of being on the waters with a kayak was in itself a memorable experience.
The full board experience
The hotel boasts several different luxury restaurants at your convenience. We opted to include breakfast, lunch and dinner in our hotel rate. This was a better option than having to pay for each meal separately. I would suggest opting for the full board packages as this actually saves you money and peace of mind. You don’t have to worry about paying any additional costs at the end of your stay, except for beverages, which is not included. Water is inclusive and I was perfectly pleased with my H20 as I do not like sodas anyway.
The Palm restaurant
The two-storey restaurant is located in the heart of the resort and is the perfect way to start your day. A lavish buffet offers delicious options from around the world and Middle Eastern favorites. The staff awaits your every need. Freshly brewed lattes and cappuccinos are being constantly served. The fresh juices and smoothies available make it difficult to choose from. After eating my way through the buffet. We opted for a game of Jenga on the upper level that houses beautiful comfortable chairs and a living room ambience, equipped with an assortment of games, including chess. I definitely recommend this for families wanting to spend quality time together.
Al Shams restaurant and Bar
Casual dining by the poolside, with breathtaking views from the Gulf. My favorite dish was the Rayash Ghanam, marinated lamb chops, Arabic bread with garlic. All the food served was well prepared and tasted like heaven in my mouth. Having a choice of a starter, main course and dessert, I was completely stuffed and satisfied. The swim after served more of an exercise than anything. There was still dinner to be served later the evening.
Amwaj restaurant
Located minutes from the main hotel lobby, Amwaj awaits like a magical oasis, overlooking the Gulf. You are able to breathe in the salty air from the sea or dine inside. The food just like all the other restaurants is well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The seafood was fresh and spiced well. We left the restaurant blissfully happy with our menu choices.
You can’t go to Sir Baniyas and not experience the wild life Safari
Waking up at 5am excited for the safari, I already had my safari clothes readily awaiting for me. I like to plan what to wear and always like to fit into the scenery. I opted for army green coveralls and my straw hat for sun protection. The Safari van was on time and ready to take us on our wild life experience. With four other people on board, the experience was still worthwhile. We spotted a lot of animals roaming around, from Arabian oryx, Somali ostrich, gazelle, deers, giraffes to name a few. I couldn’t resist basking in the sunrise. If ever there was a more beautiful way of seeing the sunrise, to me it was spotting animals from the jeep. Our guide was gracious enough to have us take pictures with the Giraffes. We were also able to learn a lot of facts about the wild life and the history behind Sir Baniyas. As we were approaching the end of the tour, we finally spotted two cheetahs lazing around without a care in the world. The trip ended with a glimse of Sheikh Zayed home overlong the mountains.
Activities on the island
We learned that three days is not enough to experience Sir Baniyas Island, there is just too much to do. From, horseback riding and learning about the heritage of Arabian horses or nature walks, there is archery, land sailing and paddle boarding. The hotel also offers its own reaction which includes enjoying the infinity pool, a game of table tennis or walks on the beach. If you feel the need to unwind there is a list of options available at the Anantara Spar. I was a little disappointed at the size of the Spar and the size of the steam room. For such a luxury brand I was expecting more, nonetheless, I was able to unwind in the private room and enjoy a little time alone.
For more information of Sir Baniyas Island and for booking details please see the links below.
https://www.anantara.com/en/desert-islands-sir-bani-yas
http://www.sirbaniyasisland.com
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