Arabian adventure

zoom

The UAE's newest luxury adventure holiday is plonked on a desert island in the middle of a wildlife reserve. So can it work, asks Madeleine Collins.

Before embarking on a holiday it's always wise to consider the travel options to your destination. When I booked a two night stay at the Desert Islands Resort and Spa on Sir Bani Yas Island, flying to the remote coastal retreat, which lies 250km west of Abu Dhabi, wasn't an option.

However, at the culmination of my laborious five hour car journey from Dubai (thanks to a current very confusing detour through Abu Dhabi) I was utterly frazzled, and vowing that I would only ever return in a private helicopter - which I would clearly have to dream up out of thin air.

The usual drive to Sir Bani Yas should take around four hours from Dubai, which is still long for a three day break, and it was only the promise of what lay ahead that kept me going on the long and lonely road to what definitely felt like nowhere.

Sir Bani Yas Island was originally developed as a private wildlife reserve around 25 years ago by the late ruler and founder of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Conceived to ensure the survival of Arabia's most endangered species, it's said to be one of the great legacies of Sheikh Zayed, who died in 2004, and is today home to more than 23 species of free-roaming animals.

The Sheikh's vision, that the island would one day open to the public so they could share his passion for animal conservation, has finally been realised and the island had its public unveiling on October 1st this year.

And so, my only question as I finally reach the long and winding road to the island's private jetty: can a wildlife reserve in a desert climate stuck out on an island really work?

And then I see the speedboat. The gleaming white vessel that will transport me to the island is a sight for sore eyes. All thoughts of "this better be worth it" dissipate as we speed away from the dock.

The best bit? What lay before me was a real island. Not a manmade one, not a sandy mass dredged up from the ocean floor.

A real island. And what lay upon it is no imitation.

We pass the Sheikh's grand palace, which is still occupied by his family, but upon arriving at the jetty I am driven to what used to be the ‘guesthouse', which is now the island's only hotel. From the outside the large modern, sandy-coloured building with dark tinted windows looks a bit naff amid such a dramatic desert backdrop.

The ocean sparkles enticingly behind though, and the overall sense is of a place as far removed from the hectic pace of city life as one could hope to find.

Despite its unattractive exterior, the hotel is quite spectacular from the moment you step beneath the huge canopy that umbrellas the entrance. Huge wood-carved and velvet clad chairs sit next to sprawling leather couches, and an African safari theme is carried on throughout the hotel - from the warm brown and rust hues of the furnishings, to the abundance of natural materials like water, wood and stone that comprise the décor and interior of the hotel.

I begin my desert island experience with a visit to the hotel's Safaa Spa in an attempt to eradicate any last memories of my journey. Set aside in a separate building, the intimate spa is a lovely oasis all of its own and I walk out 90 minutes later in a rather zombie-like state, thanks to an expert aroma-
therapy massage.

It isn't long before I realise the sense of calm I'm experiencing is also due to the fact that I appear to be the only guest on the entire island. Dozens of staff members flutter quietly around me, all with huge welcoming smiles and greetings, but I can't spot another guest for the life of me.

I'm momentarily concerned that I virtually have the island all to myself, but this quickly disappears over a pre-dinner glass of wine while watching the sunset at the pool bar. Will I be bored? Will time drag? Fortunately time does drag and so does the sunset, down over the lilac mass atop the horizon, signaling it's time for dinner.

As I sit alone at the hotel's Palm Restaurant, the silence is wonderful. The hotel really is the most peaceful place I've encountered in a long time. "Just relax!" smiles the friendly concierge as I enquire about booking an activity on the way up to my room. The hotel may be managed by the award-winning Anantara group, but its selling point is that it is a luxury adventure holiday, so I decline.

The activities currently on offer on the island are game drives, kayaking, mountain biking and snorkeling. There are plans to expand next year to include horse riding and archery, but I'm here to see the animals.

All activities have daily time slots of 7.30am, 11am and 3.30pm, and after receiving confirmation that I will see no fewer animals on the 11am game drive than the very un-holiday like early morning slot, I book my spot.

To my surprise I'm joined by a lovely British couple, who live in Jumeriah. We're greeted by our Slovakian guide Jana and embark on a leisurely drive in a 4x4 jeep around the vast island, which really is quite ruggedly beautiful. The winter climate is perfect for exploring in the open top jeep and the cool breeze whips are faces as we learn the fascinating history of the island.

The first underwater movement occurred about 200 million years ago, Jana tells us, and the last one 20 million years ago. When the plates crashed, the uplift created the mountains on which salt domes now sit. The main base of salt is buried 5-6km under rocks of different ages beneath the sea level.

Later, six to seven thousand years ago, the island was inhabited by fishermen who fished for dugongs (elephant-type dolphins) and dived for pearls.

The island currently contains 36 archaeological sites, all of which are still under research. They include what is thought to be a Muslim cemetery and a Christian monastery, and there is proof in some parts that people once lived on Sir Bani Yas to mine salt.

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM