Sir Bani Yas Island & Safari Escape

Overview

How far is Sir Bani Yas Island from Abu Dhabi?

Two and a half hours drive from Abu Dhabi and three and a half from Dubai, lies one of the UAE’s greatest masterpieces: Sir Bani Yas Island. This remote and protected island evokes an epiphany of the wonder of human development and restoration, showcasing a symphony of human interaction with a wide variety of animal species, along with the regular cacophany of these animals in chorus. The harmonious way in which these vastly different species cohabit is incredibly fascinating. Moreover, it’s a credit to the conservation team who allow the safe interaction of these animals in an open area, allowing visitors to feel immersed in nature.

What is the background to Sir Bani Yas Island?

Sheikh Zayed is attributed with much of the conservation efforts on Sir Bani Yas Island. At 87 km², it is the largest off of the coast of Abu Dhabi. The island was initially his private dwelling but since his death in 2004, his wish to see Sir Bani Yas transformed into a wildlife reserve has been remarkably achieved and it opened to the public in 2008. In 2020, it was closed due to the Corona Virus pandemic. However, doors were recently reopened to visitors from February 2021.

What animals will I see on Sir Bani Yas Island? Is it safe to be amongst them?

The island is home to some 30 animal species and over 11,000 animals. These include blackbuck antelope, Arabian oryx (saved from extinction by Sheikh Zayed), Gemsbok oryx, reticulated giraffe, cheetah, hyena, spotted chital deer, Indian red deer, rock hyrax, sand gazelle, Reem gazelle, bush turkeys, urial and barbary sheep, tortoise, ostrich, emu and llama. There are also more peacocks than you could poke a stick at (although please refrain from doing this unlike the small unsupervised child we saw attempting to)! As a noteworthy point, the cheetah and hyena are in separate enclosures and not free roaming. This means the island is completely safe. Some of the other larger animals are also distanced well away from the accommodation.

What accommodation options are available?

The island promotes three main experiences which are discussed in detail below. Each is based in a separate resort area run by Anantara, yet all facilities are available to each guest.

1. Desert Islands Resort & Spa
2. Al Yamm Villa Resort
3. Al Sahel Villa Resort

Also on offer are various land- and water-based activities. These include safari drives, nature walks, high tea in the bush, wadi walks, mountain biking, kayaking and more. These are a fantastic way to add structure to your days of relaxation!

Index

Logistics
Getting to the island from Abu Dhabi & Dubai
When to visit
Money and payments
What to take

Accommodation Options
The Desert Islands Resort & Spa
Al Yamm Villa Resort
Al Sahel Villa Resort

Restaurants
The Palm
Al Shams Restaurant
Amwaj Restaurant
Olio Restaurant & Lounge
Savannah Grill & Lounge
High Tea
Dine by Design

Excursions
Safari
Nature walk
Conservation tour
Wadi walk
Horse riding
Water-based activities

Logistics

Getting to the island from Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Sir Bani Yas Island is best reached by private car and lies approximately 250km from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 350km from Dubai. With speeds along the highway of up to 160km/hr, the distance is quickly covered. If possible, avoid catching the public bus to Ruwais as I have heard this is long and arduous. You’ll first reach the Sir Bani Yas Island Ferry where you can park your car and ferry staff will assist you with your luggage. Light refreshments are served in an air conditioned room. From here there is a water taxi to the island which takes roughly 30-40 minutes. It’s smooth and definitely palatable for someone like me who does have a tendency for sea-sickness on longer trips. There are no commercial flights available although dignitaries can charter a private flight to the airstrip on Sir Bani Yas.

When to visit

The best time of year is during winter (best between December to March), which sounds cold but not in the Middle East! Please see my write up on Abu Dhabi for more details on when to visit and why.

Money and payments

All accommodation stays are paid at the time of booking. The rates fluctuate considerably on the website and increase quite remarkably the closer it gets to the time you intend to visit. If possible, book ahead for best rates. Note that there is a cost effective option for an ‘all inclusive’ stay. This includes breakfast, buffet dinners and one activity per person per trip. Additional activities are charged as extra. Also note that there is an ‘ultra inclusive’ stay which includes alcoholic beverages but this option is only available for stays at The Desert Island Resort & Spa.

What to take and what to wear

Always always pack suncream and a hat! Although there are many trees and undercover options, conditions on the outdoor excursions can be harsh and there’s no point spoiling a fantastic holiday with sore sunburn.

I’d recommend packing:

• camera
• suncream
• hat
• sunglasses
• insect repellant
• swimming attire
• safari attire
• enclosed shoes for the wadi walk / safari
• long trousers if you intend to go horse riding
• smart casual wear for evening dinners (heels are fine at most restaurants except not for the seafood buffet at Amwaj restaurant which is set on beach sand!)
• alcohol if desired (pre-bought alcohol is allowed on the island and at the time of writing, there were no bag checks conducted. There is a small bar fridge in villa rooms for storage)
• credit card to cover incidental payments / food / additional excursions

Accommodation Recommendations

The accommodation options on Sir Bani Yas Island boil down to three magnificent luxury options: traditional hotel room vs seaside villa vs safari villa.

The Desert Islands Resort & Spa

The Desert Islands Resort & Spa is a 64 room hotel, originally built as Sheikh Zayed’s guesthouse. It is an eclectic mix of Arabian, Asian and African influence with an elegant lobby showcasing lanterns and antiques that leads out to an array of restaurants and a large pool bar. It has an old-world charm about it and seemed to be more of a family space, with children and adults enjoying the atmosphere alike. The island buffet dinners are all held here in either The Palm, Al Shams or Amwaj restaurants.

Al Yamm Villa Resort

Al Yamm Villa Resort offers 30 beach-style luxury villas, some set facing the beach and some set facing a large lagoon. With its own pool, pool bar and Italian restaurant, it provides all you could desire from a beach resort, including outdoor massage tables and trendy cane chair seating areas. It’s well worth a visit for an afternoon and evening dinner but my personal feeling is that this type of holiday could be experienced in a more cost effective manner at one of the beach resorts in Abu Dhabi city.

Al Sahel Villa Resort

The piece de resistance of Sir Bani Yas Island is most certainly the Al Sahel Villa Resort. With 30 luxury safari villas set in a secluded ‘African savannah’ style region on the island, this became the setting of one of my favourite experiences in Abu Dhabi to date. Picture waking up to the sounds of chirping birds and then casting your eyes outside your villa window to see free roaming gazelle, peacocks, bush turkeys and spotted deer on your back doorstep. There was also a cheeky rock hyrax who left a little present on our front doorstep one afternoon. The animals seem to exist in one symbiotic free-for-all, harbouring curiosity for the humans who exist in their periphery.

On arrival, we spent about 15 minutes in sheer wonder and ecstasy looking around the safari villa, replete with canopy bed, old-world writing desk and chair, separate living area, Nespresso facilities, western-style swing door shower and even a steampunk design bathroom with double basins and a deep bathtub!

What can I expect from my private villa pool?

After taking all this in, we opened the back doors to find our private pool overlooking the wildlife under the acacia trees beyond! It was truly breathtaking. Most optional activities are offered in the mornings (6.30-10.30am) and evenings (from 5pm) and so we spent our afternoons poolside, capturing the funny antics of the many animals.

Your socks will definitely be knocked off at Al Sahel and with outdoor luxury massages, savannah high tea and African-style grills on offer in the evening, this is definitely the resort of choice!

Restaurants

The Palm

The Palm is a large open plan restaurant and the major host for breakfast, lunch and dinner at The Desert Islands Resort & Spa. The majority of evening dinner buffets are held here for guests. We experienced their ‘Eid Buffet’ in May 2021, which had extensive Arabic foods on offer, including slow-cooked lamb, fresh grilled seafood and desserts such as umm ali, rasgulla, laddu, jalebi and luqaimat.

They also had the most decadent kanafa, a well-loved traditional sticky sweet Arabic dessert of shredded filo pastry filled with ricotta cheese and mozzarella and drenched in rose water.

Al Shams

Al Shams pool bar and restaurant is a delightful place to kick off your shoes and relax during the day, or spend the evening for some post dinner digestifs. We spent a couple of evenings here, seated at the bar and enjoying convivial chit chat with the bar staff over some gin and tonics and martinis.

Amwaj

One of my favourite seafood buffets I’ve encountered occurred here at Amwaj! With open grills preparing unlimited lobster, prawns, octopus and squid, this is an experience not to miss whilst staying on Sir Bani Yas Island. There was also seafood paella, seafood cocktails and an extraordinary salad display with cold mussels and calamari. Complemented with a bottle of chardonnay and our evening was nigh complete.

Olio

Olio is the resident restaurant at Al Yamm. It whips up contemporary Italian dishes by the seaside for lunch and dinner, whilst providing breakfast with a breeze, overlooking the Arabian gulf. It has a much more intimate feel than the restaurants at the main Desert Islands Resort and is great for a romantic dinner for two, or for those evenings where you feel like dressing a little more fancy. Don’t forget to peruse the fine collection of Italian wines in Olio’s cellar.

Savannah Grill

At Al Sahel, diners are in for a treat. The Savannah Grill drums up unique African flavours such as grilled ostrich and gazelle, biltong and boerewors! With an evening buffet laid out in a campsite under the stars, you’d be forgiven for feeling as if you’re truly on another continent! During the day, the restaurant offers a delectable breakfast and lunch with delicious international cuisine. We had a couple of lunches here, sampling dishes such as the vegetable spring rolls, sweet potato wedges, crispy fried chicken, wild mushroom croquettes, crumbed prawns, grilled prawn salad and butternut salad with pumpkin seeds, pomegranate and feta. This is all to a backdrop of the ambling animals surrounding your table (whilst congenially keeping a respectful distance so as not to interrupt your meal). Keep an eye out through the trees for the two stunning high tea settings.

High Tea

Experiencing an afternoon high tea in the bush is a once in a lifetime moment. Walking away from the Al Sahel restaurant and concierge area and further into the scrubland, you will truly feel you’ve escaped to nowhere. It’s a wonderful feeling of being well into nature and with no other human sounds except your own. We were shown to our private table and cushioned wicker chairs, the former of which was set with cutlery, a floating flower feature and some small wooden giraffe ornaments. Adjacent this was an elegant spread laid out under a protective umbrella, shielding against the strong afternoon sun.

To start proceedings we commenced with black coffee and breakfast tea, with croissants, cucumber fingers, ham and cheese sandwiches, egg and lettuce dinner rolls and toasted chicken and cream cheese sandwiches. Next in the lineup were scones with fresh jam and cream, koeksisters, macarons, vanilla sponge fingers, shortbread cookies, lemon and fruit tarts, baklava and assorted chocolate spongecakes. Fresh fruit assisted in us cleansing the palate. The afternoon tea had an air of gentle kinesis: from the tree branches swaying in the breeze, to the Reem gazelle roaming around us, to the pea hen and her chick who brazenly waltzed past. The waiter came out twice to check on us but apart from that, we were left completely alone to savour each moment.

Dine by Design

The dine by design option is a take on the above but suited to a luxury beach side offering: a private meal on the beach under a canopied gazebo. We did not have time to include this but it also looked quite lovely!

Itinerary / Optional Activities

Land-based

The land-based activities are extensive and incredible and provide a brilliant perspective of the island size, topography and conservation efforts at play. My favourites included:

Evening safari

After being collected from our Al Sahel villa by buggy, we were taken to the safari jeep vehicle for our evening jaunt across the Sir Bani Yas Island plains. Having done some safaris in Africa, I must say that these vehicles were a little more comfortable and with only two seats per row, it meant that there was no unfortunate fellow stuck in the middle trying to take snaps. That being said, this was a private safari meaning only two of us were on board anyway!

The safari covered an extensive region of the island and we were fortunate to spot giraffes munching on acacia trees, a variety of gazelle and spotted deer, more peacocks, oryx, barbary and uriel sheep and some cheetah. Currently the cheetah are under a ‘rewilding’ program, where they are being trained to learn to kill and feed, in the hope of releasing them into the wild.

Morning nature walk

Depending upon the time of year which you visit, I’d highly recommend the early morning nature walk. If visiting in the hotter months, go for the 6.30am timeslot, although there is an 8.30 timeslot available. The tour runs for 1.5-2 hours so it can be unbearably hot by the time 10am approaches.

A jeep will take you to the entrance of a massive land enclosure.

Once inside, opt to drive past the huge herds of antelopes and deers to the back of the park, allowing more time to walk with the giraffes. Not only could we photograph the giraffe (and surrounding oryx, uriel sheep and barbary sheep, but we were taken on a personalised walk with a qualified professional BETWEEN the giraffe, splitting the pack while they roamed around us. This was unlike anything I had EVER done in Africa and allowed us to get so much more up close and personal than I ever expected or imagined possible.

On the drive back, we stopped in to observe the spotted deer and Indian red deer.

Conservation tour

Another tour that showcases some incredible animals is the ‘Discover Conservation’ activity. On this 4×4 jeep trip around the island, we learnt about the breeding and conservation efforts on Sir Bani Yas Island, as well as meeting some delightful animals such as llama and tortoise up close. We also went past the enclosures for the hyena and emu, which for obvious reasons we couldn’t enter. We did however lay eyes on the enormous emu eggs, which at their heaviest can weigh in at a whopping 680 grams, the equivalent of about 12 chicken eggs.

Sadly we were too late in the day to see the hyena so be sure to choose the 6.30 am tour to have the best chance, before these wily creatures retreat into underground holes to avoid the heat.

Wadi walk

Hosted by the cheerful and knowledgable Haleem, we were guided around the Sir Bani Yas wadi, whose surfaces at times had us positively convinced we had landed on Mars. At our first stop he took out his knife and began hacking into the rock (image below left): he was showing us a mammoth salt pan and we tasted the salt he had chipped away for us!

We were then led through the wadi being shown the remains of animal skeletons, oryx footprints, a stretch of frankincense trees, the layers of limestone and various elements such as Magnesium, Potassium and Copper, which all lit up the landscape in a rainbow of colours.

I really enjoyed learning about the fascinating geology in this region and this is definitely one of the tours for which you will require closed shoes!

Horse ride

Visitors are taken to the Sir Bani Yas Equestrian Centre and shown to the stables where the right horse is chosen for each candidate. The track is adjusted according to the skill level of each rider: beginner or intermediate. Advanced riders can gallop along the beach. All equipment is provided from helmets to chaps, although not really necessary if wearing long trousers. My horse (Blue) had a beautiful temperament, although did like to steer off track because he knew the short cut back to the stables!

Water-based

Due to time limitations, we did not do the water-based activities, however these included:

• Kayaking
• Snorkelling
• Banana Boat Ride
• Tube Ride
• Paddle Boarding
• Fishing

All in all, Sir Bani Yas Island is unlike any other experience you will have in the Middle East. I highly recommend visiting if you live in the region or can not travel to Africa due to the current Corona Virus restrictions! As a destination alone, the Al Sahel Resort is well worth the effort. It is luxury and quality combined.