(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) From horse stables mangroves cheetahs and Arabian Oryx to spa resorts and exotic cuisine on offer the 87km Sir Baniyas Island is the perfect place designed to captivate the mind and rejuvenate the body.
Waiting for two hours at the Abu Dhabi Airport’s Terminal 2 for a half an hour flight to Sir Bani Yas Island felt a little irksome but since Rotana Jet changed its flights to the island from Al Bateen Airport to the international one the minimum one-and-a half hour check-in time was required.
The short flight to the island in the far western waters of Abu Dhabi emirate is worthy of a window seat for the great views of the capital its surroundings and its coastline.
As soon as we landed we were welcomed with spiced cold lemon grass tea Arabic coffee and icy towels accompanied by a fresh sea breeze that completely restored the lacklustre mood due to our early morning departure.
We were to check in at one of the latest accommodation addition to Sir Bani Yas island Al Sahel Villas.
The 87 square kilometres island is home to a wildlife park nearly half the size of the island - 41 square kilometres - mangrove forests three Anantara resorts the Gulf’s first and only wind turbine a conference hall and indoors water sports centre horse stables and the private royal palace.
Supplied Photos
“It’s been six years since Sir Bani Yas has been open as a tourism destination to the general public. Today we are proud of what we have achieved on the island making it one of the most attractive places to visit in the region” stated Ali Majed Al Mansouri chairman of Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) in charge of developing Sir Bani Yas.
For years the island has been closed to the public and when TDIC took over much of the work was concentrated on the wildlife park. An old building structure had been renovated and turned into the present day Desert Islands Resort and Spa the first hotel here.
About four years later the horse stables were added and the water sports centre and finally in 2013 the two new Anantara villa resorts - Al Yamm by the sea and Al Sahel inside the wildlife park.
Dark wood a heavenly bed with silky sheets a wide porch with a small pool where you can sit and watch roaming gazelles during the day and a sky brighter than any gold souq at night Al Sahel villas are a step beyond luxury and good taste combined.
Safari adventure and mangroves
Our adventure guide Janine Olivier was waiting in her safari-modified Land Cruiser to give us a full day tour of the island. “We are now inside the park which was created by Shaikh Zayed in 1971” said Janine.
We were to have a full driving tour through the park later in the afternoon but our first stop was one of the six mangrove forests on the island also a legacy of Shaikh Zayed.
Since the island was opened to tourism six years ago visitors were asked to sign up their names on a small piece of paper upon arrival and for those who did a mangrove seedling was planted in their name. This year alone over 6000 seedlings were planted.
“The seedlings have about 60 per cent chance of survival” explained Nabil Saeda the oldest mangrove expert on the island who came here 24 years ago when Shaikh Zayed began his conservation project on Sir Bani Yas.
“When Shaikh Zayed first brought mangroves here nobody knew how to plant them. He had to bring Omanis to do it and we watched and learn from them” he added.
Most mangrove trees on the island are Avicenna Marina typical to the UAE but last year the first few Red Mangrove trees were brought here which are extinct in the wild for over 100 years.
After trying our own hand at planting a seedling and after a kayak tour through a different mangrove forest it was finally time for the most popular activity on the island: the wildlife safari.
As soon as we entered the park gazelles and peacocks were everywhere.
“Sand gazelles are most popular animals in the park. We have over 5000 of them more then 50 per cent of all animals” said Janine.
Altogether there are around 13000 animals in the wildlife park most of them gazelles deer and all four types of Oryx.
Driving slowly on set dirt roads flanked by trees and bushes all of a sudden we came to an open desert plain filled with hundreds of white sharp long horns animals.
“They are the Arabian Oryx the most aggressive of all the four Oryx species so don’t go too close” warned Janine.
“They were completely extinct in the wild but Shaikh Zayed found a few in a zoo in Arizona and brought them here. Thanks to him we now have 500 Arabian Oryx on the island and the species went from extinct to endangered after being re-introduced to the wild.”
As we continued deeper inside the park the terrain changed to high grass and small trees - the cheetah territory!
There are only five of these fastest “cats” on Sir Bani Yas because their cubs were either killed by hyenas or by the adult male cheetah protecting its territory.
Seeing them is a rare treat as they are often hiding in the tall grass but on this afternoon we were lucky and spotted three cheetahs! One was in a fenced area for its own protection and the other two were sleeping right by the dirt road not perturbed by our arrival.
“They are both males but because they’ve been together since birth they accept each other. In fact they do everything together - sleep hunt they are inseparable” pointed out Janine.
Green Mountain falcon show
The sunset was near and we headed to the mountains rich in salt that was mined until 1971. The highest peak is only 148 meters and it is known as the Green Mountain trees and greenery being planted all over it by labourers in a gesture of thanking Shaikh Zayed for providing employment to them.
“Down there in the valley are Acacia trees which were planted by Shaikh Zayed in the shape of a dhalla the Arabic coffee pot a symbol of hospitality in Arab culture. The idea was that people who fly over the island would see it and come to visit the island” pointed out Janine.
On the way back the villas we stopped on a plateau for the latest addition to the island activities: the falcon show. The spot was purposely chosen as this is where Shaikh Zayed used to trap wild falcons back in the 70s for hunting.
The hiding place is still here a small bunker like cupola — big enough to hide one person — with a small window opening for observing the approaching falcons.
Exotic cuisine on the island
Our day of adventures came to an end and there was only one last treat before sinking in the silky sheets: dinner! Each of the three resorts on the island has its own restaurant and Al Sahel in keeping with the safari theme has a rather hard to come by African cuisine restaurant and open air barbecue!
Delicacies such as South African oxtail inspired sharing stories of bush cooking of zebra snake or kangaroo that most of the staff on the island has experienced. The next day our flight back to Abu Dhabi didn’t leave until 5.30pm enough time for exploring some more and the first stop were the stables.
“Wildlife tour on horseback is very popular but it’s only for the experienced riders” said Fiona Kierman the manager of the stables.
“These are not arena trained horses so you cannot tell them walk and they would walk; you have to take charge. Also if we find ourselves in a situation where the Oryx would attack the riders have to be able to gallop.”
For the less experienced though there is horse riding in the grassy grounds near the stables.
Mountain biking archery road sail are some of the other activities on the island along with the archaeology tour.
The earliest evidence of human presence on Sir Bani Yas dates to around 5500 BC. The big surprise though was the findings of 1992 when a Christian monastery on the island dated around 600 AD along with 35 other archaeological sites from different periods including the Bronze Age were recorded.
Within the monastery ruins pottery glassware and crosses were unearthed most of which being now in Abu Dhabi and will be on display in the future Zayed National Museum on Saadiyat island.
“This November the island celebrated its sixth year anniversary since it opened to general public and so far we have already seen a footfall of over 250000 people” said George Chakar senior development and operations communications manager at TDIC.
silviakhaleejtimes.com