Emirate of Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates
Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort
Safari villas on a Gulf island stocked with cheetah, giraffe and thousands of oryx
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Sir Bani Yas is a natural island off Abu Dhabi's western coast that the late Sheikh Zayed turned into a conservation project from 1971, planting millions of trees and introducing wildlife. Today about half the island is the Arabian Wildlife Park, home to giraffe, cheetah, hyena, gazelle and one of the largest Arabian oryx herds anywhere.
Al Sahel is the safari-lodge component: raised villas in the savannah with decks facing the grazing land, so animals wander past at breakfast. Sister properties on the island cover the beach and mangrove options, and guests can use facilities across all three.
Days are given over to game drives, nature walks, mountain biking, kayaking through mangroves and horse riding, with archaeology on the side, the island holds the remains of a pre-Islamic Christian monastery. Access is by short flight or ferry from the mainland.
At a glance
What to expect
- Safari villas with plunge pools
- Wildlife game drives
- Nature and archaeology walks
- Mangrove kayaking
- Horse riding
- Anantara spa
- Mountain biking
- Ferry and air transfers
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