Leave your worries behind, explore, experience and enjoy the natural beauty of this tranquil island.
Set just off the shores of the Western Region of Abu Dhabi around 290 Km from Abu Dhabi city is the sleepy little island of Shuweihat. It’s a mix of fishing village, beach cottages, an armed forces airport and vast expanses of cliffs and rocks.
This is a place to come to if you are looking for wide open spaces, clear calm waters and has rocks that look like they came straight out of some volcanic eruption.
Things to Do
As you drive over the causeway connecting the island to the mainland you will see the fishing village on the left, you can start by driving to this and exploring around a bit before you head deeper towards the end of the island where you will see some beach front cottages and to the left it the most popular area where the rocky shoreline gives way to the tranquil waters.
Shuweihat Island is a great place to camp overnight or just for a day trip, the shoreline is made up of sandstone cliffs that have eroded with time forming caves and ledges along the water front and when the tide is low you can actually have a picnic in one of the many caves you will find.
Later you can drive up the many small atolls dotted around for fantastic views of the fort like little island that lies just nearby.
The waters are crystal clear and quiet shallow so one can venture far out without much to worry about, be careful as its not a sandy beach but strewn with rocks and the occasional crab or two so shoes are recommended.
There are no changing rooms or facilities of any kind so make sure you bring all you need and take back all the trash leaving the place as cleans as you found it.
Watching the sun set is a must, the speed of the sun setting across the water always amazes us and the light changes in magical ways since there is hardly any air pollution.
It’s a fantastic spot for budding photographers with a wide variety of terrain and vistas to capture and if you are a stargazer then there is no place like this to for you, nature and bird lovers will not be disappointed as well.
How to get there.
Shuweihat Island is on the E11 in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi just after the refinery town of Ruwais. Its about two and a half hours form Abu Dhabi and four from Dubai.
The island is accessible by sedans as well but an SUV / AWD would be ideal as there are some tricky bits on the approach to the beach.
There are no shops or facilities of any kind so it recommended you stop at Ruwais Mall and stock up before heading to the island, there is a small Adnoc station just before the island with the last set of restrooms you will find.
The highway is four lane each way and after you leave Abu Dhabi the speed limit is 160 KM so if you enjoy driving there’s nothing like it.
Additional Attractions
It’s a beautiful scenic drive and if you are lucky you will see Etihad Rail operating their freight trains on the tracks running next to the highway, this is a sight to see as it’s the UAE’s only operational railway line.
On the way back try to stop at Ruwais Mall which is on top of a hill and offers fantastic views of the oil refinery all lit up at night, its an amazing sight worth taking the time to enjoy.
As the summer ends and the weather is improving there is no reason not to get your family together and head out for a day of fun to Shuweihat Island, The Experience Team highly recommends this place.
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