I crack the curtains and the sun streams into our cabin. We are moored at Sir Bani Yas Island. It’s already 8am but given that it was a late night for all of us, I’m glad that we’ve been able to have a bit of a relaxed morning. Up until now anyway. The boys have boundless energy and jump around the small space until we get cross with them. Eventually we get out the door and head to breakfast. It takes a while as we are still getting lost around the ship.
It’s 9am by now and we just make it to La Reggia for breakfast before the close off. Actually, I think they may have just closed already but the waiter lets us in anyway. I feel better after a cup of tea and eggs benedict. The children are excited by the platters of juice and pastries they have to choose from. It would be nice to relax in a little more but the staff are packing up and we have a safari to get to.
From here, hubby returns to the cabin to gather togs and towels, I take the travelling circus (consisting of two enthusiastic boys) to procure tickets for the tender boat to the island. Then we have a pit stop involving some singing in the bathroom (by Harley) before meeting in the Strand Theatre. A bit more waiting and lining up and we’re on the tender.
We’re impressed by the set up on the island. The cruise company has its own stretch of beach complete with sun beds, tables and umbrellas. There is a huge permanent marquee set up for a BBQ lunch and a playground for the children. We’ve brought our beach towels off the boat (with a warning to ensure we return them to the boat as well). On arrival, we check in at the tour desk and it seems, because of the fog that settled over us for an hour or two this morning, that everything has been delayed somewhat. We have another half an hour to wait.
This may have been annoying – we didn’t want to swim before the safari tour – but given the kids club are set up here with face painting, mini golf, ball games and ribbons – as well as a playground with jungle gym, we’re hard pressed to find fault and the extra half hour wait turns into a pleasure.
At our newly allotted time of 11:45am we wander off to find MSC12 Safari Tour. The drive around the island lasts about 90 minutes and we see gazelle, various iterations of Oryx (Arabian, Moroccan, East African….), goats, peacocks, Egyptian geese. Some of them are behind large fences, some we drive through and they’re right next to the car. The animals seem un-phased and I’m guessing that 20 odd 4WDs passing through several times a day is enough for them to be used to the intrusion.
The island itself is larger than I had expected. Around 86km long, the middle of the island is all wildlife reserve. Sheikh Zayed established the nature reserve in 1977 and has spent decades refining the conservation and education involved in the reserve. One fact that strikes me as mind boggling is the fact that all the groves of trees, plants and shrubs are artificially watered. The island has its own desalination plant as well as electricity generated by wind and solar. All the water is piped onto the plants and you can see the black water pipes running all over the place, likes veins of life across the sand.
We enter the cheetah enclosure. It’s huge. There are only four cheetahs in the reserve and my hopes dwindle. Only four, I think to myself, not wanting to disappoint the children as well, after all, this is what they came for. How will we ever spot one? We’ve already passed the giraffes but they seem to be elsewhere today. We drive around. There are more gazelle and I wonder to myself if this means portable meals for the cheetah. There are also turkeys wandering around. We drive for a while longer. There is much more vegetation here than anywhere else. Not just bushes but groves of shady trees and plants as well as grass. Actual long, bushy grass, like a savannah. We come to another gate and I expect that our luck has run out today. I quiz the tour guide – “how often do you actually see them?”. “We saw all four this morning” he responds. Again, I’m doubtful. They could be anywhere. The gate is opening but the car in front of us turns around and they close the gate again. It seems odd but perhaps it was an accident. We turn around also and there are a couple of vehicles stopped in front of us.
“There they are!” cries my husband. And sure enough, right outside his window, just next to the vehicle and hidden in the grass are two cheetahs. They’re stretched out in the shade sharing a huge carcass between them. One of the gazelle, it seems, was not so lucky as we are. There they lie, licking their prey, unperturbed by the onlookers. One takes a nibble and then turns around to lick his hind legs. They are spectacular. It’s a thrill, even from the safety of the 4WD to spot them like this, in their own habitat, albeit protected. It’s nothing like seeing them behind bars (or glass) at the Zoo. We turn the car around for another lap. Their gaze rests on us again and I feel like I could sit here and watch them for hours. Then it’s over. The driver follows the other cars out of the gate and I know we’ve been exceedingly fortunate. Another few minutes or a less keen eye from the driver in front and we might have missed them altogether.
We drive on and I see the ship up ahead in the distance and know we’re nearly done. We are driving on a road now, as opposed to a track and our safari is almost over. There are more gazelle and birds along the way back. We pass the airport, the palace and some of the maintenance and staff quarters. Then we gaze out, over the sand back towards the mountains in the middle of the island, from where our tour had been earlier and I spot the heads. Orange, brown and yellow, even from this distance they look completely majestic sticking up, just a bit higher than the trees. A heard of about 40 giraffes. Much too far away to make out the individual forms or capture with a lens but unmistakable nevertheless. I smile to myself.
Another 10 minutes and we’re back at the cruise beach. Lunch is served and we heard our hungry children to the buffet. Once fed, they’re energetic again and keen to hit the beach. We take up a patch of sand near the floating playground, which sits maybe 20m offshore, and I spread out the towels.
The boys launch themselves towards the water but it proves rocky and cold, despite the warm day. My husband ferries them over one by one and they have a ball, climbing, jumping and sliding for an hour or so. The little one comes back and makes a sand castle with daddy while the oldest makes a friend to slip and slide around with. I sit and watch, read for a bit and take some photos. I do consider a swim, even though I know the water will be invigorating but the rocks prove too much for me and I take refuge back on my towel.
The sun starts to get low and we can see the line for the tenders growing even as three at a time line up to ferry passengers back to the ship. We play a while longer and the boys rinse off and get changed. It’s time to head back. “Bye Sir Bani Yas Island” they chorus and wave as we climb back up the stairs on board. The leopard face paint is still somewhat visible on my youngest and he has a big smile on his face. I know they’ve had a great day as they bound along the corridors back to our cabin.
We put them in front of a show and take a drink on our balcony. We set sail as the sun sets and I smile to myself again. As we put the children to bed I crack the curtains, just a little, looking forward to seeing the sun dawn on another day tomorrow.
Good To Know
Sir Bani Yas Island, just off the coast of Abu Dhabi and about a 3 hour drive from the capital is a natural island that was established by Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan as an animal reserve in 1977. Since then, conservation work and ecological investment have been the main priorities and the centre of the island is now a sanctuary that is home to thousands of free roaming animals as well as trees and plants, a bird sanctuary and the wildlife reserve.
The remainder of the island is resort territory, purpose built for hosting the wildlife adventure safaris as well as a being a base for kayaking, mountain biking, archery, hiking, snorkeling and swimming. There is an airport here. There are also a couple of palaces and private residences for the Sheikh and his family and quarters for staff.
Would I Return?
Yes. I would return to Sir Bani Yas Island, just not for the safari. I hear that the resorts are excellent but they’re also very expensive and it’s not that easy to get to. For me, travelling with children, cruising was the perfect way to experience it.
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