If Robinson Crusoe was marooned on this island I don’t think he would have had a problem – unless he didn’t like cheetahs.

Just over three hours from Dubai is a tranquil paradise that I would be happy to call home. And the best way to start your trip is from the air. The desert island of Sir Bani Yas, just west of Abu Dhabi, is seemingly inaccessible due to the shallow waters. Under the brilliant azure and turquoise ripples lie underwater mountain ranges and sand dunes struggling to reach fresh air. Sand bars jut out proudly into the inky depths, and rivers surge through sandy patches that have made their way to the surface. I could have been in the Maldives. I’ve been on lots of flights but this has to be one of the most captivating. At one point it was disorienting. The blue sea melted into the sandy coast, which merged with the sandy air, masking the horizon, which melted into the blue sky. I could have been flying upside down and not known it.

Our destination was a sneak preview of the new five-star deluxe Anantara Al Yamm villas opening next month to provide a relaxing and secluded spot that is so far unmatched in the Abu Dhabi area. To keep the peace, this is an adult-only retreat, although children are welcome at the neighbouring Desert Islands Resort. The 30 one or two bedroomed bungalows, which are neatly positioned on the beach or next to a lagoon, boast high-end fixtures and fittings, with plenty of dining and relaxing space to help you feel at home from home. If your private deck isn’t private enough you can retreat to the roof terrace.

The island has been developed by the Tourism Development and Investment Company, a subsidy of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, following the vision of Sheikh Zayed who wanted to create a sanctuary on the island, for his guests, as well as 10,000 gazelles, hyenas, cheetahs and giraffes.

So take your pick of activities: relax at the spa, swim in the pool or the sea, hire a boat for a spot of deep sea fishing, take a drive into the nature reserve for a bit of wildlife spotting…or do absolutely nothing. Isn’t that the point of a desert island?!

For more photographs click here.

The practical bit:

Transport: A free boat service, which runs every two hours, is available from the mainland, but the quickest option is to opt for a 20-minute flight from Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi. The flight, which costs around 400 AED, leaves three times a week on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Prices: A special summer rates coincides with the opening of the new villas starting at 1,850 AED including breakfast for a one bedroomed villa.

Accommodation options: Anantara also operates the Desert Islands Resort and Spa, the only resorts currently on Sir Bani Yas Island. The Anantara Al Sahel Villa Resort is due to open at the end of the year.

A bit of trivia: Al Yamm means “the sea”. The name was inspired by the Arish dwellings of the early fishermen and pearl divers who lived seasonally on the island.

Want to find out more? www.al-yamm.anantara.com

I live in a jungle city and sometimes I crave for the jungle. I live in a desert, and yes, I miss real forests that I can run through, scented with natural mulch and moss. I live in city of skyscrapers and sometimes I want to find a view that isn’t the urban sprawl from the top of a high-rise. Living in Dubai, there are trade-offs, but if you want a view of mountains and sand dunes rather than spaghetti roads and concrete, I can point you in the right direction.

Jebel Hafeet stands 1,240 metres high and is the tallest peak in the Abu Dhabi region, and the second tallest in the UAE. It sits on the edge of Al Ain and is only a 90-minute drive away from the cities. It’s worth making the effort even on the hottest day. Believe me, it’s a pleasant surprise when you get to the top and brace yourself for the furnace that greets you when you open the car door, only to find that it is actually a couple of degrees cooler. It may not be a big difference, but living in a frying pan we’ll take those couple of degrees any time we can.

The road that winds its way up the steeply sided mountain switches to offer some great vantage points. Along the route there are several parking areas to allow you to stop and click away with your camera.

The aerial view allows you to get some geographical perspective on your surroundings. If you’re travelling from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, you’ll pass sand dunes, some impressively orange in colour, and then you’ll hit Al Ain, with its long straight roads and roundabouts. But once you’re half way up Jebel Hafeet you get a better understanding of how the land is constantly changing. They say that sand will eventually cover everything leaving no trace, if left unchecked, and from your elevated position you can see the creep of the sand dunes, trickling over the scrub. The flat scrub then gives way to rocky outcrops, which rise steeper and steeper out of the ground until they erupt into the surrounding mountains.

You don’t have to travel far to see things from a different perspective. You just have to get in the car and drive. And take a picnic and a camera.

The practical bit
Accommodation: 
Probably the only hotel commanding such a view, the Mercure Grand Hotel Jebel Hafeet is in a super location with restaurants taking full advantage of its pinnacle position. The only things grand about the hotel however, is its title. It’s a little disappointing in terms of the quality of food and service. Although dated, it is basically clean. The rooms are on the small side for a family. We asked for a twin double room, to share with our two children, but the beds were not a standard size and not much bigger than a single; rather too snug for two adults to share comfortably. 

There are spa services, but I’m not sure whether I’ve had the worst or the best massage of my life. If you opt for a pampering don’t be surprised if this is not what you get. Less pampered and more pummeled. My husband described how he was hoisted up the bed by the masseuse putting her fingers in his ears and then had his eyeballs vibrated by an electronic massager. I’m not entirely sure if he was complaining.

Things to do:
·      Al Ain zoo – Compared to others this is a spacious and well-maintained zoo, which caters for rare breeds and endangered species too. It’s open 365 days a year but only during the evenings in the summer. www.awpr.ae

·      Watch towers and forts – Al Jahili is one of the oldest forts in the UAE and the birthplace of the late Sheikh Sayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan, founder of the nation. The Al Ain Museum is also worth visiting if you want an introduction to the region’s early history. 

“I’ve got a week in Dubai. There is no culture there. How can I spend my time?”

Hold on sister. Open your eyes.

I think broadly, most tourists who land in Dubai fall into two categories. There are those that are content to lie on the beach or by the pool during the day, and fill their boots, or flip flops, with alcohol in the evening. There is something to be said for R&R.

And there are those who are a bit confused and feel Dubai is devoid of culture and doesn’t have much to offer. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I have to admit, I was a skeptic when I first came here. I’ve travelled all around the world but I couldn’t get my brain to understand what Dubai was all about. I’d heard that it was the Vegas of the Middle East. I’d heard it was all fake. I’d heard that it was gold-plated.

And some of it is. But you only have to keep your eyes open to find out that the diversity and multi-facets of the Emirates is what makes it unique, and therefore confusing because you can’t compare it with anywhere else. You have no frame of reference. Of course, there are still “only in Dubai” moments when you see a shiny gold Maserati, or do a double take when you see a vending machine spitting out gold.

However, I think the best place to start your journey of discovery is at the beginning of history. Find the roots of the place, and then you will understand how the city grows from its foundation. I decided to take my own medicine – I jumped on a Big Bus tour and with my shades on (knees and shoulders suitably covered, of course) I pretended to be a tourist.

I find public transport stressful. There, I’ve admitted it. What should be a service that provides me with a solution when my mobility is challenged, turns into a challenge itself. I worry about missing my train or bus; I worry whether I’ll get a seat; I get stressed about the price of a usually poor service; and living in Dubai I’m pretty much out of practice, seeing as there are no trains, the metro is clean and efficient, and I don’t know how to catch a bus.

On holiday I’ve often seen hop on-hop off services touring around, and I’ve viewed them as a public transport solution, that takes the hassle out of buying separate tickets when I don’t know where I’m heading to, albeit at an inflated price. So that’s something else I have to admit. I’ve misunderstood the point.

The first lesson I learned is that this is not a public transport system. Yes, it takes you from A to B, and on to Z and back round to A if you want it too, but this is tour. We were given personal headphones, which allowed us to listen to commentary, encouraging us to look left or right. The service was punctual, and given the traffic in Dubai, this is not easy to achieve; the staff were courteous and I have to praise the drivers. You need to know how to navigate the dangers of Dubai’s roads, and with a massive bus this can’t be easy.

There are three routes: the red route takes you around old Dubai and the Creek area, the blue route travels down the coast as far as the Palm, and the purple route is a shuttle to Dubai Festival Centre. There are two points where you can change your route: at Wafi Mall and Burjuman Mall. We parked at the latter, and not wishing to rush around with two small children in tow, decided to spend our time on the red route, although it is possible to fit in the blue route too.

Even having lived here a couple of years, we found new places to explore. Here are some of the highlights:

·       Creekside Park: Cost 5Dhs entry per person. You can visit the Children’s museum, Dolphinarium or walk along the Creek promenade. The children enjoyed the mirror maze (20Dhs per child) in the Dolphinarium, but the flashing lights were a bit much for the adults. 

·       Cruise: An hour’s cruise on a dhow takes you to the mouth of the Creek and back. The ticket is included in the Big Bus package. We enjoyed a shawarma while letting the bustle on the river pass us by.

·       Souqs: Whether you’re interested in textiles, spices or gold, this is a great way to see traditional life in Dubai.

·       Dubai fort and museum: Al Fahidi Fort is probably the oldest building in Dubai dating from the 18th century. There are air-conditioned displays that take you through Dubai’s development from the pearl fishing village to the ultra modern shiny city. The ticket is included in the Big Bus package.

·       Sheikh Saeed al Maktoum’s house: the residential quarters of the former ruler of Dubai contains displays and photographs, which give you an insight into Dubai’s humble beginnings. The ticket is included in the Big Bus package.

So whether you’re a tourist visiting for the first time, or an expat who has lived here for years, there is always something new and surprising if you look for it. Just wipe the sand from your eyes.

Tips: If you choose to travel on a Friday little is open until 2.30pm so plan your day accordingly.
Big Bus 24 hour ticket cost: AED 220 for adults and AED 100 for children aged 5-15. www.bigbustours.com

Enter our new Big Bus Tour competition to win tickets worth $120

Welcome to Expat Explorers’ latest competition, in partnership with the Big Bus tours. We have three pairs of tickets up for grabs for Big Bus tours of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Muscat.

How to enter: Read our Big Bus article above and answer a simple question to be entered into the draw. The winner will be pulled out of a hat. Remember to say which city you’d prefer tickets for.

Competition question: How many routes does the Dubai Big Bus run and what colours are they?

Deadline: 10 November, 2013.

Good luck, and we look forwards to hearing from you. Click here to enter.