Where to stay H CNT EXCLUSIVE H ANANTARA SIR BANI YAS ISLAND AL SAHEL VILLA RESORT SNEAK PEEK The third Anantara resort to open on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi brings visitors closer to nature than ever before, says Prasad Ramamurthy magine living on a vast, grassy plain, Both the one- and two-bedroom villas punctured by thousands of acacia, at Al Sahel spell safari chic in their design. Ighaf and frankincense trees, which Each villa is furnished with four-poster beds, feed a robust population of Arabian oryx, leather-upholstered sofas, freestanding giraffe, ostrich and sand gazelles (and, in copper bathtubs and sunbeds. Savannah Grill turn, cheetahs and hyenas), on an island & Lounge, the resort’s all-day diner, serves surrounded by an emerald-green sea. Western classics and African dishes such as Welcome to the 30-villa Anantara Sir Bani biltong-crusted venison carpaccio and Cape Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort, on Sir Bani Yas Malay cashew vegetable potjie, as well as Island, 8km off the coast of Abu Dhabi and a huge buffet breakfast. Guests can also dine home to the Arabian Wildlife Park. The resort, at any of the five restaurants at the other two the newest of three on the island, is set resorts on the island, where the options range inside the park, at the base of hills topped with from Italian (Olio at Anantara Al Yamm Villa salt domes (crystalline deposits), and is really Resort) to a Middle Eastern buffet at The Palm designed for couples—although families with (at Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara). children older than 12 are welcome, too. Until about 30 years ago, the island was ANANTARA SIR BANI YAS ISLAND a vast desert wasteland. In the early ’70s, AL SAHEL VILLA RESORT the UAE’s founding ruler, Sheikh Zayed PO Box 12452, Al Ruwais, Sir Bani Yas bin Sultan Al Nahyan, embarked on the Island (http://al-sahel.anantara.com) ‘greening’ of Sir Bani Yas Island to provide Al Sahel gives you the Doubles from AED1,870 ( 31,700) a refuge for the Arabian oryx, which by then GETTING THERE Fly to Abu Dhabi with had been hunted to such minuscule numbers opportunity to see oryx Etihad Airways (www.etihad.com) or Jet Airways (www. that naturalists had declared it extinct. on horseback, in 4x4s jetairways.com) from Mumbai and New Today, the oryx thrive in their thousands and Delhi. From there, fly to Sir Bani Yas Island the Al Sahel gives you the opportunity to see or on mountain bikes with Rotana Jet (www.rotanajet.com), them on horseback (Arabian thoroughbreds a hike to sample the UAE’s ancient Christian which flies from Al Bateen Executive Airport stabled on site), in 4x4s or on mountain bikes. past and visit a monastery built in AD600. End five times a week. Flights take 30 minutes You can also kayak through lagoons and each day in your villa’s own private plunge pool, and a return ticket costs AED400 ( 6,800). mangroves frequented by flamingoes and sea with a Martini in hand, or at the spa (housed in WHEN TO GO turtles, take a seaplane ride for a bird’s eye the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara, Between November and February, when view of the island and its inhabitants, or go on a 10-minute drive to the north). the weather is temperate. 90 Condé Nast Traveller Apr-May 2014.