Jebel Dhanna Resort Weekend

It isn't often that one goes to the beach to cool down, but now that daytime temps are hitting 35+ (add about 10 degrees to that if you happen to be standing on a dune in the middle of the day), we decided to flee to the coast.

Last weekend (like a week ago, not yesterday), we'd driven up to Jebel Dhanna to see what was there. The drive, 2 hours through NOTHING BUT SAND DUNES, is enjoyable enough, but once we'd seen the super-lux hotel and had a bank-breaking lunch, we felt that we needed a way to celebrate our 4-month wedding anniversary. Checking the internet, we found an awesome deal. The Jebel Dhanna resort tends to start at about $500 a night. Booking online brought the price down to less than half that (Sidenote: If you're ever thinking of visiting the UAE, off-season hotel prices and the current economic climate means that you can get huge deals).

And so, on Friday morning, we set off for Jebel Dhanna and our little slice of paradise. We arrived in the afternoon, and couldn't believe our luck. Because of random promotional deals, we were offered a dinner buffet on the beach with a Colombian band, and a boat ride in the Arabian Gulf the next day.

The view from the room...

Our room, overlooking the Gulf and the white-sand beach, gave us a view of turquoise-fading-to-crystal-clear ocean. Without wasting any time, we headed down to the beach, where an attendant set our towels out on the chaise-longues for us (there were other attendants walking on the beach, offering fresh cut fruit or an Evian spray -- yes, it is that kind of hotel). The lady to the right of us was wearing a "beach abaya" (like a wet suit that covers the head as well, leaving only the face and hands exposed), while the rather more modern Arabs to the left of us chatted with British accents about their sex lives. Made for an interesting cultural collide!

We waded out into the sea, which never hits more than knee-deep until you're about 500 metres out. It's like walking in bathwater - so warm. And yes... crystal clear!

The Columbian beach party was awesome. Great food (The UAE is the land of buffets... it's amazing!), and two mamacitas in white, backed by a small latin band, singing while the waves lapped in the background. Yup... paradise!

The next morning, Saturday, we were rudely awoken by the alarm that rang at 5, then 5:15, then 5:30, and so on... until we finally figured out how to turn it off.

Ty succumbs to the mystical energy sucking powers of the duvet...

The duvet kept sucking us back into bed until we finally made it down to the breakfast buffet (I swear, I will not be able to eat a normal meal once I leave here, and will probably find myself wandering around dining rooms, taking a spoonful of something off everyone's plate. I am so used to buffets now!).

We then headed for our free boat ride in the Gulf. It was a quick ride, and there wasn't much to see, but it was great to be on the open water.

After checking out, we wandered back to the beach where we were first attacked by a hammock that refused to let us go, then lolled about on the beach until the last possible minute. It was really too short of a visit (only one night), but for what was included, the price was right and as we left for our drive through the desert back to the Liwa (Yes, we took a break from living in a hotel by going to a different hotel....), we both felt the most relaxed we've felt in ages....

Ty's camera skills make me look arty and happy...