Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort: Thirty Sanctuaries Within the Arabian Wildlife Park
Sheikh Zayed’s Island Sanctuary
Sir Bani Yas was Sheikh Zayed’s vision. He took a natural island eight kilometres off the western coast of Abu Dhabi, stocked it with animals across decades and planted it with millions of trees, creating the Arabian Wildlife Park. Al Sahel stands as the lodge within this resulting savannah, a collection of thirty villas set into grassland where cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes and oryx roam in their natural state.
Opened in 2013, Al Sahel distinguishes itself through its considered aesthetic. Timber, canvas and earth tones compose the architectural language, with low buildings that eschew embellishment. Grassland extends on both sides of the approach road, gazelle scatter across it, and in the middle distance, giraffes stand in the shade of acacia trees. The Arabian Gulf transforms into East African wilderness.
The Journey to the Island
The island is reached by water taxi from the Jebel Dhanna jetty, a sojourn of approximately thirty minutes, with four scheduled crossings each day. Light aircraft also serve the island. From the island jetty, the transfer to Al Sahel takes twenty to twenty five minutes through landscape that shifts from coastal jetty to pure savannah.
The remoteness is deliberate and essential. It is precisely this isolation that allows the wildlife to behave as it does, moving freely and naturally through the park without the pressures of proximity to human habitation.
Thirty Villas in Graceful Arrangement
The thirty villas are positioned so that each gazes out into the park rather than towards its neighbours, and this careful placement ensures that animals pass within sight of sun loungers and terraces throughout the day.
A Savannah Pool Villa encompasses 315 square metres with one bedroom, a private pool and terrace living oriented towards the grassland. A Wilderness Pool Villa extends to 415 square metres, whilst the Anantara Two Bedroom Family Pool Villa reaches 573 square metres with two bedrooms. All three feature private pools and interiors that speak the language of lodge rather than resort, warm and textured rather than sleek and contemporary.
The two bedroom villa transforms how families experience the island. At 573 square metres, it removes the necessity for multiple bookings, and the private pool provides sanctuary during the hours between dawn and dusk game drives.
Dining Within the Savannah
Savannah Grill and Lounge serves as the resort’s principal restaurant, a Southern African grill offering breakfast from six o’clock, lunch from noon and dinner from half past six, with views across grassland throughout. An African menu in the Arabian Gulf transcends concept when oryx walk past the dining room windows.
The island’s dining extends further through Olio Restaurant and Lounge at the sister resort Al Yamm, offering Mediterranean cuisine on the beach, and two further restaurants at Desert Islands Resort and Spa, all connected by complimentary shuttle service. Spice Spoons cooking classes and Designer Dining are arranged on request, whilst in villa dining operates around the clock. Bonfire feasting at the boma and Tea on the Savannah are both established traditions, and with thirty villas, the kitchen learns each guest’s preferences within a single day.
Game Drives and the Park’s Majesty
Wildlife safaris traverse the Arabian Wildlife Park by vehicle, revealing cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, Arabian oryx, gazelle, peacocks and thousands of other free roaming creatures. Beyond the drives, the island offers an archery range, horse riding from its own stables, a water sports centre, a tennis court, desert biking, guided nature walks through the wadi and kayaking through the mangroves. An ancient Christian monastery site dating from the seventh century, the oldest in the Emirates, adds layers of historical significance.
Those who treat this as a beach resort with animals attached have misread the property entirely. The park is the reason to come, and dawn is the hour to book.
Facilities and the Island’s Generosity
A main pool serves the resort alongside a boutique fitness studio equipped with Technogym apparatus. A complimentary shuttle reaches Desert Islands Resort and Spa, where Al Sahel guests access a full gym, a spa and a children’s club, along with two further dining establishments.
This shuttle arrangement allows a thirty villa lodge to offer provisions typically associated with much larger properties. Al Sahel maintains intimate facilities whilst borrowing scale from the island, affording guests the tranquillity of a lodge combined with the amenities of a substantial resort situated twenty minutes distant.
Childcare can be arranged for families. This is not a destination for a fleeting sojourn. The journey rewards three nights or more, and game drives merit consecutive morning bookings rather than a single excursion.