It has been five months now since "lock down" has been implemented due the the COVID situation. Although this situation has prevented me from traveling freely, I am thankful that measures to promote our safety from infection has been in place. As "stay at home" rules slowly ease up and a new "normal" is slowly being implemented, I just can't help but dream of the best road trips I have had in the UAE. I will be revisiting most of them when leisure road trips will be safe again.
Topping my list of all-time favorite outdoor destinations in the UAE would be Suhweihat Island. This
Instagram-candy island is located around 270 kilometres west of the capital. The accessibility of the island heavily contributes to the melancholic feeling when adventuring alone, which I find amusing. This rock island is actually reachable by a land bridge that adds to the dramatic approach to what arguably is the most scenic spots on the country's coastlines. Technically being a military base, most of the beaches are fenced off to the public but that does not serve as a turn off to the wandering ones since the accessible areas still make up more than enough for the 2.5 hour drive from the big city.
Lined with cliffs and beaches, the coastline of this island paradise can be described with a thousand adjectives of praise. I would say, it is like Arizona's Antelope Canyon had a love child with the Maldives. The beauty of the island is highlighted by the pastel colors of the sands, rocks and the clear ocean that emits ever changing hues as the sun traces it's path across the Arabian sky. With the island being barely 2 kilometres wide, photographers can easily move about, taking full advantage of sunrise and sunset landscapes.
In one of our opportunities of camping overnight a few years back, we have observed that a lot of
rubbish is left by campers. It is a sad fact that humans leave an ugly footprint in natures masterpieces. Still, a silver lining is that there are more of those campers who are responsible enough to clean up after camp break.
My favorite activity in the island is exploring the cliffs and beaches. It is a unique experience to see the different faces of the beaches within a few hundred meters of walking and "discovering" caves along the cliffs.
Public access to the island have changed quite a number of times in the recent year. If you plan to visit, doing due diligence of checking online may be a good idea.
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