Sir Bani Yas Island

Sir Bani Yas Island is a nature reserve off the coast of Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Originally a private conservation project of the late Sheikh Zayed, the island has free-roaming wildlife including Arabian oryx, gazelles, giraffes, and cheetahs. Ships anchor offshore and tender to a beach area set up for the day. There are no towns on the island. Wildlife safari drives (by 4x4) cover the reserve and offer close encounters with the animals. The island also has the ruins of a Christian monastery dating from around 600 AD, one of the few pre-Islamic archaeological sites on the Arabian Peninsula. Kayaking through the mangroves is available. The Anantara resort on the island has a restaurant and facilities accessible by shuttle. A barbecue lunch is typically set up on the beach for cruise passengers. The UAE Dirham is the currency.