Abu Dhabi: The first Saadiyat public beach opened on Tuesday offering a range of facilities and activities, the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) announced.
The 400-metre stretch of beach, will be open from 8am to 8pm every day, with lifeguards on duty throughout the day to ensure visitors’ safety is taken care of by a specialised operator appointed by TDIC.
Saadiyat Public Beach offers a wide range of facilities including lounge chairs, shower cubicles, bathrooms, lockers, changing rooms, towels, umbrellas, and ample parking spaces. A snack lounge, a retail outlet selling beachwear and sports equipment, and eco-friendly water sports activities such as windsurfing and sailing, will be introduced gradually by the third quarter of 2013, the TDIC announced on Tuesday.
“We are excited to open Saadiyat Public Beach, which is designed to facilitate the needs of the island’s residents, as well as guests from the wider Abu Dhabi community. The location, which is an ideal retreat from the busy everyday life of the city, is unique to Abu Dhabi in terms of its tranquil beach atmosphere and stunning landscape, while being situated in proximity to Abu Dhabi’s city centre.” said Ahmad Al Fahim, Executive Director of Marketing, Communications, Sales and Leasing at TDIC.
“It is the perfect destination for visitors who are looking for a serene natural beachfront that is preserved in an eco-friendly environment,” Al Fahim added.
Saadiyat beach is fringed by a natural dune system, the Dune Protection Zone, where a restriction on building activities applies within 60 metres from the seaward edge of the dune system.
Access to the beach through the Dune Protection Zone is made possible over a boardwalk, which prevents damage to the sensitive dune vegetation. Saadiyat beach is also a natural nesting ground for hawksbill turtles, which come ashore annually between April and July to lay their eggs in burrows under the sand. During the nesting and hatching seasons, a specialised team trained to spot turtle tracks and turtle nests patrols the beach on a daily basis.
Saadiyat Public Beach enjoys a location near a collection of international five-star resorts. Other highlights include the island’s top-class sport and leisure facilities — such as the region’s first championship beachfront golf course among others.
