We stayed at the Ghantoot Cassells Resort, which is on the coast between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. There was a perpetual sandstorm blasting the country while we drove to the place. The road looked like animated moving sand. There were sporadic rain showers at time and thunder was heard later on that day. There isn’t much in Ghantoot other than a couple resorts and the palatial palace. We did pass a large equestrian club when exiting the motorway on the way to the resort. The place was filled with packaged tourists as the parking lot was fairly empty but the place was busy. They offer free shuttles to and from IBN Battuta Mall about 45 km away at noon and 6pm. The facilities were good and there are plenty of activities to choose from, either on the water or land. I opted for the quad bike ride as the water was still fairly chilly. They have jet ski rental, water skiing, tubing and kayaks on offer as well. The tree-lined beach was a good place to hang out but not as nice as the beaches in Dubai. This can be a quick escape from the city. The other resort did have an Ibiza nights party going on which blasted music until around 11pm, which I found interesting with such proximity to the Al Shahama place, just down the waterway. Either members of the ruling family were not there or they enjoy blasting techno music and bass that could be felt even in the walls. Just another surreal experience in the Middle East.
RSS Feed
