ABU DHABI // The fierce summer heat is limiting bathers to only a couple of hours on the beach, but the price of getting on to the sand can still reach up to Dh250 (US$68), and shows little sign of declining.
With a limited number of serviced public beaches in Abu Dhabi, hotels and clubs are charging between Dh70 and Dh250 per person per day. Some hotels in the capital even refuse entry to day guests and non-residents on weekends or limit the number of facilities a day guest can use, while annual memberships cost from Dh2,500 at The Club at Meena Saadiyat, to Dh50,000 at the Emirates Palace hotel.
Despite the onset of summer and competition between an increasing number of beach clubs, hotels and clubs are reporting high demand for membership. However, several residents said the price of spending a day at the beach had forced them to consider alternative summertime activities. "It's all far too expensive," said Alan Ronald, who was shopping at Marina Mall with his wife, Margaret.
"On your day off, you get up and get ready late. You're in the car by 11 and at the beach club by 12 and off the beach by five.
"Because of the heat, you can only stand that length of time. That's just an afternoon.
"I don't mind paying money, but once you get there, a drink is extra and a meal is extra. Before you know it, for a family of four, you've spent £200 (Dh1,150) for the day.
"I'm reasonably well off and even I can't afford it."
Most hotels and clubs do not permit beachgoers to bring their own food and drinks on to the premises.
As an alternative to lying on the sand, Mr Ronald and his wife, who come from Scotland and moved to the capital last year, joined Abu Dhabi Golf Club, adding that a game of golf was more sociable.
If they do hanker for a saltwater swim, they will now go to the recently opened public beach on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, which charges Dh5 a head, although it lacks a pool, lounge chairs and drinks service.
Mark MacLean, a Canadian on his second visit to Abu Dhabi, said he once made regular visits to The Club, but now goes to public beaches to save money, even though there are fewer services.
Meanwhile, Mark Dewar, a Scot who was visiting his parents in the capital during a break at university, said: "My parents used to pay a fortune (on beach clubs) as there were five of us in the family.
"We used to go down to The Club every day just to get our money's worth. We went in the afternoons for five years and then stopped because they just kept on putting the prices up," he said.
For annual membership, clubs often charge widely varying rates for male and female singles. Couples often get a discount. Hotels and clubs will often consider income and place of employment when choosing members.
The Emirates Palace beach club denies access to its beaches and gyms to everyone except hotel guests and members.
For Dh50,000 per year for a couple, or Dh40,000 for a single man or woman, members have access to a 1.3km private beach, a gym and two swimming pools. A can of cola costs Dh25.
The hotel said it was not short of applicants. A representative from the club said it was no longer granting new memberships as it had reached its limit of 92 members.
At the Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers, the annual fee for a single man is Dh11,500 and Dh7,600 for a woman. On a weekday, someone who is not staying at the hotel can expect to be charged Dh150 for the day, but day guests are not permitted on weekends.
Weekday rates are slightly cheaper at the InterContinental Abu Dhabi. On weekdays the admission fee is Dh125 and Dh175 on weekends. However, day guests are restricted to either the pool or the beach and they cannot use the gym. A can of cola is about Dh14.
The Hilton Abu Dhabi also bars non-members from the beach and pool areas on weekends. On weekdays, it costs Dh125 per person.
The cheapest day at the beach can be found at The Club, which charges a weekday rate of Dh70 and a weekend rate of Dh140.
For those on a truly shoestring budget, the free beaches behind the Emirates Palace on Ras al Akhdar are popular, although they provide no toilets or changing facilities.
jgerson@thenational.ae
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if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
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Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
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As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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Three stars
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
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