Gliding under the low-lying branches of the mangroves.
Abu Dhabi is the largest Emirate of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). If you close your eyes and think of Abu Dhabi, you will probably think of a sprawling desert with sand dunes, or perhaps the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque lit up at night. The city of Abu Dhabi, which is also the capital city of the UAE, is actually located on an island off the coast of the rest of the Emirate. This island is surrounded by over 40 sq m (110 sq km) of mangrove forests.
While I was walking around the city, I was lucky enough to stumble upon a kayaking company. I paid about $30 to rent a kayak for two hours. I didn’t realize how much I was going to enjoy paddling through the mangrove forests.
Mangroves are unique plants that offer numerous ecological and environmental benefits. These shrubs can grow in salty coastal waters and withstand the constant barrage of waves and changing tides. They also protect the coastline from erosion and natural disasters, such as tsunamis. In addition to these environmental benefits, they also serve as a home to various species of birds, fish, and reptiles.
I immediately noticed how many birds were present around the mangroves, especially compared to the rest of the city. I was amazed to see flamingos there as well! I passed by a group of kayakers who asked me if I had seen the dolphins that recently swam past. I kept an eye out for them but unfortunately never saw them.
There were narrow waterways that cut through the mangrove forests, which served as an incredible way to explore the forests. The kayak was able to pass under low-hanging branches while easily maneuvering through just a few inches of water. The forests were teeming with more wildlife than I expected to find in Abu Dhabi. Crabs were climbing up the trees, fish were visible through the water, and many different species of birds were singing.
I will never forget the scene that lay before me when I emerged from the mangroves: across the water, the towering buildings from the city of Abu Dhabi sat, marking a different world from the calm and quiet area that I found myself in. Shifting my gaze to west of the city, I could see vast desert that characterized much of the Arabian peninsula. The dry, sandy landscape was a stark contrast from the ecologically diverse mangrove forests just a few kilometers away. I was amazed to see how these three environments could be so close in proximity but couldn’t be more different.
The couple of days that I spent in Abu Dhabi were short, but very memorable. If you are planning a visit to Abu Dhabi, or want to make the most out of a layover there, you should definitely spend an hour or two kayaking around the mangrove forests.
