Zighy Bay - anyone been?
Discussion
t/exposed and to take the runaboutThere is secure parking (a lightly gravelled covered car park monitored 24 hours by Zighy Bay security) so it should not be a problem. There is no need to park on the side of the road which is used by the locals. The roads up there are fine. There is a final stretch of a couple of kms which is a very lightly gravelled sandy path but my 911 made it no problems. However, it is worth taking the Prado and arriving a bit early prior to check in only because that sandy path is one of the roads listed in the UAE 4x4 guide and it is very scenic and worth a drive.
Once you park, the Zighy Bay 4x4 will take you the final leg up and across the mountain. Parasailing is an option but you need 48 hours notice and it comes at a hefty charge. Sailing from the Zighy Bay speedboat is also possible but you will need to leave your car at the not so secure Dibba harbour!
Once you park, the Zighy Bay 4x4 will take you the final leg up and across the mountain. Parasailing is an option but you need 48 hours notice and it comes at a hefty charge. Sailing from the Zighy Bay speedboat is also possible but you will need to leave your car at the not so secure Dibba harbour!
Edited by tamago on Thursday 28th October 06:14
Take the Prado and park up at the resort itself.
First time we went, we arrived at night. After getting to the main gate, the drive up the hill was fine. The drive down the other side was fun. Pitch black, and I mean nothing, and you'd be going down a steep hill and need to do a tight turn - your headlights are shining out in what looks like an abyss, the tyres are scrabbling about and sliding and you just need to turn in and assume the car will pull you round. I was in the Nissan Pathfinder I had at the time.
It does, of course, but still fun
Zighy Bay is wonderful - extremely relaxing. One thing we did was late night, wander on to the beach with a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine and just sat there and got nicely squiffy - also helped that it was a red full moon close to the horizon. It looked like the sea was on fire.
Awesome.
First time we went, we arrived at night. After getting to the main gate, the drive up the hill was fine. The drive down the other side was fun. Pitch black, and I mean nothing, and you'd be going down a steep hill and need to do a tight turn - your headlights are shining out in what looks like an abyss, the tyres are scrabbling about and sliding and you just need to turn in and assume the car will pull you round. I was in the Nissan Pathfinder I had at the time.
It does, of course, but still fun
Zighy Bay is wonderful - extremely relaxing. One thing we did was late night, wander on to the beach with a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine and just sat there and got nicely squiffy - also helped that it was a red full moon close to the horizon. It looked like the sea was on fire.
Awesome.
Edited by Asterix on Thursday 28th October 20:49
I'd rate it as the best place I've ever stayed - really quiet, wonderfully relaxing place and luxurious without being tacky or ostentatious. We went in an R8 which coped fine with the gravel path on the way and the 4x4 ride from the parking area was cool - good views from the top. Kind of wish I'd done the parasailing in, but it was about 800AED each or something.
Regardless, I don't think hotels get much better.
Regardless, I don't think hotels get much better.
PhillT said:
I'd rate it as the best place I've ever stayed - really quiet, wonderfully relaxing place and luxurious without being tacky or ostentatious. We went in an R8 which coped fine with the gravel path on the way and the 4x4 ride from the parking area was cool - good views from the top. Kind of wish I'd done the parasailing in, but it was about 800AED each or something.
Regardless, I don't think hotels get much better.
Have to disagree, I'm afraid. At GBP 1000/night (and that was with taking a couple of bottles of wine with us and not going mad) I was disappointed. I could reel off the names of several places which are heaps better - and many are cheaper, including (notably) Al Maha.Regardless, I don't think hotels get much better.
The building works in the villa next to us early on Saturday morning were hardly in keeping with our expectations and the frankly ridiculous "Zighy time" seems to purely a device to engineer an 11 am rather than a midday check out (contrary to what the website says when you book).
I took the Prado and the drive in was pretty cool; unfortunately, Wadi Bih was closed so were unable to come back that way. Did the paragliding, which was good, but I wouldn't go back.
If anyone is thinking of going to Zighy Bay, my advice would be go to Al Maha instead - 2/3 of the price and far, far better. Both have great infrastructure, but the service at Al Maha is beyond reproach. The same could not be said of this place - they even contrived to "lose" my car at the end of the stay!
85Carrera said:
PhillT said:
I'd rate it as the best place I've ever stayed - really quiet, wonderfully relaxing place and luxurious without being tacky or ostentatious. We went in an R8 which coped fine with the gravel path on the way and the 4x4 ride from the parking area was cool - good views from the top. Kind of wish I'd done the parasailing in, but it was about 800AED each or something.
Regardless, I don't think hotels get much better.
Have to disagree, I'm afraid. At GBP 1000/night (and that was with taking a couple of bottles of wine with us and not going mad) I was disappointed. I could reel off the names of several places which are heaps better - and many are cheaper, including (notably) Al Maha.Regardless, I don't think hotels get much better.
The building works in the villa next to us early on Saturday morning were hardly in keeping with our expectations and the frankly ridiculous "Zighy time" seems to purely a device to engineer an 11 am rather than a midday check out (contrary to what the website says when you book).
I took the Prado and the drive in was pretty cool; unfortunately, Wadi Bih was closed so were unable to come back that way. Did the paragliding, which was good, but I wouldn't go back.
If anyone is thinking of going to Zighy Bay, my advice would be go to Al Maha instead - 2/3 of the price and far, far better. Both have great infrastructure, but the service at Al Maha is beyond reproach. The same could not be said of this place - they even contrived to "lose" my car at the end of the stay!
Seems like we might have been unlucky, as everyone else raves about the place (and certainly the setting, the villas, etc are all top notch).
To their credit, the resort have been in touch to apologise and to offer a free stay so I will have the chance to reconsider my views after that.
To their credit, the resort have been in touch to apologise and to offer a free stay so I will have the chance to reconsider my views after that.
I'm really sorry to hear that your experience wasn't up to scratch - I don't recommend many places like this as it can always come back and bite you but I've travelled pretty extensively and stayed in some top notch places and Zighy Bay is right up there. Better than Al Maha imho.
You really must have been unlucky with the building works - it was tranquillity personified when we've been.
I'm glad they've been in touch to try and make amends - Sixth Senses are a good company - we also stayed in their place by the Dead Sea in Jordan - again, an extremely memorable stay. Much better value than Zighy bay as well.
You really must have been unlucky with the building works - it was tranquillity personified when we've been.
I'm glad they've been in touch to try and make amends - Sixth Senses are a good company - we also stayed in their place by the Dead Sea in Jordan - again, an extremely memorable stay. Much better value than Zighy bay as well.
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