An idyll tucked away in the oil hub Ruwais

An industrial hub two hours from Abu Dhabi has more to offer than just petrochemical plants.

Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort in Ruwais. Lauren Lancaster / The National

You might think of Ruwais, an industrial hub 240km west of the capital, as a maze of petrochemicals plants and isolated workers' camps, punctuated by a couple of Adnoc petrol stations.

This is only half true.

Drive 15 minutes outside the centre of Ruwais and you'll find the Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort. White-sand beaches, very few tourists and water so clear you can see your toes. Who needs a private island when you can find such an idyll a two-hour drive from Abu Dhabi?

The water is shallow and blue-green for what seems to stretch for half a kilometre out. No oil tankers or drilling rigs were in sight on a recent visit. A few visitors from the UAE were gathered around the pool but the beach was largely quiet. Hammocks wide enough for two people dot the green resort grounds.

Towards dark, shisha and other refreshments can be enjoyed at Gazebo, a tranquil spot near the beach. If smoking isn't your thing, the fitness centre has a few basic spa rooms offering massages.

The hotel has one feature you can't find in Zanzibar or the Maldives. Thanks to it being the only refreshment outlet of its kind for 240km in any direction, L'attitude bar has unique charms echoing perhaps the Wild West.

Inside, a belly dancer in a silver costume entertained an international audience hailing from the Levant and East Asia. After she and her cane twirled off the stage, traditional dabke music - the kind of celebratory musicheard at Arabweddings - came on. Some men taught others how to throw their arms over each other's shoulders and stamp their feet. Outside the hotel, amenities are few - just a couple Adnoc Oasis stop-n-shops and the Adnoc workers' complex referred to as Ruwais Housing - so you might want to bring some personal supplies, just as if you were heading to the frontier.