My Trip in December 2024 (Part 5) – Sir Bani Yas Beach, United Arab Emirates

Back on December 12, 2024, I had an unforgettable time in the Gulf countries. It was definitely one of the most enjoyable trips of my life. So far, the newest and most elegant cruise ship I have been on is the MSC Euribia, especially with its stunning Swarovski-crystal staircases in the atrium and the LED dome along the ceiling of the long promenade.

回到2024年12月12日，我在海灣國家度過了一段難忘的時光。這絕對是我人生中最愉快的旅行之一。到目前為止，我乘坐過的最新、最優雅的郵輪是MSC Euribia號，尤其是中庭施華洛世奇水晶樓梯和長廊天花板上的LED穹頂設計，令人印象深刻。

The view of a beautiful sunrise from the cruise ship was breathtaking. Like an oil painting, it brightened my day. 從遊輪上看到的日出，簡直像一幅油畫。感覺邁向新的一天!

The second destination in the United Arab Emirates—any guesses? 阿聯酋的第二個目的地是哪裡？

The shoreline featured an aquamarine ocean. 海岸線擁有湛藍如碧的海水。

The place is called Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach, located on Sir Bani Yas Island—a destination many people may not have heard of or considered when traveling to the UAE.

這個地方叫做錫爾巴尼亞斯遊輪海灘！它位於錫爾巴尼亞斯島上，我相信大多數人在去阿聯酋旅行時從未聽說過或想到過這個地方。

Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach is awarded the Blue Flag, an internationally recognized and respected award for beaches that meet the criteria for its water quality, safety and services, environmental management and environmental education. There are plenty of facilities on the beach such as buffet and dining area, clinic, shop, toilets, shower, swimming area, water sports, volleyball, football, spa and prayer room. It is also home to Arabian Wildlife Park with Arabian oryx, gazelles, giraffes, hyenas and cheetahs.

Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach榮獲「藍旗（Blue Flag）」認證，這是一項國際認可且具權威性的獎項，授予在水質、安全、環境管理與環境教育等方面達到高標準的海灘。海灘設施十分完善，包括自助餐與用餐區、診所、商店、洗手間、淋浴間、游泳區、水上活動、排球與足球場、水療中心以及祈禱室。此外，這裡也是Arabian Wildlife Park的所在地，可以看到阿拉伯羚羊、瞪羚、長頸鹿、鬣狗和獵豹等動物。

Like most passengers, I had a buffet lunch on the beach. The food was okay, but the ambiance was impressive, as I rarely get to enjoy lunch outdoors. If I didn’t tell people this was in the Middle East, they might think it was in the Caribbean.

和大多數旅客一樣，我在海灘上享用了自助午餐。食物算OK，但環境令人印象深刻，因為我很少有機會在戶外用餐。如果我不說這是在中東，大家可能會以為是在加勒比海。

Waterpipes were served on the beach. 海灘上也提供水煙。

Some passengers enjoyed music and dancing on the green grass. 有些旅客在綠色草地上享受音樂與跳舞。

 

The garbage bin was quite colorful—it felt more like summer than winter. 垃圾桶色彩繽紛，讓人感覺更像夏天。

I believe these were decorative sand art bottles, popular handmade souvenirs found in desert regions. This craft originated in Petra, Jordan in the early 20th century.

我認為這些是裝飾用的沙畫瓶，是沙漠地區常見的手工紀念品。這項工藝起源於約旦的佩特拉，可追溯到20世紀初。

A souvenir shop offered a variety of products, including bags, shirts, Arabic tableware, and miniatures.

紀念品商店提供各式商品，包括袋、衣服、阿拉伯風格餐具以及小型擺設。

The shop also featured Arabian handicrafts, including Aladdin-style magic lamps. 

店內還有阿拉伯手工藝品，例如阿拉丁神燈！

There were more handicrafts, as well as regional products like spices, dried fruits and nuts. 

還有更多手工藝品，以及當地特產，如香料、乾果和堅果。

On another side, personal care products, henna powder, and even Tiger Balm could be found. 

另一區則販售個人護理用品、指甲花粉 (henna powder)，甚至還能找到萬金油！

The most relaxing moment after lunch was lying on the beach and enjoying the sunshine. 

午餐後最放鬆的時光，就是躺在沙灘上享受陽光。

As I was leaving, I noticed another cruise ship nearby. 離開時，我注意到還有另一艘郵輪。

The other ship was the Celestyal Journey—has anyone heard of it?

那艘郵輪是Celestyal Journey，有人聽過嗎？

The best dinner was served that evening, with the theme “Mediterranean Night.” A menu with Chinese translations was provided—excellent service!

當天晚上的晚餐是整趟旅程中最好食的一餐，主題為「地中海之夜」。餐單還附有中文翻譯，服務非常貼心！

This was the table assigned to us for the 7-night cruise. 這是我們在這趟七晚郵輪旅程中被安排的餐桌。

All the waiters and their manager provided wonderful service. To match the theme, they wore special aprons during dinner.

負責我們這桌的服務生和經理都提供了非常優秀的服務。為了配合主題，他們在晚餐時還穿上了特別的圍裙。

This was the most satisfying dinner on MSC Euribia. The presentation and taste of every dish were nearly perfect. Unlike the other days spent visiting cities filled with tourist attractions, this day was the most relaxing, and the dinner was especially enjoyable.

這是我在MSC Euribia上最滿意的一頓晚餐。每一道菜的擺盤與口味都近乎完美。與其他幾天忙於造訪熱門旅遊城市相比，這一天是最放鬆的，而這頓晚餐也因此格外令人享受。

My Trip in December 2024 (Part 4) - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

 

December 10, 2024 was a sea day, so I had a chance to walk around the ship. Christmas decorations were being put up in the atrium and along the stair handrails.

2024 年 12 月 10 日是海上航行日，所以我有機會在船上四處走走。中庭和樓梯扶手上正陸續布置聖誕裝飾。

Have you noticed the Christmas cushions? They were made in Italy and were only allowed to stay in the atrium area. I would definitely have taken one back to my stateroom if it had been allowed.

你有注意到那些聖誕抱枕嗎？它們是義大利製造的，只能擺放在中庭區域。如果允許的話，我真的很想帶一個回房間。

One floor above the atrium were the shops, and there was a Christmas tree displayed in front of them.

中庭樓上一層是商店區，商店前還擺放了棵聖誕樹。

I enjoyed walking alone along the promenade. Occasionally, performances were held there. Since MSC is a European company, watching the show made me feel like I was surrounded by a European atmosphere.

我很喜歡自己一個人在長廊散步，偶爾會有表演。由於 MSC 是歐洲公司，觀看演出時真的有置身歐洲的感覺。

Have you noticed the long LED dome overhead? It displayed dynamic digital art and scenery that made the performances even more inspiring.

你有注意到上方那條長長的 LED 穹頂嗎？它會顯示動態的數位藝術與風景，讓整個表演更加精彩。

The Jean-Philippe chocolate shop, located on the promenade, showcased beautiful chocolate artworks.

長廊上的 Jean-Philippe 巧克力店也展出了巧克力藝術品。

Some of the chocolates were for sale—I bought two as gifts and hoped they tasted good. 其中一些巧克力特價。我買了兩份送禮。

Because MSC was founded in Italy by an Italian family, their gelato must be authentic. There were 16 flavours to choose from.

由於 MSC 是由義大利家族創立，他們的義式雪糕一定很正宗，有 16 種口味可選。

I believe MSC wanted to highlight its sustainability efforts. I relied on AI for the explanation:

The freshwater on MSC Euribia relates to sustainability because it is produced onboard through reverse osmosis, which minimizes the need to source water from ports and reduces the ship’s environmental footprint. The ship uses advanced energy-efficient systems to create a reliable water supply and implements water-saving features such as low-flush toilets.

我相信 MSC 想向旅客展示他們在永續方面的努力。我依靠 AI 得到了解釋：

MSC Euribia 的淡水是透過海水淡化而自給自足的，減少從港口取水的需求並降低船舶的環境足跡。船上使用節能的反滲透系統獲取淡水，並採用低沖水馬桶等節水設備，進一步節約用水。

Breakfast for the next morning on December 11, 2024. Almost every day I had dates—they were delicious and should be healthy.

隔天早上，也就是 2024 年 12 月 11 日，我享用了早餐。我幾乎每天都吃椰棗，既美味又應該很健康。

The Abu Dhabi cruise terminal, located at Zayed Port, is about 34 km from the city center. MSC provided shuttle buses at EUR 10 for adults and EUR 8 for children, which felt a bit pricey.

阿布達比的郵輪碼頭位於扎耶德港，距離市中心約 34 公里。MSC 提供接駁車，成人 10 歐元、兒童 8 歐元，感覺有點貴。

I recall that the terminal was large, with some clothing shops and several tour booths.

There were two sightseeing bus companies:

Big Bus Tours Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi Hop on, Hop off Bus Tours

Abu Dhabi Double Decker Bus Tours | City Sightseeing©

Big Bus approached us, and payment could be charged directly to our MSC account. If I remember correctly, they offered a deal: 1 day Abu Dhabi + 2 days Dubai for the price of 1 day Abu Dhabi + 1 day Dubai (total EUR 140 per person). For convenience in both transportation and payment, we accepted the deal.

我記得碼頭很大，有幾家服裝店和一些旅遊服務攤位。

有兩家觀光巴士公司：

Big Bus Tours Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi Hop on, Hop off Bus Tours

Abu Dhabi Double Decker Bus Tours | City Sightseeing©

Big Bus 主動向我們介紹，而且費用可以直接記到 MSC 帳戶。我記得他們還提供優惠：阿布達比 1 日 + 杜拜 2 日，價錢只收 阿布達比 1 日 + 杜拜 1 日（每人共 140 歐元）。為了交通與付款的方便，我們接受了這項交易。

Big Bus had two routes:

• Green Line — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
• Red Line — Louvre Museum, Abu Dhabi Promenade, Heritage Village, Marina Mall, Emirates Palace, Presidential Palace, World Trade Center, etc.

Both lines started at Abu Dhabi Mall. That meant we first had to take a shuttle bus (provided by Big Bus) from the cruise terminal to the mall—a 30-minute ride.

At the mall, we waited another 10 minutes for the Green Line bus to arrive. From Abu Dhabi Mall to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was a further 20-minute ride.

Can you imagine? Just getting from the cruise terminal to the mosque took a full hour!

Big Bus 有兩條路線：

• 綠線：謝赫扎耶德大清真寺
• 紅線：羅浮宮、阿布達比海濱、文化村、濱海購物中心、酋長皇宮、總統府、世貿中心等

兩條線都從阿布達比購物中心出發，所以我們必須先搭 Big Bus 的接駁車前往購物中心，車程 30 分鐘。

到達後還等了約 10 分鐘綠線的車，再從購物中心到謝赫扎耶德大清真寺又是 20 分鐘。

你能想像嗎？從郵輪碼頭到清真寺竟然要整整一小時！

I managed to capture a photo of a plane flying past the mosque.

剛好我拍到了飛機從清真寺上空飛過的畫面。

I had never seen a mosque this huge and spectacular—this is truly a masterpiece, and admission is free!

我從沒見過如此巨大又壯麗的清真寺！而且門票竟然免費！

However, an online reservation was required. Afterwards, everyone needed to walk through an underground shopping mall and a long corridor to reach the entrance—another 20 minutes gone!

不過需要先線上預約。之後，每個人都必須穿過地下購物中心和一條很長的地下走廊才能到達入口——又過了 20 分鐘！

As with Al-Fateh Grand Mosque, proper dress code is required.

和Al-Fateh大清真寺一樣，也有服裝規定。

Construction of the mosque began in 1996 and was completed in 2007, costing around USD $545–$700 million. More than 3,000 workers and artisan firms from many countries contributed, using extremely high-end materials. It features one of the most impressive marble installations in the world, and the courtyard may be the largest marble mosaic artwork on Earth.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque must be one of the most expensive and luxurious mosques in the world, if not the number one.

謝赫扎耶德大清真寺從 1996 年開始建造，2007 年完工，耗資約 55億美元，聘用了 3000 多名工人，以及來自多國的工藝團隊，所使用的材料都屬於最高級別。這裡擁有世界上最壯觀的大理石建築之一，其庭院更可能是全球最大的花紋大理石拼貼藝術。

謝赫扎耶德大清真寺應該是世界上最昂貴、最奢華的清真寺之一，甚至可能是第一名。

From my photo, you can see the white marble columns decorated with floral designs made from semi-precious stones such as lapis lazuli, amethyst, red agate, mother-of-pearl, jasper, and more. Each flower is created using the pietra dura technique, where stones are precisely cut and inlaid into the marble. These flowers represent plants from different regions of the world, symbolizing cultural diversity and the mosque’s universal message.

The tops of the columns feature intricate gold palm-leaf designs, plated in 24-carat gold—reflecting the UAE’s natural symbol, the date palm. There are over 1,000 such columns in total.

The reflecting pools surrounding the mosque are traditional features of Islamic architecture. Ten rectangular pools, lined with blue tiles, frame the mosque. At sunset, the columns and their reflections create one of the most picturesque scenes—but unfortunately, I couldn't stay until sunset.

從照片中，可以看到白色大理石柱上裝飾著由半寶石拼貼而成的花卉圖案，包括青金石、紫水晶、瑪瑙、珍珠母、碧玉等。每一朵花都是使用傳統的「硬石鑲嵌技術」（pietra dura）精細製作而成。花朵代表來自全球不同地區的植物，象徵文化多元與清真寺的普世精神。

柱頂則是 24K 鍍金的棕櫚葉圖案，象徵阿聯酋的主要植物——椰棗棕櫚。清真寺總共有超過 1000 根柱子。

清真寺周圍的倒影池是伊斯蘭建築中傳統特色，共有 10 個長方形水池，以不同深淺的藍色磁磚鋪底。日落或夜間燈光照映時，柱子與倒影交織成最迷人的景色，可惜我沒能待到日落。

Inside the mosque, every detail feels like a work of art—from the white marble floors that shine like glass to the floral inlays climbing the walls. It was fascinating to stand beneath the golden domes and crystal chandelier.

清真寺內部也是精雕細琢——白色大理石地板如玻璃般光亮，牆面上的花卉鑲嵌延伸向上。站在金色圓頂與水晶吊燈下，實在令人著迷。

The mosque can accommodate over 40,100 worshippers, while the main prayer hall can hold over 7,000.

The chandeliers shown in my photo are among the largest and most intricate ever installed in a mosque. Made of millions of Swarovski crystals and 24-carat-gold-plated copper and brass, the mosque houses seven chandeliers in total, including three enormous ones suspended beneath the main prayer hall’s domes.

The mosque’s signature feature is the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet. This incredible Islamic medallion carpet was handcrafted by about 1,200 artisans from Iran. It took around two years to complete—eight months of design, twelve months of knotting, and the remaining time to weave nine pieces together. Covering 5,400 square meters, it is made of roughly 70% New Zealand wool and 30% cotton.

整座清真寺可容納超過 40,100 名禮拜者，主禮拜大殿可容納超過 7,000 人。

照片中的吊燈是清真寺內最大、最精緻的吊燈之一，由數百萬顆施華洛世奇水晶以及 24K 鍍金銅與黃銅製成。清真寺共有七盞吊燈，其中三盞巨型吊燈懸掛在主禮拜大殿的三個圓頂下。

清真寺的代表作品非世界最大手工打結地毯莫屬。這件伊斯蘭地毯由約 1,200 位伊朗工匠耗時兩年製作——八個月設計、一年打結，剩餘時間用於把九塊大地毯拼接在一起。地毯面積達 5,400 平方公尺，由約 70% 紐西蘭羊毛與 30% 棉花製成。

Just traveling to and visiting the mosque took about 2.5 hours. Our next attraction was the Emirates Palace Hotel, requiring a 30-minute Big Bus ride. The hotel, now “Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental,” looks stunning online with very high ratings—and a very high price (over CAD $1,000 per night).

When I got off the bus, I was shocked by the surrounding buildings—they were incredibly tall and massive! I took a picture comparing their height with the flagpoles.

光是前往與參觀清真寺就花了約 2.5 小時。下一個景點是酋長皇宮酒店，從清真寺搭 Big Bus 要 30 分鐘。這家現名「Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental」阿布扎比酋長皇宮文華東方的酒店在網路上評價極高，價格也非常高（一晚超過 1000 加幣）。

下車後，我被周圍的建築震撼到——全都高大又宏偉！我拍了一張照片，把建築物的高度與旗桿比較。

The walk from the bus stop to Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental took 10 minutes, and I began questioning whether using a hop-on hop-off bus was a good choice.

從巴士站走到阿布扎比酋長皇宮文華東方酒店要 10 分鐘，我開始懷疑使用 hop-on hop-off 巴士是否明智。

Emirates Palace cost USD $3 billion (AED 11.09 billion) to build, making it the third most expensive hotel ever constructed. It opened in 2005 and is located on the shores of the Arabian Gulf.

酋長皇宮建造成本為 30 億美元，是世界上第三昂貴的酒店建設，2005 年開幕，位於阿拉伯灣海岸。

Inside, I felt surrounded by gold—the interior design was elegant and luxurious. 走進酒店，感覺被金色包圍，室內裝潢優雅又奢華。

Through a beautifully designed arched window, the ocean view caught my attention. I assumed there must be a tranquil garden by the shore.

透過漂亮的拱形窗戶，我看見外面的海景——我猜那是一座寧靜的海邊花園。

Oh no! The next must-visit attraction was Qasr Al Watan, and I had only 30 minutes left before closing at 5 p.m. There was no way to make it using Big Bus. I called an Uber, but the driver mistakenly waited for me at Qasr Al Watan—no wonder I couldn’t find him. With only 15 minutes left, we finally took a taxi and barely made it—arriving one minute before closing.

糟糕！下一個必去景點——總統府 Qasr Al Watan，我只剩 30 分鐘就要關門。如果搭 Big Bus，一定趕不上。我叫了 Uber，但司機竟在 Qasr Al Watan 等我——難怪找不到人。最後只剩 15 分鐘時，我們改叫計程車，總算趕到，在關門前一分鐘抵達。

I thought I had arrived at Qasr Al Watan, but actually it was just the entrance complex. The staff were very kind—they asked me not to run and assured me they would wait while I bought my ticket (AED 65 = CAD $25). Then I boarded a shuttle bus for a 5-minute ride to the palace itself.

我以為自己已經到了 Qasr Al Watan，其實那只是入口建築。

工作人員非常友善，請我不要跑，他們會等我買票（門票 65 迪拉姆 = 25 加幣），然後再搭接駁車。接駁車行程約 5 分鐘。

Qasr Al Watan is the presidential palace of the UAE in Abu Dhabi. It serves as a venue for political meetings, state receptions, and Council of Ministers gatherings, as well as a cultural attraction. It is not a residential palace.

The cost to build Qasr Al Watan was approximately USD $490 million. The 380,000-square-meter complex was completed between 2010 and 2017.

Qasr Al Watan 是阿聯酋的總統府所在地，用於政治會議、國家接待、部長會議，同時也是文化與旅遊景點，並非居住用途。

整座 38 萬平方公尺的建築群造價約 49 億美元，從 2010 年到 2017 年歷時七年完成。

Qasr Al Watan’s courtyard is breathtaking with endless white marble, graceful arches, and a palace view that looks like it belongs in a fairytale.

Qasr Al Watan 的庭院美得像童話世界——無盡的白色大理石、優雅的拱門與壯觀的宮殿景色。

The entrance door is unbelievably tall. 

入口大門高得驚人!

The moment I stepped inside, I felt surrounded by beauty that was both refined and overwhelming—like standing inside a living masterpiece.

踏入宮殿內的瞬間，我感覺自己被精緻又震撼的美完全包圍，像是走進一件活著的藝術品。

Only three colors are used throughout the architecture. According to its official website:

“The Great Hall incorporates Qasr Al Watan’s three signature colors: blue, white, and yellow. The blue represents the waters of the Arabian Gulf, the white stands for purity, and the yellow is inspired by the desert sands. Together, they give the space a distinctive appearance that is filled with deep significance.”

整座宮殿只使用三種代表色。根據官方網站：

「大殿融合了宮殿的三種標誌色：藍、白、黃。藍色象徵阿拉伯灣，白色象徵純潔，黃色源於沙漠的顏色，這三色共同賦予空間深刻而獨特的意義。」

Its Presidential Banquet Hall has hosted numerous world leaders and high-ranking officials.

國宴廳曾接待無數國家元首與高級官員。

The sculpture known as The Power of Words is a captivating installation made of thousands of gold-plated Arabic calligraphic characters forming a sphere. It symbolizes the idea that words, wisdom, and knowledge are the foundation of a nation’s progress.

宮殿中名為「文字的力量」的球形雕塑由數千個鍍金阿拉伯書法字母構成，象徵文字、知識與智慧是一個國家進步的基礎。

I spent less than an hour inside Qasr Al Watan. By the time I came out, it was dusk.

我在 Qasr Al Watan 停留不到一小時，出來時天色已昏暗。

The bus took me back to the admission building, which is so magnificent that I originally thought it was Qasr Al Watan.

Was it fun taking a taxi instead of Big Bus? Not really—especially since I didn’t know where the Big Bus stop was when leaving.

接駁車把我送回售票大樓，那棟建築同樣華麗，所以我一開始才會誤以為那就是宮殿。

坐計程車比搭 Big Bus 好玩嗎？其實並沒有，因為離開時我根本不知道 Big Bus 的站牌在哪裡。

Somehow, I managed to find the bus stop by asking people and catch the bus back. This must be the main gate of Qasr Al Watan.

好在最後還是詢問路人讓我找到了車站並搭上巴士離開。這應該就是 Qasr Al Watan 的大門。

Back at Abu Dhabi Mall, Christmas decorations and “Happy Holidays” signs were displayed. Luckily, I caught the last Big Bus at 7 p.m. back to the cruise terminal.

What an adventure!

回到阿布達比購物中心時，聖誕節裝飾和節慶祝福已亮起。幸運的是，我成功搭上晚上 7 點的末班 Big Bus 回到郵輪碼頭。

真是一場大冒險！