Just To See The Birds | Marina Breakwater

Taking A Break At The Marina Breakwater

The weather is perfect in the UAE these days and it presents with a perfect chance to just be out and about. Inspired by my earlier post about Corniche Street, I decided to take a drive along this road with the intention of checking out the Founder's Memorial. It turns out that to get there, I needed to pass by the road the leads to the Breakwater.

Instead of making a u-turn, I decided to take a right and drive straight ahead to the Breakwater. The Breakwater is also the location of the Abu Dhabi Theatre and the UAE Flagpole.

How To Get Here:

From Corniche Road, driving to the direction of Emirates Palace, take a right at Al Marsa Street (to the direction of Marina Mall). Turn right at Al Alam Street and drive straight. The Breakwater is at the end of this road. It is accessible to private cars and taxis.

The UAE Flagpole

The UAE Flagpole once held the title of the " Guinness World Record of the Tallest Flagpole" when it was erected in 2001, standing at 122 meters. It still stands tall, visible from the Corniche, and is a prominent landmark in the Capital.

Breakwater

It was a working day when we visited the Breakwater and I did not really expect to see a lot of people. It turns out that since the kids are already out of school for the winter break, families have come here just to pass time. Some were sitting at the benches, tossing bread crumbs to the sea and feed the fish, while others have set up picnic mats along the shades provided by the nearby Abu Dhabi Theatre.

From the Breakwater, you can see the city from across the sea. Towards the left is Al Lulu Island, a manmade island.

See here a clip of the beautiful view from the Breakwater.

Just to See The Birds

The water was so clear and we could see the schools of fish at the rocks. Not long after, seagulls start to fly by and snatch fish from the water.

A couple came and started tossing chiz balls into the air which the birds expertly caught in mid-air. We were content in watching this spectacle for a good 30 minutes or so. The children (and adults alike) were so amused, you can just forget the time.

Picnic Time

We were not prepared to go on a picnic - the plan was just to check out the place but lots of other families were. They set up mats, tables, and chairs chatting away while drinking coffee, tea, or whatnot. The kids on the other hand were playing ball, driving around in scooters, or simply running around or climbing trees.

There is signage that says swimming, camping, grilling, and yes, even fishing, are not allowed. Since it is actually facing the small road, there is also a reminder that the place is not a "park" and that children are the parents' responsibility.

If like us, you do not wish to set up a picnic, but would simply just want to pass time, there are lots of benches that are positioned around the area surrounding the theatre.

There is also ample parking spaces by the breakwater and near the gate of the Heritage Village (which unfortunately is still closed for visitors).

The Breakwater is a perfect place to stay and be close to nature, enjoy the sun, and just forget your worries even just for some time. We thoroughly enjoyed our time spent here and we definitely would come back, ready with to picnic.