Sandy Beach Hotel & Dive Centre

Overview

Sandy Beach Hotel and Dive Centre has been the UAE's most beloved water sports base for over 30 years. Sitting directly on Al Aqah Beach on the Fujairah East Coast, the hotel offers a rare combination: beachfront accommodation, a professional dive centre, surf lessons, and direct access to one of the country's finest snorkelling sites — all in one place.

For UAE-based water sports enthusiasts, Sandy Beach is as close to a pilgrimage site as it gets. Weekends from October to April see Dubai and Abu Dhabi residents making the 2-hour drive east to surf, snorkel, and dive in conditions that don't exist anywhere on the Gulf coast.

The Dive Centre

Sandy Beach Hotel's PADI-accredited dive centre is one of the oldest and most respected in the UAE. Experienced instructors offer everything from Discover Scuba introductions to advanced PADI courses, with daily boat trips to the best East Coast sites.

Courses available:

Discover Scuba (half day, no experience needed)
PADI Open Water
PADI Advanced Open Water
PADI Rescue Diver
Speciality courses: Underwater Photography, Deep, Wreck, Night Diving

Guided dive trips:

Snoopy Island (shore dive/snorkel) — included in hotel stay
Martini Rock — pinnacle dive, nurse sharks and schooling fish
Shark Island — white-tip reef sharks
Inchcape 1 & 2 — historic shipwrecks covered in coral
Dibba Rock — varied topography, excellent macro
Musandam day trips — by arrangement

Snorkelling — Snoopy Island

The small island 100 metres offshore is the site's most famous feature. Named for its profile resembling Snoopy lying on his kennel, the island is surrounded by coral gardens in 3–10m of water teeming with marine life. Shore entry from the hotel beach, no boat required.

What you'll see: Hawksbill turtles (very regularly), schools of reef fish (glassfish, anthias, surgeonfish, angelfish, parrotfish), moray eels in crevices, and occasional eagle rays in the sandy channels.

Equipment hire: Mask, snorkel, fins available at the dive centre.

Surfing

The beach in front of the hotel is the main beginner surf spot for the UAE East Coast. A forgiving beach break with a sandy bottom, typically 0.5–1.0m waves during the winter swell season (October–April). Group surf lessons and board hire available.

Stand-Up Paddleboarding

SUP rental and guided tours available. The flat morning conditions make paddling to Snoopy Island and along the coastline a favourite activity for guests and non-guests alike.

Getting There

Sandy Beach Hotel is on the coastal road between Fujairah city and Dibba, approximately 160km from Dubai. Turn onto the side road signed "Sandy Beach Hotel" from the E99 coastal highway. GPS: 25.4724°N, 56.3516°E.

Staying Here

The hotel offers a range of accommodation: beachside chalets (most popular with water sports guests), standard and deluxe hotel rooms, and self-catering options. The open-air restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner overlooking the beach and Snoopy Island. Book well in advance for October–April weekends.