United Arab Emirates
Snoopy Island
A rock formation shaped like a sleeping beagle where blacktip reef sharks cruise through waist-deep turquoise.
The rock rises from the water like a sleeping cartoon beagle — ears drooping, snout resting on the surface. Wade into the turquoise shallows beside it and the seafloor drops into a coral garden where blacktip reef sharks drift past in groups of five or six, close enough to count their fins.
Snoopy Island sits just offshore from Sandy Beach in Fujairah, on the UAE's Indian Ocean-facing East Coast. The reef surrounding the island hosts over 100 coral species and is rated among the most accessible snorkelling sites on the coast — entry is possible from a knee-deep sandbar. Blacktip reef sharks, harmless to swimmers, cruise the shallows in small schools. The calm, clear water remains swimmable from October through May, and the island's proximity to the resort beach means the reef is reachable without a boat, guide, or even flippers.
Couple
Snorkelling a coral reef together steps from a beach resort — no boat transfer, no crowds, just wade in and follow the fish. Evening beach barbecues of grilled hammour and prawns bring the day full circle.
Family
The shallow sandbar connecting the shore to the island means children can stand in waist-deep water while reef sharks cruise harmlessly past — a safe, thrilling encounter that doesn't require deep-water confidence. Beach facilities are right there.
Friends
The island combines easy snorkelling, shark-spotting, and beachside barbecues into a single day without any of the logistics that usually come with reef diving. It works as a spontaneous East Coast road-trip stop.
- The rock's profile from the shore is unmistakably a sleeping beagle — visible from Sandy Beach resort's breakfast terrace across a strip of turquoise.
- The reef around the island hosts over 100 coral species and is rated one of the most accessible snorkel sites on the UAE's East Coast.
- Blacktip reef sharks cruise in groups of 5-10 through the shallows — harmless to swimmers, close enough to observe from the knee-deep sandbar.
- Calm, clear East Coast water that remains swimmable from October through May, with the resort's beach just steps from the reef entry point.
Beach barbecues of marinated hammour and jumbo prawns grilled over driftwood at the Sandy Beach resort.
Fresh mango juice and falafel wraps from the small beach cafés.
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