A jogging trail, a padel academy, beach volleyball courts and numerous restaurants are scattered across Umbrella Beach, a recreational complex in Fujairah that opened in December 2021.
Located about an hour and 30 minutes from Downtown Dubai, Umbrella Beach overlooks the Gulf of Oman. The aesthetic of the destination is mostly inspired by European cities and features intricate columns and brick buildings.
Scroll through the gallery below for images from Umbrella Beach
The waterfront development also has massive umbrellas at certain spots, adding to its Instagram-worthy appeal, and it offers numerous activities from dining to fitness.
Here's what not to miss at Umbrella Beach.
Restaurants and cafes
Similar to other waterfront developments in the UAE such as Yas Bay in Abu Dhabi or The Pointe in Dubai, the Fujairah destination is home to dozens of restaurants and cafes.
One of its most famous outlets is Mara, a home-grown restaurant that has eight branches across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
It serves an international menu, offering dishes such as shakshuka and Mexican baked eggs for breakfast. Lunch options include grilled salmon in citrus sichuan spice, Wagyu rib-eye with yakinuku sauce and grilled chicken with pasta. The outlet also serves butter chicken, Lebanese rice with a choice of meat and a selection of burgers.
Other outlets at the destination include Oak Berry, which specialises in Acai bowls, as well as Indian restaurant Mastani, which opened late last year.
Another popular spot is the floral-themed La Rozy cafe. It is filled with different kinds of flowers and offers a balcony seating that provides great views of the beach. Famed Japanese ice cream shop Yuki Nohana can also be found at Umbrella Beach.
Le Patchouli, a home-grown cafe with nine branches in Abu Dhabi, two in Dubai, and one each in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, can also be found at the waterfront destination. Other local brands include Chicken Man, as well as Steki, which serves Greek food.
Fitness and family fun
The Fujairah destination offers a host of water sport activities, as well as a handful of beach volleyball courts. There is also a jogging track spanning the shore.
Umbrella Beach is also home to a padel academy, where training and tournaments are often held. Courts are available for bookings for Dh125 an hour during weekdays and Dh150 an hour on weekends.
Last year, Umbrella Beach hosted its first padel tournament during Ramadan, with plans to turn it into an annual event. The racket sport has gained popularity in recent years, with many padel facilities popping up across the UAE.
The destination also offers activities for guests with little children, including a playground.
Scroll through the gallery below for images from the newly opened Reem Mall in Abu Dhabi
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Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
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1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
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Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
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This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
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3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m
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FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
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Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
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Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
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Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
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Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
