Oman's Six Senses Zighy Bay will reopen to travellers from next month.
The five-star escape in Musandam will welcome guests again from October 15, after being closed for 18 months because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Travellers heading to the hideaway from the UAE will need to be ready for an adventure, as the journey to get to the resort often frequented by celebrities now involves a three-hour off-roading adventure through sprawling wadis, mountain ridges and ancient Omani settlements.
This is because the Oman-UAE checkpoint at Dibba remains closed to visitors. During this time, Six Senses Zighy Bay is only reachable via the northern border of Khasab, about a three-hour drive from Dubai.
Guests heading to the luxury resort in Oman need to have a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival to cross the border.
Once on the other side, Six Senses Zighy Bay's specially designed 4x4 vehicles will be waiting to take travellers on a unique off-road drive that’s not for the faint-hearted.
Known for its village-inspired rustic surrounds and unrivalled sense of privacy, Six Senses Zighy Bay is also famed for its James Bond-eqsue arrival options, with travellers able to paraglide into the resort from the surrounding mountaintops.
For thrill seekers looking for that experience, Six Senses Zighy Bay has confirmed that as soon as the Dibba checkpoint reopens, guests will once again be able to arrive via the resort's in-house professional paraglider.
“We are all thrilled to be able to welcome guests back to the resort,” said Andrew Spearman, general manager at Six Senses Zighy Bay. "It’s been a long 18 months where we’ve been unable to see and share guests' smiles, laughter and sense of wonder when they visit us, and so we can’t wait to get back to what we do best, providing memories that will last a lifetime.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard to maintain the resort during our hiatus, and we’re looking forward to showcasing it both to familiar faces and new guests, for what will be a new chapter in the story of Six Senses Zighy Bay.”
New beachfront villas and carbon-conscious stays
Six Senses Zighy Bay has always taken its environmental responsibility seriously via waste recycling systems, tree-planting experiences and using locally sourced produce. It also produces its own bottled water using reverse osmosis, reusing the salt water that's been filtered out to fill its salt water pool, which just happens to be the largest in the Middle East.
Now, guests can get in on the act by booking a Carbon Neutral stay. This means that for every night spent at the resort Six Senses will donate $10 to wind turbine projects, helping travellers to offset the carbon produced during their visit.
Families or groups heading to the hideaway might want to consider booking one of the The Reserve or Retreat beachfront villas, which have been refurbished over the past 18 months.
The three and four-bedroom villas located on the resort's private shoreline now offer a modern take on the resort's rustic vibes, and have been renovated using locally sourced materials from across the sultanate.
Stays start from Dh3,996; Six Senses Zighy Bay, Musandam Peninsula, Oman; sixsenses.com
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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
