• Premier Inn has released a list of top 10 trending beach destinations for summer 2022. No 1 is Iho Tewoo Beach in South Korea.
    Premier Inn has released a list of top 10 trending beach destinations for summer 2022. No 1 is Iho Tewoo Beach in South Korea.
  • 2. Jodogahama Beach, Japan.
    2. Jodogahama Beach, Japan.
  • 3. White Beach, Boracay, Philippines. Unsplash / Wabi Jayme
    3. White Beach, Boracay, Philippines. Unsplash / Wabi Jayme
  • 4. Baros, Maldives. Photo: Baros
    4. Baros, Maldives. Photo: Baros
  • 5. Beidaihe, China. AFP
    5. Beidaihe, China. AFP
  • 6. Haad Rin Beach, Thailand. EPA
    6. Haad Rin Beach, Thailand. EPA
  • 7. Amanohashidate, Japan. Getty Images
    7. Amanohashidate, Japan. Getty Images
  • 8. Putuoshan Island beach, China. Getty Images
    8. Putuoshan Island beach, China. Getty Images
  • 9. JBR Beach, Dubai. Reuters
    9. JBR Beach, Dubai. Reuters
  • 10. Hadahaa, Maldives. Photo: Park Hyatt
    10. Hadahaa, Maldives. Photo: Park Hyatt

JBR among top 10 trending beach destinations in Asia


Katy Gillett
  • English
  • Arabic

More than 320 beaches across Asia were reviewed to come up with the ranking for the continent's trending shorelines for summer 2022.

The study, done by hotel brand Premier Inn, determined that Iho Tewoo Beach in South Korea, which is hidden behind a pine forest and known for its white and red horse-shaped lighthouses, is the most coveted location for beachgoers this year.

Iho Tewoo is followed closely by Jodogahama in Japan, thanks to its golden sands, volcanic rock formations and Japanese red pine trees, while White Beach in the Philippines, a four-kilometre stretch of white sand in Boracay, rounds out the top three.

Dubai's JBR Beach came in at ninth place, courtesy of its stunning views of the city's skyline and new attraction Ain Dubai.

“With summer now upon us and this year feeling freer than the past few following further easing of travel restrictions, many will be looking for travel and adventure," said a Premier Inn representative.

"The world has so much to offer, so we were eager to provide a handy guide for those looking for a beach holiday or cultural landmark experience to kick off their travels.

"It’s great to see so many countries make the rankings including famous sights, and lesser-known hidden gems.”

Asia’s top 10 trending beach destinations

  1. Iho Tewoo Beach, South Korea
  2. Jodogahama, Japan
  3. White Beach, Philippines
  4. Baros, Maldives
  5. Beidaihe, China
  6. Haad Rin Beach, Thailand
  7. Amanohashidate, Japan
  8. Putuoshan Island Beach, China
  9. JBR Beach, Dubai
  10. Hadahaa, Maldives

Asia’s top 10 trending landmarks

Among more than 200 Asian landmarks surveyed, two from the UAE made the top 10. Burj Khalifa came in second, just trailing behind India's magnificent Taj Mahal, while Burj Al Arab came in fourth, behind the Great Wall of China.

  • Premier Inn ranked the top 10 trending landmarks of 2022 by analysing Pinterest and Google search data. No 1 is Taj Mahal in Agra, India. AFP
    Premier Inn ranked the top 10 trending landmarks of 2022 by analysing Pinterest and Google search data. No 1 is Taj Mahal in Agra, India. AFP
  • 2. Burj Khalifa, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    2. Burj Khalifa, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • 3. Great Wall of China, Beijing, China. AFP
    3. Great Wall of China, Beijing, China. AFP
  • 4. Burj Al Arab, Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National
    4. Burj Al Arab, Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • 5. Angkor Wat, Cambodia. AFP
    5. Angkor Wat, Cambodia. AFP
  • 6. Mount Fuji, Japan. AFP
    6. Mount Fuji, Japan. AFP
  • 7. Tokyo Tower, Japan. AFP
    7. Tokyo Tower, Japan. AFP
  • 8. Konark Sun Temple, India. AFP
    8. Konark Sun Temple, India. AFP
  • 9. Golden Temple of Amritsar, India. AFP
    9. Golden Temple of Amritsar, India. AFP
  • 10. Potala Palace, Tibet. EPA
    10. Potala Palace, Tibet. EPA

The Taj Mahal had more than 1,000 Pinterest boards and 1.8 million monthly Google searches.

India also had two other landmarks on the list: Konark Sun Temple in Odisha, and the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

Two locations from Japan also made the cut, with Mount Fuji coming in sixth, after Cambodia's Angkor Wat, and Tokyo Tower in Japan in seventh place.

Rounding out the top 10 is Potala Palace in Tibet.

  1. Taj Mahal, India
  2. Burj Khalifa, UAE
  3. Great Wall of China, China
  4. Burj Al Arab, UAE
  5. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
  6. Mount Fuji, Japan
  7. Toyko Tower, Japan
  8. Konark Sun Temple, India
  9. Golden Temple of Amritsar, India
  10. Potala Palace, Tibet

Seven secret beaches in the UAE, from Al Sufouh to Dibba — in pictures

  • Shuweihat Island. Photo: Obaid Al Budoor
    Shuweihat Island. Photo: Obaid Al Budoor
  • Shuweihat Island and its beaches are in western UAE. Photo: Steve Flawith
    Shuweihat Island and its beaches are in western UAE. Photo: Steve Flawith
  • Shuweihat Island. Photo: Steve Flawith
    Shuweihat Island. Photo: Steve Flawith
  • Mirfa Beach, west of Abu Dhabi in Al Dhafra region. Emily Broad / The National
    Mirfa Beach, west of Abu Dhabi in Al Dhafra region. Emily Broad / The National
  • Mirfa Beach. Photo: Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi
    Mirfa Beach. Photo: Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi
  • Mirfa Beach. Mike Young / The National
    Mirfa Beach. Mike Young / The National
  • Mirfa Beach hosts the annual Al Gharbia Watersports Festival. Mike Young / The National
    Mirfa Beach hosts the annual Al Gharbia Watersports Festival. Mike Young / The National
  • The Burj Al Arab, as seen from Al Sufouh public beach in Dubai. Alamy
    The Burj Al Arab, as seen from Al Sufouh public beach in Dubai. Alamy
  • Khor Fakkan's beaches are located on the east coast of the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Khor Fakkan's beaches are located on the east coast of the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A playground at Khor Fakkan Beach. Photo: Antonie Robertson / The National
    A playground at Khor Fakkan Beach. Photo: Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A sitting area at the public beach in Khor Fakkan. Pawan Singh / The National
    A sitting area at the public beach in Khor Fakkan. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Khor Fakkan public beach. Pawan Singh / The National
    Khor Fakkan public beach. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Views of Khor Fakkan bay and amphitheatre. Pawan Singh / The National
    Views of Khor Fakkan bay and amphitheatre. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Jebel Ali public beach. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Jebel Ali public beach. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Dibba's unspoilt beaches are flanked by mountains. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Dibba's unspoilt beaches are flanked by mountains. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Residents enjoying the public beach in the Mamsha Al Saadiyat community. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Residents enjoying the public beach in the Mamsha Al Saadiyat community. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Soul Beach, located at the Mamsha Al Saadiyat community, is in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Soul Beach, located at the Mamsha Al Saadiyat community, is in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Soul Beach at sunset. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Soul Beach at sunset. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Sun loungers available at Soul Beach. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Sun loungers available at Soul Beach. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • General view of Jebel Ali Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
    General view of Jebel Ali Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
  • General view of Sunrise Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
    General view of Sunrise Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
  • General view of Al Sufouh Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
    General view of Al Sufouh Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
  • General view of Jebel Ali Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National
    General view of Jebel Ali Beach, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National

Armies of Sand

By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
 

The team

Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory 
Videographer: Jear Valasquez 
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory 
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat 
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova 
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi 

 
How to help

Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

2252 - Dh50

6025 - Dh20

6027 - Dh100

6026 - Dh200

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.

6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m​​​​​​​
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.

6.30pm: Shadwell Gold Cup Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.

7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
  • Ban fruit juice and sodas
  • Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
  • Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
  • Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
  • Don’t eat dessert every day 
  • Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
  • Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
  • Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
  • Eat everything in moderation
RESULT

Arsenal 2

Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'

Eddie Ntkeiah 51'

Portsmouth 0

 

All about the Sevens

Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales

HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia

MATCH INFO

Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)

TV: BeIN Sports

UAE SQUAD

 Khalid Essa (Al Ain), Ali Khaseif (Al Jazira), Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah), Mahmoud Khamis (Al Nasr), Yousef Jaber (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai), Khalifa Al Hammadi (Jazira), Salem Rashid (Jazira), Shaheen Abdelrahman (Sharjah), Faris Juma (Al Wahda), Mohammed Shaker (Al Ain), Mohammed Barghash (Wahda), Abdulaziz Haikal (Shabab Al Ahli), Ahmed Barman (Al Ain), Khamis Esmail (Wahda), Khaled Bawazir (Sharjah), Majed Surour (Sharjah), Abdullah Ramadan (Jazira), Mohammed Al Attas (Jazira), Fabio De Lima (Al Wasl), Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Khalfan Mubarak (Jazira), Habib Fardan (Nasr), Khalil Ibrahim (Wahda), Ali Mabkhout (Jazira), Ali Saleh (Wasl), Caio (Al Ain), Sebastian Tagliabue (Nasr).

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD

The biog

Born November 11, 1948
Education: BA, English Language and Literature, Cairo University
Family: Four brothers, seven sisters, two daughters, 42 and 39, two sons, 43 and 35, and 15 grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and traveling

The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Freezer tips

  • Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
  • If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
  • Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
  • The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SIXTH SENSE

Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Rating: 5/5

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
  3. Camden, London 
  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
  5. Islington, London 
  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
  8. Argyll and Bute, Scotland 
  9. Fife, Scotland 
  10. Tower Hamlets, London 

 

Updated: June 12, 2022, 9:44 AM