Which beach is better in Abu Dhabi — Saadiyat Island or the Marina area?

On the first day at a Marina-area hotel beach, the sea looked more like a puddle — poor visibility, seaweed everywhere. Few people on the beach; most guests prefer the hotel pools instead.

During low tide, the Marina-area beaches have rocky patches in places — it's important to enter the water where there are fewer rocks. The rocks are clearly visible from a room balcony or the hotel elevator looking at the sea. There's a cleaner passage on the right between the buoys and the breakwater, but swimming there isn't officially allowed.

At high tide, the sea in the Marina area is quite pleasant — no waves, similar to Saadiyat. But if you specifically want an open beach with good water quality, Saadiyat remains the best option in Abu Dhabi.

The Rixos hotel in the Marina area is more convenient for swimming with young kids than Saadiyat, since there are no waves there. On Saadiyat, waves of varying strength appear during high tide (tides change daily), which may not suit older kids.

Despite the downsides (low tide and rocks), it's possible to swim both morning and evening every day — during both low and high tide. When comparing areas for the best sea overall, Saadiyat Island remains the top choice in Abu Dhabi.