Al Sinniyah Island Sanctuary & Monastery
Separated from the mainland of Umm Al Quwain by a series of shallow tidal creeks, Al Sinniyah Island is an ecological and historical treasure spanning eight kilometers in length. The island is blanketed by dense coastal mangrove forests, salt marshes, and natural sandbars that provide an undisturbed sanctuary for Arabian gazelles and marine life. Al Sinniyah is of global archaeological prominence. In 2022, international archaeologists excavated the remains of an ancient Christian monastery and church complex dating from the late 6th to 7th century CE—only the second such pre-Islamic monastery discovered in the UAE. Subsequent discoveries revealed the historic pearling city of Tu'am, mentioned in ancient Arabic texts. Ornithologically, the island is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. It hosts the third-largest breeding colony of the endangered Socotra Cormorant in the world, with over 15,000 breeding pairs, alongside nesting terns, herons, and flamingos.
“A pristine barrier island sheltering ancient 6th-century Christian monastery ruins, the lost pearl city of Tu'am, and massive seabird colonies.”
— Tourism Compass Heritage Committee