The forest growing in the world's hottest sea

Jubail Mangrove Park is a green expanse of gray mangrove trees on the northeastern edge of Abu Dhabi's Al Jubail island, where shallow tidal waterways spill out into the clear blue Arabian Sea. Opened as a tourist attraction just before the pandemic, the park now has a handsome wood-clad reception center and a network of inviting boardwalks that thread through the trees and over the water, offering close-up views of the flora and fauna of this stunning spot. It's a tranquil world away from the shimmering skyscrapers and heat-hazed hustle of downtown Abu Dhabi, albeit just a short drive away. Visitors can while away hours here, listening to the call of birds, the watery slap of leaping fish and the lapping of waves. "Being here is a healing process like yoga, especially at sunrise or sunset," says Dickson Dulawen, a veteran guide who leads regular kayak or electric boat tours of the mangroves when the tides rise high enough to let small boats venture into the heart of the forest.