Ruwais

Ruwais is a small town rapidly developing into a city in the western part of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, about 240 km west of the city of Abu Dhabi.

The area of Ruwais was once a small fishing headland from which a handful of people scratched a seasonal living. In the 1970s, plans were laid to transform a remote desert site into a self-contained industrial town, geared to fulfilling the requirements of Abu Dhabi's booming oil and gas industry. Centred around Takreer's Ruwais Refinery, the complex was officially inaugurated in 1982 by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and the visionary behind Abu Dhabi's remarkable development and prosperity. Ruwais today is one of the most modern industrial complexes in the Middle East.

The two-laned highway, E11, which starts from Sila and extends to Abu Dhabi is the only way to enter or exit Ruwais by road.

There is a small airstrip about 10 km away, but it is small and only small private aircraft such a Cessna 172 or a Beechcraft Baron can land there. There are also some helipads, but they are used only by the police and the hospitals, so unless you have a private plane, you will need to fly to Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

Getting around is pretty easy and safe; the people tend to help and accompany each other.

Taxi services are available everywhere and shuttle buses are also available.(First, they were available for public, now only for hospital and Adnoc staff)

People often prefer to use bicycles for short trips. Bicycle upgrades are also possible in sports shops.

You can see people walking throughout the day. Walking and jogging is also a popular sporting activity here.

There is not much to be seen in Ruwais but one fascinating view is of the sunset from the 3 Blue Tankers and the view of the industries; but be careful not to snap any pics of the industrial complex as if they are found by authorities, the devices you used to take them may be confiscated by security.

In Ruwais, there are recreation centers housing swimming pools, table tennis court, badminton hall, squash courts, tennis grounds and gyms. There is also a men's health club and a women's health club which are both under commission. There is a Go-Kart course, skating and cycling course under construction.

• ^{[dead link]} Ruwais Mall (By taxi or buses), ☏ +971 28763344, [email protected]. 10AM-10PM.  

There is a single guest house for visitors: Al Yash Guest House (1), which has many high-class facilities. The other guest houses, Al Yash Guest House (2), (3) and (4) are present as temporary housing for new employees.

You may also reside in Danat Resort, which is a 5-star resort near the coast and has many entertainment facilities such as jet skis and fishing.