The most glamorous way, of course, is to travel by helicopter, although it is possible to get there faster by fixed-wing plane, or, in a more leisurely manner, by driving for three hours along the highway to the small port of Mugharraq and then by taking a 20-minute speedboat ride.

By chopper, the flight time to Sir Bani Yas Island clocks in at just over an hour. Decked out with almond colored leather seats, the helicopter offers a breath taking opportunity to soak up the untouched beauty of the UAE coastline, its foliage, marine wildlife and birds.

As the helicopter moves farther and farther offshore, and the Gulf's depth increases, the water changes in color from transparent turquoise to cartoon-like cyan and finally a deep opaque forest green. Along the way you will spot the sea grass that offers the perfect breeding ground for turtles, barracuda and grouper--known regionally as hammour. If your timing is perfect, you may even spot a whale or a posse of dolphins body surfing in the gentle waves.

Along the route you will also see deserted, fantasy islands, including Marawah, the site of the oldest evidence of human occupation in the United Arab Emirates, which dates back to 5500 BC. There are also other islands too, like Salaha, now unoccupied, which is fringed with Mangrove trees that look like gigantic broccoli tops, flowering out from the salty ocean water, and Abu al-Abyadh, an expanse of sand and salt-flats gleaming white in the sun.

Look closely and everywhere you will see flocks of birds soaring over the surf. Strategically located at the junction of three geographic zones (Indian, African & Palaearctic), the UAE is a bird watcher's dream as it plays host to 425 different species of birds, including around 120 species that breed here.

One of the most popular birds in the area is the greater flamingo, whose fans have traveled hours by jet to see them. Among recent visitors to the island to check out this graceful pink winged bird is Britain's Prince Charles.

As the pilot swoops downward, you'll need to catch your breath while the chopper hugs the untouched coastline. In his expert care, you'll see windswept hills that offer one of the world's best exposures of Miocene-era terrestrial fossils. Though they look like gigantic dusty beige anthills, these slopes are a palaeontologist's treasure chest of five-million-year old elephant, hippopotamus, ostrich, turtle and saber-toothed cat remains.

Though the area is perfectly pristine and appears bright and untouched like a new snow fall, every once in a while you'll also see gigantic black tires that residents claim were not here before the 1991 Gulf War.

But this is not the only evidence you'll find of modern life. Scan the horizon and you'll also see a major oil refinery and the occasional oil tanker that is at least as big as a soccer field, and known as a VLCC, or Very Large Crude Carrier.

Still, even with these tools of contemporary life, it is surprising to see Sir Bani Yas when you approach it by air. Rather than deserted, the island is alive with activity. Practically a town in itself, it is home to a staff of hundreds who serve as its caretakers.

Clearly enjoying the opportunity to dive down toward the island's coast, the pilots offer passengers the chance to view the entire 150-square-mile island. From this privileged view, you will see huge buildings, minaret-like water towers, plows and other construction equipment, as well as a small village where clothes can been seen hanging on the line to dry.

Mostly though, you'll see wide open spaces with row after row of trees, plots of bright green grass and other vegetation. Focus your gaze closely and you'll also find Arabian oryx, Arabian gazelle, spiral horned black buck and African eland racing like Olympic sprinters around the bend.

Sir Bani Yas Island has been protected as a nature reserve by President Sheik Zayed since the late 1970s. Inspired by wildlife parks elsewhere in the world, he recognized the importance of protecting environmentally and historically significant regions for the enjoyment of future generations.

Here he has successfully launched a breeding program for Arabian oryx which have been extinct in the wild since the early 1960s. Starting with just two pairs, there are now approximately 1,000 in the UAE today.

Spot a cloud of sand moving across the island and you'll undoubtedly find an ibex at the bottom of all the commotion. With black horns that look like a young girl's pig tails, this mammal is also one of the island's protected species and is eager to get away from the helicopter as it kisses the earth in the pink bougainvillea-lined landing zone.

Here you'll be met by a small, white Mitsubishi school bus that will take you and the jump suited, Ray Ban-wearing pilots to a palatial rest area for a cup of sweetened tea or a demitasse of a local favorite: cardamom-scented coffee.

Together with these handsome Arab Tom Cruise-look alikes, you will relax on a roof-top gazebo, lined with exotic silk covered pillows. With a blustery breeze rushing in from the surf, here beneath the canopy, you'll be protected from the unforgiving 110-degree F heat that is paired with 90 percent humidity in the late summer months. As you sip your tea or coffee, a waiter dressed in the long white cotton thoub that local men prefer to Western garb, will stand at your side, waiting at attention for the opportunity to pour you a second cup.

Once you are refreshed and ready to continue the journey, you'll travel to Sheik Zayed's rest house for an Arabian feast. As you drive the five miles of modern roads with their green and white striped curbs, you'll see a wide variety of animals and birds that are protected behind chain link fences.

Among the many animals that are identified on signs in both Arabic and English, there are giraffe, ostrich and a highly endangered animal called the tahr, which is similar to a mountain goat. Among the 300 or so tahr in the world today, nearly a dozen call Sir Bani Yas home and represent one of the islandís biggest successes.

Your guide will explain that Sir Bani Yas is not only environmentally significant. It is also historically significant and offers archeologists the rare opportunity for important discoveries. A Bronze Age building and pottery dating back to the 4,000 year old Barbar civilization have recently been discovered, as well as the site of a Sixth and Seventh Century pre-Islamic, Christian monastery, discovered in 1992.

A prime pearl-diving location for centuries, the name Sir Bani Yas was first recorded in 1580, when Gasparo Baldi, the court jeweler of Venice, published a book entitled Voyages to the East. A record of his seven-year tour to the Far East, it documents the places where his precious pearls and other gems originated.

It is unlikely that the court jeweler encountered the wide variety of truly spectacular foods that today are cultivated on Sir Bani Yas. The best way to understand the miraculous achievements of the island is to sit down in the Sheikh's formal dining room and enjoy an Arabian feast.

Here at the horse-shoe shaped table that could easily seat 75 guests, you will find dish after dish of delicious salads that would make Julia Child's eyes light up and force Emeril Lagasse's mouth to water.

Perhaps you'd like to try the sauteed hammour, served in a lemon sauce. Or the whole roasted red snapper, or perhaps the roasted chicken, garnished with hard-boiled eggs. For vegetarians, the island also offers spectacular tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, green olives, fresh dates, green apples, green oranges, juicy papaya, chick peas, miniature bananas and sugary sweet lemons.