Port, dhow harbour and markets: who this page is for
Experience Abu Dhabi, the emirate's official tourism site, describes Mina Zayed as one of the city's oldest districts, with a historic dhow harbour where wooden boats still line the water, the Mina markets, the shops of Souq Al Mina, and Zayed Port, where commercial ships and visiting cruise liners dock. This page is for the people whose days are spent there, and for the households who live alongside the port.
RPM is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, and how RPM's single club looks from the port district explains how to judge the trip. The route box rates it a longer trip across the island, so the question is what would make that trip worth a place in your week.
I live in Al Mina. Is this the right page for me?
Yes. The Mina Zayed port district is the Al Mina area, and the official tourism site refers to it as the Al Mina and Zayed Port area. Everything here, from the trip to the training advice, applies to Al Mina residents as much as to people who work there.
When home and work share a district
If you live and work around the port, the trip between home and work may be a small one, which leaves the gym as your one regular trip out. Who you are in the district changes what that trip should be for.
| Your day | What the gym trip should give you | Ask the team about |
|---|---|---|
| Running a stall or shop in the markets | Strength and fitness on your rest day, away from the heat and the crowds | Which hours the training floor is quieter on your day off |
| Office work at the port or a shipping firm | A routine after work to balance the long hours at a desk | Whether your employer has, or would consider, a staff arrangement |
| Working on the boats in the harbour | Indoor training in the hottest months, when time outside is already draining | A coach who plans around physically hard weeks |
| At home in Al Mina with a family | A regular weekly outing, with women-only space if the women at home want it | Which tier covers the Ladies section and the Pilates studio |
For the wider question of picking a gym by your workplace rather than your home, read how to choose a gym for your working week.
Outdoor work in the heat, and training in the same week
From May to September, jobs on the quayside, in the harbour or between market stalls mean long hours outdoors. Training on top of that needs a lighter touch than an office worker's plan.
- Count a hot working day as exercise in itself, and keep the gym session that evening short or easy.
- Put your hardest sessions on rest days, when you start the workout fresh and well fed.
- Drink water through the working day, not only at the gym, and eat before you train.
- If you feel dizzy, sick or unusually tired after work in the heat, rest and seek medical advice rather than training.
The Ladies section gives women in Al Mina households a women-only floor with its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio, where female coaches on the roster work.
| Days | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday to Thursday | 06:00–23:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–22:00 |
Hours can change, for example during Ramadan. Confirm with the team before a late or early visit.
Colleagues, employers and training as a group
Where a market or port team works the same hours, training together is easier to organise than in many workplaces. Men and women share the Mixed section, so a mixed team can train side by side, and the Ladies section is there for women who prefer to train among women.
- Agree on one fixed evening or rest-day morning that suits the whole group.
- Share the drive, since the trip is the same for everyone leaving the port district.
- If several of you want to join, ask your employer to look at corporate arrangements, which RPM sets up organisation by organisation and confirms on enquiry.
Out of the port district to Level 4
The mapped route from Mina Zayed uses the Sheikh Zayed Tunnel and Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street (Salam Street) on its way to Al Manhal. Allow for the evening rush when you plan a session after work. Once at AD HUB, leave the car in the free on-site parking and take the lift to Level 4.
Sources
Questions, answered.
Does RPM have a club at the port or in the markets?
No. RPM trains everyone at one address, Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal. From Mina Zayed it is a longer trip across the island, and the route box shows the mapped estimates.
I only get one day off a week. Can I still make progress?
Yes. Make the day off your main session, and add a short one after work when your energy allows. A coach can plan the week around that pattern.
I come straight from the fish market. Is that a problem?
Bring a full change of clothes and keep work clothes bagged in the car. The changing area has keypad lockers and the grooming hub has hairdryers and products. Ask the team about showers before you build them into the routine.
Is the gym worth it in summer if my work is already outdoors?
It can be, because an indoor floor lets you train without adding more heat to your day. Keep those sessions moderate, and put heavy work on cooler or rest days.
Can the recovery suite help after a week of hot outdoor work?
RPM's recovery suite pairs a Finnish sauna and an aroma steam room with an ice bath. Ask which tiers include it. Heat after a day of heat is not for everyone, and anyone pregnant or with a heart condition should check with a doctor first.