Anyone who partied in the UAE during the 2010s will remember Blue Marlin — the Ghantoot beach club that ruled the pre-Naughty-Burger era with Friday DJ sets from big international names and lazy Saturday brunches. It closed at the end of 2019 and the site has sat empty ever since. Now, seven years later, it's coming back to life under a new name: Cala 399, a nod to the motorway exit you take to reach it.

The new beach club opens on Saturday October 31, and its whole concept is built around Ollie Daze, a community event series that mixes sport, wellness, music, art and outdoor adventure. Ollie Daze will take over the venue permanently, running every Saturday and Sunday from opening weekend.

Expect a very different vibe to Blue Marlin's famous parties — though evenings still bring resident DJ sets once the afternoon cools. Days are designed for families and hanging out: yoga and breathwork sessions, paddleboarding and kayaking, inflatable games, drum circles and creative workshops like painting. It's kid-friendly and pet-friendly, which puts it firmly in the relaxed, bring-the-whole-crew camp rather than the velvet-rope beach club scene.

Pricing is straightforward: day passes cost Dhs200 on Saturdays and Dhs150 on Sundays. The location itself is part of the appeal — Ghantoot sits between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so it's an easy escape from either city, with its own stretch of quiet coastline that used to draw crowds willing to make the drive.

For travellers passing through the UAE, this is worth knowing about: if your trip spans a weekend from November onwards, Cala 399 gives you a beach day that's less about bottle service and more about actually being outside. It's also a useful option if you're travelling with children or a dog, which many Dubai beach clubs don't cater to. The wellness and water-sports angle means you can slot in a paddleboard session or a morning yoga class without committing to a big night out — or stay for the DJ sets if you do.

It's also a small marker of how the UAE's beach club scene is evolving: the all-out party model of the 2010s is making room for daytime, community-driven formats. Whether Cala 399 can fill the shoes of one of the country's most legendary venues is the big question, but with a permanent weekend programme and family appeal, it's positioning itself as something the region hasn't quite had before.

Keep an eye on @cala.399 and olliedaze.com for bookings as opening weekend approaches.

Reported by What's On Dubai.