Road tripping is the best way to explore the UAE for the simple reason that the roads here are amazingly smooth. Liwa is one such place in the UAE that should be on your list of places to drive to. Liwa Oasis is situated south-west of Abu Dhabi, on the edge of Rab Al Khali, and it is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world. The Liwa Oasis is considered as the birth place of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
There is a 220-kilometer distance between Liwa and Abu Dhabi that can be comfortably covered within three to four hours by a car rental from Abu Dhabi. It is suggested that you opt for an SUV when heading to Liwa as it would also help you enjoy a little bit of off-road maneuvering. Here is a list of things you could do while in Liwa:
Date Festival
The date palm has been a vital part in the lives of the Liwa folk, acting as an essential element when it came to surviving in the scorching heat. It gave people nutrition, shade, building material for houses and boats, and was used to build objects like basket, food covers, etc. The Date Festival celebrates the 35 different types of varieties found in Arabia. Visitors can have a glimpse and taste this sacred food. The festival takes place every year in July and lasts for a week.
Moreeb Dune
The Moreeb Dune is one of the highest dunes in Liwa, with a height of approximately 220 meters from seas level. It is located around 30 kilometers south west of Mezairaa. The Moreeb Dune serves as a stage for the amazing UAE Desert challenge where you can witness huge monster trucks and SUVs throttling away and riding the sand dunes. The best time to be here is almost 90 minutes before sunset as the view from the top is absolutely breath-taking.
Explore the Liwa Forts
Water has always been scarce in the UAE, and before there were provisions of importing water, locals were dependent on the little supply that occurred naturally. For this reason of scarcity, people used to build forts around the wells/reservoirs in order to protect their water. These 200-300-year-old forts have now been converted to tourist spots.
As far as your stay is concerned, there are several lavish resorts in Liwa equipped with facilities like swimming pool, restaurants, and safari. Rent a car in Abu Dhabi and head off to Liwa, one of the pristine and adventurous places in the UAE.