UAE | Heritage and Culture

Liwa's Qasr Al Sarab resort offers breathtaking vistas

From the moment one arrives, the resort holds sway over visitors with its architecture and design rooted in Liwa's unique heritage and its breathtaking natural views.

WAM
Published: 00:00 February 8, 2010

Image Credit: WAM
Qasr Al Sarab offers a blend of desert culture with luxury. Visitors can take advantage of the health spa, outdoor pool, children's playground and adventure excursions besides getting a feel of the desert.

Abu Dhabi: Situated in the legendary Liwa Desert, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort stands proud as an architectural engineering masterpiece perched on the sand dunes of the Empty Quarter of Abu Dhabi.

From the moment one arrives, the resort holds sway over visitors with its architecture and design rooted in Liwa's unique heritage and its breathtaking natural views.

Guests will be captivated by the resort's natural beauty and given the chance to explore the vast landscapes and the adjoining 9,000-square kilometre protected wildlife reserve — the largest in the UAE.

The reserve is abundant with wildlife where thousands of indigenous animals, such as the famed Arabian oryx, sand gazelle and Arabian hare, add a spectacular real-life Arabian experience to visitors.

The resort comprises a desert experience centre designed to educate guests on the surrounding environment and offers activities such as falconry, camel riding and desert exploration.

The resort blends indigenous desert culture with luxury giving visitors the chance to explore the natural surroundings of the desert and its breathtaking views.

Qasr Al Sarab, which recently hosted the two-day UAE Cabinet meeting, reflects the government's keenness to promote tourism and heritage projects and attract more tourism into the Western Region.

Situated in the Empty Quarter (Rub Al Khali), the world's largest stretch of uninterrupted desert, the resort blends into its pristine surrounding environment which is a destination rich in history with settlements dating back to as far as 7,000 years ago. Managed by Anantara International, the resort also hosts a desert discovery centre.

Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), said: "We are extremely proud of Qasr Al Sarab and the inspirational story behind its conception. This is more than just an extraordinary luxury resort; this is a symbol of our highly admired and respected Arabian hospitality and deep-rooted culture.

"Most of all, we owe this splendour to our forefathers who were born and raised in the rich Liwa Oasis and their visionary leadership which [has] become the influence behind our present-day progressive evolution," he said.

"We take great pride in the vision of His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and the tremendous support of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for embracing the UAE's heritage through world-class developments in Abu Dhabi."