Off The Beaten Path - In And Around Dubai, UAE
When people think of Dubai, they tend to think of over the top building design, fancy cars, and endless money. I’ve come to find that most people also think Dubai is its own country. While it has a glamorous side and offers expats a very comfortable lifestyle - Dubai is 1 of 7 emirates in the United Arab Emirates, each emirate with its own unique identity.
We’ve been to the UAE a handful of times but really had a chance to explore it more throughout our stay during Covid. Though there were still cases of Covid during our stay, the country tackled the virus quickly and intelligently. Everyone took care, wore masks, kept their distances, and followed the government’s protocols. This made us a lot more comfortable going out in public with our daughter and helped us live a more “normal” life. We rented a car now and then… changed up our routine, and had some day trips outside the city. This allowed us to see the more rugged and natural side of Dubai and Sharjah that we hadn’t explored much of.
If you’re more into off the beaten track type of places, then you’re in luck! We’ve put together a list of 5 places outside of the big cities where you can see some unique desert attractions in the UAE.
Must-See Unique Places To See In And Around Dubai
1. Ghost Town - Al Madam, Sharjah
We randomly read about Al Madam Ghost Town in Sharjah, during our Covid stay in Dubai. The spookiness and unknown of why it abandoned, really intrigued us. We were renting a car for a few days during Jamie’s birthday week, so we decided to check it out then. From Dubai, we took a scenic 50-minute drive to Sharjah’s desert town, Madam. Madam is an extremely small town with shops lined along the main highway leading to the town. We didn’t see many homes around, just a couple of apartment complexes which we assumed was where the couple dozen people we saw lived. Madam is also a popular spot for dune bugging, and there are a handful of rental shops along the way making it really easy to just stop off the side of the road and rent one.
Just past all that is the turn that leads to the Ghost Town. The section of the Sharjah desert that surrounds Madam is so beautiful with never-ending rolling red dunes. Luckily, the sand is quite flat getting to the village, so you may be alright getting there with a regular sedan. If you don’t want to risk it, you can park just before the desert starts, and walk your way in since it’s not too far off the road. .We’re not completely sure of the village’s history, but from what we saw, it seemed each family had their own little section consisting of a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Intricate molding and art can be found in some of the homes still, left in pretty good condition. The mosque pictured at the end on its own is now fenced off and also has been taken over by sand. We’ve read the people who lived here still technically own these homes, but information on who lived there isn’t known - or just hasn’t been made public.
Likely built in the 1970s,it’s said that the purpose of the village was to provide a more functioning home for Bedouins rather than roaming the desert. Lack of electricity or running water may be a reason the inhabitants left, or another theory is that supernatural spirits caused the villagers to flee.
Whatever the history behind this “ghost town”, it is unique and worthwhile to visit. There are tours you can book, or you can just rent a car and go on your own. It’s becoming a popular spot for tourists, so hopefully, the authenticity of the buildings will remain and not get impacted by large numbers of visitors.
2. Love Lake - Dubai
i came across an Instagram post on Love Lake, and made sure to check it out on our next trip to Dubai. The man-made lakes are two linked hearts with a surrounding track and garden, right in the middle of Al Qudra oasis in Dubai. Yes, that’s the same Al Qudra as mentioned in the #4 attraction! The lake is a 30-minute drive from where we stayed in Dubai Sports City. The attraction is a great spot for couples and families to enjoy the peace and quiet of the desert while being surrounded by greenery - which is a nice change when you’re living in Dubai. Overnight camping is also allowed at Love Lake with a very clean public restroom right in the parking lot. There is a walking track around the lakes and gardens all around to walk through and admire.
There are a few other lakes in the same area of Al Qudra that are worth checking out, and they are easy enough to reach with a regular car - no 4WD needed. You may even be lucky enough to catch a huge flock of flamingos at Flamingo Lake, and see black swans at any of the other surrounding lakes. If you’re into camping, there are spots to park your car and set up your site, but read the signs because it’s not allowed everywhere and there are a couple of hotels nearby too if camping isn’t your thing. If you’re going for a day trip, I’d suggest bringing your own food and drink, otherwise, there is a gas station with food trucks just a short drive away from the lakes at the roundabout. If you have your Dubai drone license, there are some great spots to put the drone up and get an overhead view of the surrounding area. Be careful because there are “no droning” signs at the lakes, so make sure you are in an area that is legal.
3. Desert Road - Dubai
This spot is a hot spot for photographers who visit Dubai, and it’s a safe spot for droning. You’ll likely see camels roaming around just doing their thing which we never tire of. Even if you aren’t into photography, it’s pretty cool to see rows of abandoned roads that lead to nowhere - almost always covered in sand. Word is that something was going to be built here and development stopped, hence the roads. Maybe in the near future they’ll start it up again - but for now - people can just enjoy it as a unique spot to visit and photograph.
4. Qudra Bike Path - Dubai
The Qudra bike path is a short drive outside of the city. It was a short 30-minute drive from where we stayed in Dubai Sports City, so we went from busy city to empty desert in no time. If you are visiting and don’t have your own bike, you can visit Trek Bicycle Store - Al Qudra for rentals. We didn’t rent bikes because it was summer in Dubai and well… summer in Dubai is extremely HOT. But it was fun to walk along the path for a little and enjoy the peace and quiet of the desert.
