The great escape

But if you haven’t booked yourself an expensive adrenalin-filled holiday abroad, save yourself the trouble as we have two absolutely amazing destinations, right here in the UAE: one is a veritable palace in the middle of the desert and the other is a luxury resort and spa on an idyllic island. Take your pick and start your New Year on an inspirational note

Liwa it to me

The Qasr Al Sarab, a five-star luxury resort located in the legendary Liwa desert, Rub’al Khali or Empty Quarter, is perfect for those looking to get away from the city to begin the year amidst more serene surroundings. Designed like an ancient fort, Qasr Al Sarab (or The Mirage Palace) rests over a towering dune that overlooks a natural valley offering spectacular views as you unwind in the comfort of your private villa or room.

Unlike other resorts the Qasr blends cultural passion with desert tranquility. It lets you experience Emirati heritage, culture and history with traditional activities like desert excursions, falconry, camel riding, archery, desert trekking, stargazing navigation and a desert walk through the awe-inspiring Rub’al Khali.

The resort lies adjacent to a 9,000 square kilometre protected wildlife reserve – the largest in the country. Managed by the AbuDhabi Environment agency the reserve is home to several thousand free-roaming indigenous Arabian animals including the Arabian Oryx, Mountain Gazelle and Sand Gazelle. Many of the animals that have been released into the reserve were bred on Abu Dhabi’s Sir Bani Yas Island, (see right) a large breeding and conservation reserve initiative designed to protect endangered species.

How to get there:

A 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi airport (approximately 240km) the resort is located 7km from the main Hamim highway and is accessible both by car and helicopter.

For bookings and reservation contact: + 9712 886 2088 or email infoqas@anantara.com

Sea to believe

Sir Bani Yas Island is the heart of the new Desert Islands destination, and the first one open to tourists. Intensive conservation work and ecological investment have made the island a showcase for nature-based tourism and animal welfare in Arabia.

It is now home to thousands of large free-roaming animals including one of the world’s largest herds of the Arabian Oryx and millions of trees and plants.

Dennis Hopper and Jeremy Irons are some of the celeb visitors who have taken time off to stay at the luxurious Desert Islands Resort and Spa located on the island.

A variety of adventure and nature based activities are available; these include guided game drives in the Arabian Wildlife Park (which occupies more than half of the 87 square kilometre area of the island), mountain biking, and hiking on the island’s rugged salt domes to snorkeling and kayaking in crystal clear waters,

How to get there

Sir Bani Yas island is located 8km off the western coastline of Abu Dhabi, following a 250-km drive from Abu Dhabi city.

Fly: Desert Islands offer scheduled flights from Abu Dhabi international airport. Flight time is approximately 50 minutes.

Drive and sail: Marsa Jabel Dhanna, the gateway to Sir Bani Yas Island takes around two and a half hours by road from Abu Dhabi. Take highway E 11 directly from Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Desert Islands have a fully serviced arrival terminal located on Marsa Jabel Dhanna from here you can reach the island by boat in 20 minutes.

For bookings and reservation contact: +9712 801 5400 or email resdirs@anantara.com

gita@khaleejtimes.com