Liwa Oasis: a practical guide to the edge of the Empty Quarter

Liwa Oasis lies in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi emirate, at the northern edge of the Empty Quarter, the largest sand desert in the world. It stretches in an arc for about 100 km, with small villages and date plantations between the dunes. Its southern villages are the southernmost settlements of Abu Dhabi and the UAE, a short distance from the Saudi border.

From Abu Dhabi it is about 230 km, around two hours by car, and from Dubai about 330 km, around three hours. Liwa can only be reached by road.

Liwa is the traditional home of the Bani Yas tribe. Men from the oasis worked as pearl divers on the coast in summer and returned to their date gardens in winter. The oasis is also seen as the birthplace of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai: the Al Nahyan moved their residence from Liwa to Abu Dhabi in 1793.

• See Tal Moreeb, one of the biggest dunes in the world, about 300 metres high.
• Ride the dunes by quad or buggy with a guide. A one-day ride is the easiest way to feel the desert.
• Visit a camel farm. Bedouin-run farms are home to the dark Liwa camels, and visitors can try fresh camel milk.
• Watch sunset over the dunes and look at the stars. Nights are clear and dark.
• See traditional mud-brick forts and watchtowers around the oasis.
• Spend a night in a desert camp or a desert resort.

The big event of the year is Liwa International Festival, held around Tal Moreeb from December to early January. The 2026–27 edition runs from 11 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 and ends with the Moreeb Hill Climb. A date festival is held in July.

The best months are October to April, when days are pleasant and nights are cold enough for a jacket. In summer the heat makes desert activities hard. The expedition season of Mega Drive Experience × AMA runs from October to May.

A day trip from Abu Dhabi is possible but short. Most visitors prefer to stay a night so that they can ride the dunes during the day and see the sunset and the stars. A guided expedition of one to three driving days shows much more of the desert.

Options include hotels in the Liwa area, desert resorts such as Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara and desert camps. See our guide to where to stay near Liwa for the festival weeks, when rooms fill up early.