The Beauty of Liwa Oasis of Abu Dhabi

Published on 10 Jul 2025

Liwa Oasis is one of the largest oases of Abu Dhabi situated in the capital of United Arab Emirates. This beautiful oasis was previously known as Bu Fallah Desert. The name ‘Liwa Oasis’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Aljawaa’. It means either a peaceful place to rest or a green oasis. It is located 250 KM south of Abu Dhabi on the northern border of the Empty Quarter (also known as Ruba’ Al Khali Desert). True to its name, the Empty Quarter is almost an abandoned area with a very little population. Liwa Oasis is situated very close to the Saudi Arabian border. It takes approximately 3 hours by road to reach this crescent-shaped oasis from the capital city.

If you are fond of calm and quiet places to discover the actual fun of an interesting holiday, this one is a must visit for you. As a matter of fact, passionate travellers find greater interest in exploring such silent places to grasp the beauty of nature. Just pack your bag and make your next move to the Liwa Oasis of Abu Dhabi to experience a memorable holiday.

An oasis is regarded as an isolated place in a desert. It is the only place in the dry desert where water and plants can be found together. Desert travellers in are delighted to find an oasis in the middle of their journeys. This is a place of safety, support, and nutrition for them. Hence, an oasis is also termed as the life of the desert. “A desert can be much more than a sand”- this statement can be justified only if you visit the Liwa Oasis. This beautiful oasis has now emerged as one of the major tourist attraction spots in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Government has been always conscious about the continuous improvement of more facilities and services of this area for the visiting tourists.

Liwa Oasis is known as the birthplace of the royal and the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In the year 1793, the ruling family, Al Nahyan moved from Liwa Oasis to his present location in Abu Dhabi city. This movement was mainly done so that they could work in the pearl industry. During that time, the pearl industry was booming the capital’s economy. The pearl is an essential component of the region’s economy. As a result of this, Liwa Oasis was losing its importance.

History of Liwa Oasis

During the old days, Liwa men used to earn money from pearl diving. The scorching heat of the sun during the summer months forced these men to leave Liwa Oasis. They came to the Capital City to earn income for their family. Pearl diving was a seasonal as well as an additional source of income for them. The pearl divers basically hunt the pearls from the wild snails in the sea or fresh water, especially during the summer months. If you are curious about why we are discussing this history, well, you will come to know about this once you visit this place. You know visiting a place becomes more interesting when you know well about the history of a place.

Liwa Oasis is a collection of villages and oasis in the United Arab Emirates. This 100 KM long oasis acts as a natural spring. This spring provides irrigation to a large number of crops. This makes it one of the most renowned agricultural sites of Al Gharbia in the western region. The most important among them is the date-palm plantation. This practice of date-palm cultivation had been continuing from the past era to the present date. The palm forests may dazzle you in the middle of the desert. The Bedouins or the Ban Yas Tribe drew out underground freshwater resources to cultivate dates. The date cultivation is important for country’s economy even today. The Annual Liwa Date Festival has made this region as one of the major attraction spots for the local farmers. They exhibit some samples to date from their own farms. This festival is a healthy competition among the local farmers. Liwa Oasis is also known as Green Oasis. The infrastructure is well maintained with green farms. There are a widespread use of drip irrigation system and greenhouses also popularly known as glasshouses. Apart from this date farming, camel raising is another occupation of the Bedouins.

The villages of Liwa Oasis are situated to the farthest south of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates. It comprises of approximately 50 villages. Mahdar Bin ’Usayyan is the southernmost village of the Emirates. It is situated to the farthest east of the oasis. Several towers and forts were constructed to preserve the water sources and to identify the lands of different families.

The trading heart of the oasis lies in Mezaira’a. This place offers a gas station. There are also few shops, ATM counters, and hospital here. The tribes who had settled in the Liwa Oasis are very cheerful, friendly and genuine. They graciously welcome the tourists to their shacks. They take the tourists around their farms and flaunt them their plantations. The interesting part is that they even offer the tourists some camel milk. Isn’t it refreshing! If wanted, they can lead a luxurious life in Abu Dhabi city. But, they prefer to live here to show tribute and gratitude to their ancestors. Language can be an only barrier while speaking to them, as they do not speak English. Our tour guides play an important role here as they interpret the conversation between the locals and tourists.

Liwa Oasis is a new economic development in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. His Highness Late Sheikh Zayed started the restoration work of several forts. He took a special interest in the environment of the oasis. A new train will be launched soon. The dates can be transported easily to Abu Dhabi city with the help of this train. From there the dates will be exported out of the country. The economic development of Liwa Oasis is on the rise with these steps.

A multilane highway is opened to connect Liwa Oasis with Abu Dhabi. So, travelling to this oasis is very easy now a day. Liwa Oasis is best visited if you travel by your car. We arrange private tours for you in most luxurious cars to make it a memorable holiday trip for you. Our private tours are for families, a group of friends or office colleagues visiting Abu Dhabi for various reasons.

Our city tour service is flexible for every guest. We customise the tour as our guests want it to be. If you are here for your corporate meeting or conference, we plan your city trips in coordination with your meeting schedules. We will design your desired holiday plan without hampering your work schedule in our city.

Liwa Oasis holds a special place in the heart of the citizens. There are many adrenaline rush adventure sports for the sports lovers. Some of these sports are dune bashing, sand boarding, quad bike rides and many more. Camel racing is a must-see event here. It attracts a number of tourists both locally and internationally. People, who are passionate about sports enjoy these activities on their trips. For the major of visitors we have catered, the youth amongst them are observed to be more inclined towards sports and adventurous activities.

Liwa Hotels

Source: Photograph by www.news.at

There are a number of hotels and guest houses for the tourists to relax. Liwa Hotel in Muzayri’ possesses four stars. The Liwa Hotel provides impressive views of Liwa Oasis on one side and the Ruba’ Al Khali Desert on the other side. It provides high-quality comfort and grandeur. Liwa Rest House is the second establishment in the same village. It is operated by Abu Dhabi Government. The third construction in this village is in progress. Then there is Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara. This resort boasts a 5-star category. There is a Thai spa, a swimming pool, separate kids’ club, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, gym and much more. In a nutshell, this place is heaven for all luxury admirers. The Emirates are considered to be the ultimate place for all luxury holiday spenders. The superlative relaxation of the Liwa resorts is considered amongst the finest holiday destinations in the world. If you want it grand, Liwa resorts are for you to spend some of your most memorable and relaxing days.

TravelPlanDubai helps you in ascertaining the best resort for you and other hotel accommodations as per your budget. Our tele-executives assist you with all your queries regarding your stay and holiday in Emirates. We are experts in the country to make the best holiday plans for you as per your convenience. Our added services include hotel pick up and drop.

The fascinating feature of the Liwa Oasis lies in its stunning natural beauty. The dune surrounded establishment is simply breath-taking. As you go nearer, you will discover the size of the dunes. Some of them are like mountains and they are visually stunning. One of them is Tel Moreeb dune (which means ‘scary hill’ in Arabic). This dune is 1600 metres long and is regarded as the highest dune in the world.

The Camping is an important activity in the Liwa Oasis. The tourists can place their tents under the stars here. They can wake up with memorable views of sunrise against the sand dunes. They can even enjoy camel trekking. Next time, when you are in Abu Dhabi, spare some time for the arc-shaped oasis in the city. Above all, you will cherish for a lifetime the soothing surrounding of the desert with a luxurious touch.

Abu Dhabi has a lot to offer you. The city welcomes you with open arms to see its greenery, desert, and all other historic places. Apart from the grand sky-scrapers, the city rejuvenates you with its thrilling nightlife. The city is absolutely safe for women. The legal rules and regulations are strict here, that makes it safe for people of every gender visiting this place. Apart from the friendly crowd, every corner you will find people with open helping hands.