Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort Abu Dhabi by Anantara, an idyllic sanctuary nestled on Qasr Al Sarab Road the legendary Liwa Desert, Abu Dhabi.
Qasr Al Sarab the “music” of the desert
The essentiality of Bedouin life which breathes in these walls and the dunes of the Empty Quarter invites us to go back to now forgotten simplicity and to enjoy a silence which is music.
It is still dark when we meet Andre in the library of Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort Abu Dhabi. He is South African, in his twenties, dressed like an explorer and with eyes looking towards the horizon, beyond the limits of civilisation, beyond what is contemporary towards a dimension without limits. The desert that he shows us during a walk on the dunes appears insnite to us, a succession of red sand where alternating rare shrubs inexplicably manage to exist alongside a myriad of animals whose tracks he shows us with remarkable skill.
A succession of red sand where alternating rare shrubs inexplicably manage to exist.
Qasr Al Sarab (Mirage Palace) arises in the Liwa Desert, part of the Empty Quarter, one of the largest deserts in the world, about 240 kilometres from Abu Dhabi. The idea is to reproduce an ancient fort, thus celebrating the local tradition and culture. The designers have reproduced typical forms and decorations, giving life to a unique and fascinating structure. The view of the expanse of dunes which one enjoys from the rooms or the villas is thrilling. Here and there in the complex there are sundials, astrolabes and maps of the sky, a memory of a consolidated mercantile tradition based on caravan routes which used these instruments, the equivalent of the modern GPS. Andre shows us how to orient ourselves following the crest of the dunes, little tastes of a travel culture light years
This stop-off in the desert reconciles us – with ourselves and with others. The essentiality of Bedouin life which permeates these walls and these dunes invites us to come back to a simplicity long forgotten. Following the setting sun, we climb up a dune barefoot to discover a dreamy starlit sky immersed in a forgotten silence. The “music” of the desert.
CHECK-IN3:00 PM CHECK-OUT12:00 PM
Location : Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara P.O. Box 131277, 1 Qasr Al Sarab Road, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Phone : +971 2 886 2088
Email : infoqas@anantara.com