Saudi Press

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Wednesday, Mar 18, 2026

An oasis among the dunes: Dubai's desert lakes

Al Qudra is a beautiful oasis on the outskirts of Dubai set alongside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. We venture through the rolling sand dunes to show you the visual spectacle of its artificial lakes.

The man-made desert lakes of Dubai are a visual spectacle and they draw in the crowds due to their Instagram appeal.

The largest of these is called 'Love Lakes' which were opened in November 2018 and since then they've become quite the hot-spot for families, singles and young couples.

They are shaped like two intertwined hearts and span across a 550,000 m2 area. Due to their size, they are only visible in their entirety from the sky. Part of their deco includes trees planted in the shape of the word 'love' and you can stroll around them on a number of paths created for the purpose.


'Love Lakes' sit on the edge of the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve which spans 10 per cent of Dubai’s total area. The Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve is also home to mammals, birds and fish, including 19 endangered species. Dubai Wildlife Officer, Saoud Faisal Mohamed, told euronews it is important to support Dubai’s eco-tourism and conservation because of these endangered species. Al Marmoom is quite the place to spot wildlife of all kinds, including many species of migratory birds. It is also in an area that is home to 16,000 different kinds of trees and various shrubs and flowers.

Just down the road from the Love Lakes, you can find the Lake of Expo 2020 next to Al Maktoum Airport. This marvel was created to celebrate Dubai hosting the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asian region. It was created to spell out the name of the global exhibition.

Also nestled alongside the sand dunes is the smallest of the three lakes: Moon Lake. As its name suggests, it’s shaped like a crescent moon. To access it, you may require a good 4X4 and that's also what makes it a perfect spot for those seeking to settle down and watch the sunset undisturbed alongside some of Dubai's native Arabian Oryx.

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