A camel train heads into the desert under an indigo sky, loping to a
halt just shy of sunset. Amid waves of sand dunes extending as far as the eye
can see, an authentically styled Bedouin encampment is set up for Al Maha Desert Resort
guests to sit down for a multicourse Dune Dinner. Cooked over a charcoal fire,
the meal features Middle Eastern mezze (hors d’oeuvres),
saloona samak (a seafood soup), and umm ali (an Egyptian version of bread
pudding). Arabic music plays in the background, while smoke from shisha pipes
colors the air.
 Just 45 minutes inland from the city of Dubai, Al Maha Desert
Resort is a world away from the burgeoning Las Vegas of the Middle East. Unlike
its flashy seaside neighbors, the resort embraces the desert’s arid climate and
works in harmony with the surrounding 55,600-acre Dubai Desert Conservation
Reserve. The private, Bedouin-style tent accommodations feature traditional
layouts and furnishings (as well as swimming pools), lending the resort an
authentic flavor that is increasingly hard to find in Dubai.
Al Maha’s spa also borrows from its surroundings, with a
treatment menu that incorporates local ingredients such as frankincense and
dates. Outdoor activities at Al Maha include 4x4 safaris, archery, falconry,
and, some nights before the sun sets, camel treks to a dining Mecca in the
desert. SETTING: Within
55,600 acres of protected desert, 40 miles inland from the city of Dubai. SLEEPING: Each of the 42 stylish,
tent-shaped bungalows features a private swimming pool, handcrafted wood
furnishings, Bulgari amenities, and satellite TV. DINING: The Al
Diwaan restaurant offers an amalgam of international dishes—Middle Eastern,
Mediterranean, Indian, Sri Lankan, Japanese—that may include panfried duck
breasts with cassis-soaked dates and burnt orange sauce. DIVERSIONS: On-site activities include
falconry, camel treks, horseback rides, archery, 4x4 dune safaris, and nature
walks. Safaris in the Hajar Mountains, bike rides, sand-skiing trips, and
journeys to Al Ain, the spiritual home of Abu Dhabi’s ruling Al Nahyan family,
also can be arranged. RATES: $1,000–$8,400
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