Things to Do in Dubai · Desert

Love Lakes (Al Qudra)

Two giant hearts drawn in the desert — best seen at sunrise

Hidden Gem Desert ✓ Self-guided · No booking needed

📍 Location Al Salam area, past Al Qudra Lakes (signposted off the Qudra lakes tracks)

🕒 Timings Open access, daylight recommended

🎟️ Entry Fee Free

⏱️ Duration 1–2 hours (often combined with Al Qudra)

🌅 Best Time Sunrise — still air, mirror water, empty paths

🚇 Getting There Drive via Al Qudra Road; the final stretch is graded track, manageable with care in a sedan

📖 About

The Love Lakes are exactly what the name promises: two interlocking heart-shaped lakes, hundreds of metres across, dug into the open desert — with even the word LOVE spelled in trees along the shore. They appeared mysteriously in 2018, announced by Dubai's ruler on Instagram, and became an instant pilgrimage.

From the ground it's a peaceful desert oasis ringed by walking paths, ghaf trees and picnic spots, busy with birdlife at dawn. The heart shape reveals itself properly from height — which is why the spot became drone-famous — but viewing platforms and the sheer novelty carry it even without wings.

Combine it with the Al Qudra lake chain and a flamingo stop for the best free morning in Dubai: sunrise here, breakfast by the water, wildlife on the way out.

⭐ Highlights

Two interlocking heart-shaped lakes in open desert
Walking loop (~3 km around both hearts)
Dawn birdlife: swans, flamingos passing, desert species
Picnic-perfect shores with ghaf shade
One of the UAE's most famous aerial images

💡 Insider Tips

Drone rules are strict in the UAE — fly only with a GCAA permit; plenty of visitors have lost drones (and more) here.
Sunrise is dramatically better than midday for light, temperature and solitude.
The track in corrugates after rain — drive it slowly in a sedan.
No kiosks: bring water and breakfast, and take everything back out.