On the edge of the Rub' al Khali — the Empty Quarter — Liwa holds some of the tallest dunes on Earth.
Most Abu Dhabi desert safaris operate on dunes closer to the city, but Liwa — a few hours' drive southwest, on the northern edge of the Rub' al Khali (the Empty Quarter, one of the largest continuous sand deserts on Earth) — holds genuinely enormous dunes, including Moreeb Dune, a famous towering ridge that draws dune-bashing drivers and an annual motorsport festival.
This is a proper expedition rather than a quick add-on: most visitors either book a specialist multi-day desert tour or drive independently with proper preparation (4x4 vehicle, supplies, and ideally a group rather than travelling alone). The Liwa Oasis itself, a string of small settlements and date palm groves, sits at the desert's edge and makes a good base.
Liwa is best visited in the cooler months — the same November-to-March window as the rest of Abu Dhabi — since summer heat in the open desert is considerably more intense than on the coast.
