First time visitors to this desert land would not expect much to do in the endless desert sand dunes, but it will not take long for any visitor to this Middle Eastern country to realize that there is indeed much to do and see even amidst these dunes. Welcome to the Empty Quarter, also known as Rub' al Khali in local parlance.
The Empty Quarter spans a large area of 650,000 square km and extends across as many as four countries, namely, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For any adrenaline junkie or a fan of off road driving, this is one place to go to explore the extremities of the world, in one of the biggest deserts on the globe. An adventure drive on the Empty Quarter would initially present one with endless sands and nothing else at first glance.
But a drive in this area would reveal much to explore and experience. The endless shadows created by the sand dunes are a different treat to the eye and the occasional shrub or bush that one finds is indeed a treat in this barren land. The silence that one experiences in the wasteland is truly incomparable, particularly in the early mornings when there are no animals, birds or even insects, but only the sun rising and not even the sound of the wind.
One would encounter lone camels and groups of these animals referred to as the ship of the desert create attractive scenes. You will notice the designs created on the sand; its ripples keep changing with the day as the winds blow. An adventure drive in this area is not complete if one does not spend a night under the desert skies camping and enjoying the chill of the nighttime in this area and also watch the sunrise and the sunset over the mountains of sand.
For an adventurer there are many a
Muscat hotel to stay at to prepare for this drive across the sands. One great
Oman resort is the Millennium Resort Mussanah that provides great views of the Gulf of Oman once you come back from a long day with sand dunes as far as the eye can see. Such an endless gulf of sea water would be a welcome break after a day driving through the barren region.
