Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa

Last weekend we went to Al Maha, a nature conservancy resort on the outskirts of Dubai (about a 45 minute drive).

When we left Dubai in the morning it was extremely hot and humid. At the resort there was no humidity at all, but it was much hotter! The temperature was 122 degrees when we arrived at 12:30 in the afternoon! It felt like I had a hair dryer turned on high blasting right in my face. It was like nothing I have ever experienced.

The good part is that you don't sweat when it's that hot and dry! I think the sweat must evaporate immediately. Even though it was hot enough to cook your internal organs, it was actually a welcome reprieve from the wet and stickiness of the Dubai humidity.

Al Maha is one of the few places where you can see Arabian Oryx. These animals were hunted to extinction here in their native habitat by the early 1970's. However, in 1962 some folks there in Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Zoo) had a few and starting breeding them in order to keep this rare animal from total extinction. Dubai purchased some of the Oryx from them and have been breeding and protecting them on this conservation area ever since. They now have about 300 Oryx on the property. Al Maha is 225 sq. kilometers and represents nearly 5% of Dubai's land area.

The Oryx is a member of the antelope family with long black horns. It is a stark white color and weighs 150 pounds on average. When viewed from the side, it looks like it only has one horn which lead many to believe this may be where the fabled unicorn came from.

They are able to live in the harsh desert because they not only have the ability to sense rainfall and move toward it, but they can store water in their bodies for up to 2 months! Here is a picture of some of them that were grazing just outside of our bunglalow.

As much as we liked the rare animals and nature aspect of this resort, I think our favorite part was the private pool! Each room is a separate bungalow with its own pool looking out into the desert. Each one has total privacy, you cannot see any other people or bungalows from your own. The hut walls are glass doors from almost every side so the view was just incredible. The entire resort is designed to resemble a Bedouin encampment. Alex and I agreed we have never been anywhere more luxurious though. My heart melted the moment I saw the "pillow menu" on the bedside table. These people knew I was coming apparently!!! :)

The bathroom seemed bigger than our entire house with a full jacuzzi tub surrounded by windows looking out into the greenery and a stone tiled stand up shower with multiple shower heads. Alex took at least 3 pictures of just the bathroom!

Alex also really enjoyed the binoculars they provided. We could look out into the desert for oryx and gazelle. We were even lucky enough to be there for an afternoon thunderstorm with a little bit of rain!

The evening was great with room service on our outdoor deck (it actually cools down at night this far out into the desert) and wine while swimming in the pool. Yes, I know...I'm sure there are some sort of safety rules against that!

It was a beautiful resort and we would love to go back again when the weather is cooler and we are able to enjoy some of the outdoor activities that Al Maha offers.