Best UAE staycations for the National Day long weekend
From desert silence to island blues, here is where to check in for a mini escape this Eid Al Etihad (National Day) long weekend
Long weekends are made for a bag in the boot, a playlist on low, and a check-in that feels like a reset. With cooler weather finally here, these six stays deliver a proper break without the airport queue, and the National Day long weekend is the perfect time to getaway.
The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert
If you want privacy and a horizon, this is the one. Set inside a protected reserve, the resort’s sand-toned villas come with private pools and outdoor decks where oryx wander past at dusk. Days fill with falconry, horseback rides, stargazing and quiet bike loops between the dunes. Evenings are for dinner in the fortress-style restaurant and a night swim under a very dark sky.
Location: Al Mazraa Wadi Khadija – Al Ashish – Ras Al Khaimah
Contact: @ritzcarltonalwadidesert
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, Liwa
A mirage made solid at the edge of the Empty Quarter. The approach road slices through towering dunes, and the lobby view does the rest. Book a dawn desert walk, an afternoon at the palm-lined pool, and a sunset dune bash with tea poured on a carpeted ridge. Rooms are warm, textured and built for long, slow mornings.
Location: Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort – Bateen Liwa – Mahdar Sahab – Abu Dhabi
Contact: @anantaraqasralsarab
Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
Al Maha is all about stillness. Each suite has a temperature-controlled plunge pool that looks onto rolling dunes, with gazelles drifting by like they own the place. Full board keeps things delightfully simple. Do a guided nature drive, try archery, then retreat to your terrace as the sky turns apricot.
Location: Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Dubai – Al Ain Road
Contact: @almaha_resort
Zaya Nurai Island, Abu Dhabi
For a Maldives-without-passports mood, take the speedboat to Nurai’s bright-white beaches. Villas open straight onto soft sand or private pools, and the water is that impossible shade of blue you only get on good days. Lunch at the beach club, a lazy paddle, then a barefoot dinner with the city a world away across the water.
Location: Nurai Island – Nourai Island – Abu Dhabi
Contact: @nurai_island
Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island
Part remote island, part wildlife playground. Choose between beachy Al Yamm, family-friendly Al Sahel among the acacia trees, or the main Desert Islands hotel. Safari drives reveal giraffes and Arabian wildlife, and the coastline gives you snorkelling, paddling and golden hour views that feel unexpectedly wild for a quick UAE escape.
Contact: @anantarasirbaniyas
How to pick
If you are chasing total privacy, choose Al Wadi Desert or Al Maha. For a splashy island break, Nurai and Sir Bani Yas deliver the water-day highs. Wherever you land, book sunrise activities, pack a light layer for breezy evenings and make time to do nothing at all. That is the secret to a great long weekend.
