36 DEPARTURES TRAVEL ON
36 DEPARTURES TRAVEL ON LOCATION THE SKYSCRAPERS and superlatives of Dubai and Abu Dhabi dominate the headlines to such an extent that you’d be forgiven for forgetting that there are five more emirates – Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and the blink-and-you’ll-miss-them Ajman and Umm Al Quwain – which make up the rest of the UAE. The coastal Middle Eastern nation will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, and with new openings and buzzworthy The remote Mysk Al Faya Retreat, in Sharjah’s Mleiha region The Undiscovered Emirates World-class art and architecture, spectacular natural wonders, novel hotel concepts and more – a road trip through the UAE’s blossoming outback proves there’s more to the desert than meets the eye. by Nicola Chilton destinations speckled across the desert, there has never been a better time to explore. A road trip is the most sensible option, with great rentals available in this car-conscious country and FERNANDO GUERRA
FROM TOP: OLIVER MARSHALL DORAN, SHANAVAS JAMALUDDIN, PASCAL REYNAUD close-enough proximity between stops to make the journey closer to a Grand Tour than a Lawrence of Arabia expedition. The place to start is Sharjah, which has been quietly reinventing itself in recent years. Often unkindly written off as the “dry emirate” (no alcohol is available), new architecturally adventurous projects are bringing its rich natural environment to the fore in innovative yet sensitive ways. Take the Mysk Al Faya Retreat (myskhotels.com), which sits at the end of one of the most beautiful desert drives in the country. Converted – incredibly – from a ruined 1960s-era grocery store and clinic, it opened in late 2019 with just five rooms, a saltwater pool and a self-guided spa experience. It’s unlike anything else in the UAE, a design by Jonathan Ashmore of Anarchitect that spans both sides of a former caravanserai route connecting the two coasts. Ashmore says that his intention was to bring the buildings back to life: “We wanted to create an authentic experience that could reveal From top: a stargazing excursion with Mleiha Archaeological Centre; Rain Room, an installation at the Sharjah Art Foundation; below: the alfresco reception area at the Chedi Al Bait something new to people who may have had preconceptions about the UAE being all gold and glamour,” he says. Local stone and weathered steel, with its layer of rust that acts as a natural protective barrier, help the lodge withstand the harsh conditions of the desert. You don’t book individual rooms here – it is entirely private-hire – and the cosy accommodations fit within the dimensions of the original shops, accented with multiple openair seating areas and a private pool. As welcoming as the property is, the point is to get out into the beguiling surroundings, and the newly opened Buhais Geology Park is 30 minutes down the road. Created to showcase the area’s ancient ophiolite rocks, once part of the oceanic crust, the handsome circular pods of the buildings were designed by Londonbased Hopkins Architects, who were inspired by sea urchin fossils found in the area. Short hikes into the surrounding mountains are available at the park, but those conscious of the heat may prefer to continue along the base of the mountains, keeping an eye out for wandering camels, to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre (discovermleiha.ae), which offers a 4WD desert safari and can set up a private stargazing camp. The surreal landscape is stunning in both day and night – and surprising with its offerings, which include evidence of some of the oldest human existence on the planet outside Africa. DEPARTURES 37
