Al Wathba Salt Lake has been on my to-visit list for years. After its rise to social media fame in 2021, it even took on a mythical quality.
Was it truly a stretch of turquoise water and sculpted white salt in the middle of the Abu Dhabi desert, or just another over-filtered exaggeration waiting to disappoint? That question alone was enough to turn a simple day trip into a small adventure.
I set out with a convoy that feels like a quiet experiment in itself. Two cars, an SUV and a sedan, each loaded with friends, folding chairs, and a picnic-style spread of food and tea.
What has come to be known as Long Salt Lake is actually two bodies of water. Online lore often insists that only four-wheel drives can make it to the lakes, but our mixed fleet proves otherwise. After about an hour’s drive from Abu Dhabi city, the paved road gives way to a steep off-road exit, followed by roughly 15 minutes of dusty, uneven terrain. Confidence wavers, then returns, as we pass other cars heading in and out. If they can make it, so can we.
We arrive at 3pm, early enough to plan our return before sunset. But even before golden hour, the sky puts on a show of its own. Sunlight and clouds drift in and out of each other’s paths, and just as I think the day can't get more theatrical, a brief drizzle sweeps across the desert. It feels like a private performance, the kind that makes you stop setting up chairs and simply stand and stare.
Then comes the reveal. The salt lakes are not a mirage, nor a social media trick. Turquoise-green pools lie between crisp, white salt formations, their colours made even sharper by the soft, shifting light. It is, quite simply, picture perfect.
Phones and cameras come out almost in unison, not just from our group, but from families, couples, and influencers scattered along the water’s edge. Everyone is united by the same quiet disbelief that such an idyllic setting lies so close to home.
We unfold our chairs, pour tea and allow the afternoon to slow down. Children skip along the salt pads, friends compare photos and strangers offer to take group shots for one another. Despite the lakes' growing popularity, the atmosphere doesn't feel rushed. There's space to breathe, to wander and to sit in stillness if you want.
As the light begins to soften and the sky leans towards evening, it becomes clear that Al Wathba’s real appeal is not just in how it looks, but also in how it feels. The journey, the uncertainty and the moment of arrival all fold into one experience.
In a world where almost every destination can be previewed in a scroll, there is something quietly thrilling about a place that still makes you ask: “Will it really be there when we arrive?”
On that afternoon, at least, the answer is a resounding yes.
How to get there and what to pack
Here are some essential tips for a trip to Al Wathba salt lakes.
- Follow Al Wathba Salt Lake Front on Google Maps, which will guide you to the off-road exit and the dirt track leading to the lakes. From Abu Dhabi city, the drive takes roughly an hour, followed by a short stretch of uneven terrain before you reach the water.
- Fuel up before leaving the city. There are several petrol stations on the E22 road from Abu Dhabi, but none after you turn off to Al Wathba.
- Pack plenty of drinking water, especially in warmer months, along with sunscreen, hats and comfortable walking shoes for salt and sand.
- A picnic mat or folding chairs can turn the visit into a relaxed afternoon, and if you plan to stay close to sunset, a torch or phone light is useful for the walk back to the car.
- It is worth noting that this remains a raw, undeveloped site, with no public facilities such as toilets, cafes or shaded rest areas just yet.
- As is the case with all natural sites, take your rubbish back with you and leave the lakes exactly as you found them.
