• A traditional well in the Qasr Sahood neighbourhood of the Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia. Francois Cristofoli
    A traditional well in the Qasr Sahood neighbourhood of the Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia. Francois Cristofoli
  • A view of the Al Ahsa Oasis in the desert of Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Francois Cristofoli / Unesco
    A view of the Al Ahsa Oasis in the desert of Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Francois Cristofoli / Unesco
  • Al Ahsa Oasis. Alamy
    Al Ahsa Oasis. Alamy
  • Al Ahsa Oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia is officially the largest oasis in the world according to Guinness World Records. IPOGEA
    Al Ahsa Oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia is officially the largest oasis in the world according to Guinness World Records. IPOGEA
  • The lake at Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Unesco
    The lake at Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Unesco
  • A spring pool and water lifting device in Al Ahsa Oasis, photographed by George Rendel in 1937. Getty Images
    A spring pool and water lifting device in Al Ahsa Oasis, photographed by George Rendel in 1937. Getty Images
  • The street of Al Hofuf, in Al Ahsa Oasis, photographed by George Rendel in 1937. Getty Images
    The street of Al Hofuf, in Al Ahsa Oasis, photographed by George Rendel in 1937. Getty Images

Al Ahsa: Inside Saudi Arabia's Guinness World Record-holding oasis


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Towering palm trunks and the sound of rushing water are two constants in what is now officially the world's largest self-contained oasis.

Al Ahsa Oasis, located in Saudi Arabia, was this month recognised by Guinness World Records as the biggest oasis on the planet.

More than 2.5 million date palms grow here, fed from a huge underground aquifer. This constant running water supply means that Al Ahsa glows a verdant green and allows agriculture year-round in a region that is otherwise covered by desert sand.

Stretching across 85.4 square kilometres, the oasis keeps its trees irrigated by the flow of more than 280 springs of hot, warm and cold water. The wells and canals formed are not only good for the date palms, they're also a prime place for visitors looking to cool off.

Al Ahsa is particularly well-known for its khalasah dates, and it's also where the Al Ahsa date festival takes place. Farmers flock to the region to showcase the various kinds of dates grown across south-eastern Saudi Arabia at this annual event.

While its Guinness World Record recognition may be new, Al Ahsa has always been important. In years gone by, it was an ancient hub on trading routes and merchants would use it as a stopping place. Pilgrims from across the Arabian Peninsula would also stop at Al Ahsa en route to Makkah.

What else is there to see here? 

Souk Al Qaisariya in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Visit Saudi
Souk Al Qaisariya in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy Visit Saudi

As well as the world's biggest oasis, Al Ahsa is worth a visit for its Unesco-designated status as a World Heritage Site. This was awarded to the region in recognition of its many archaeological landmarks, which show traces of human settlement back to the Neolithic period.

As domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia grows, the region is quickly becoming a favourite with visitors who come as much to see the greenery as they do to discover more about the history of the land.

The first royal school in Saudi Arabia can be found nearby, in an area called Al Hofuf. And the eastern province's first masjid – Jawatha Mosque – is about 12km from here. The village of Al Qarah in the east of Al Ahsa is home to a small mountain, Jebal Al Qarah, which is a popular place for drinking in the view from the top.

As evening falls, Souk Al Qaisariya comes alive. This traditional marketplace has thrived for hundreds of years and its clay brick buildings are considered an architectural treasure of the region.

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Sonchiriya

Director: Abhishek Chaubey

Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey

Rating: 3/5

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Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

The specs: 2019 Audi A8

Price From Dh390,000

Engine 3.0L V6 turbo

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 345hp @ 5,000rpm

Torque 500Nm @ 1,370rpm

Fuel economy, combined 7.5L / 100km

What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year