A crescent moon-shaped lake appeared in the Dubai desert last week, the latest man-made waterhole to make a splash in Al Qudra desert, along with the Expo Lakes, Love Lakes and the original Al Qudra Lakes.
Here we explain how exactly to find each of the remarkable desert oases.
Crescent Moon Lake
Co-ordinates: 24.7874218, 55.3065662
Distance from Mall of the Emirates: 57-minute drive, plus off-roading time
The latest water feature to materialise in Al Qudra desert is the moon-shaped lake, being dubbed the Crescent Moon Lake.
The crescent moon lake was first pictured by Dubai-based photographer and videographer, Mostafa, who published images on his Instagram account @100.pixels.
He described the lake as a “hidden gem, full of wildlife and barely untouched nature”.
However, it's probably the most difficult of the lakes to reach, as there is currently no paved road, so visitors will need a 4x4 car to get there, but with plenty of oryx to be spotted en route, it will be well worth it for nature lovers.
Love Lake
Co-ordinates: 24.836576, 55.370035 (car entrance), 24.838588, 55.405063 (lakes)
Distance from Mall of the Emirates: 44-minute drive to car entrance, 60-minute drive to lake
Truly Instagram-ready is the Love Lake, two large interlocking hearts and trees planted in the shape of the word "love", with a number of paths to explore.
The lakes can be reached via Al Qudra Lake Road, there is then a path all the way out to the Love Lakes.
The heart-shaped pattern can also be seen by satellite.
Expo Lake
Co-ordinates: 24.830001, 55.280128 (car entrance), 24.852888, 55.250886 (parking)
Distance from Mall of the Emirates: 62-minute drive to public parking
A lake built in the very identifiable shape of the Expo 2020 Dubai logo popped up in early 2020.
Located on the other side of the highway to the rest of Al Qudra Lakes, the grass and water-feature was not created by the official Expo 2020 Dubai team, they told The National in February 2020.
A well-established lake, there is a toilet and parking facilities for members of the public to use, as they walk around the 1.5 kilometre route.
Plenty of nature can be spotted as you wander around the circular paths, from ducks, cranes and flamingos, to the odd opportunistic oryx or Arabian gazelle.
Like the Love Lake, the Expo Lake can be seen by satellite. On the way to the lake, you'll pass an oryx view point and may spot large groups of the animals feeding in pens off the track.
Al Qudra Lakes
Co-ordinates: 24.846728, 55.349620 (car entrance)
Distance from Mall of the Emirates: 42-minute drive to car entrance
For some great wildlife spotting, make your way to Al Qudra Lakes. A series of lakes located at the end of the D63 road, there are a number to choose from including Flamingo Lake, The Last Lake of Al Qudra and Al Qudra Lakes East.
There are a number of remote campsites for visitors to choose from, should they wish to pitch up for the night.
Where all of the man-made Al Qudra lakes are located:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
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End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
