As the sun gracefully dips below the horizon, a procession of rugged four-wheelers, along with a handful of adventurous sedans, arrive at the oasis of Al Qudra on the outskirts of Dubai.
The sky is painted in shades of fiery red, with the sun emitting a searing orange glow, igniting the large lakes that punctuate the desert, setting them ablaze with a stunning display of color
The main attraction for visitors lies within these sprawling bodies of water amidst the dunes. They eagerly prepare blankets, camping chairs and gather for group photos.
The man-made oasis of Al Qudra is adorned with numerous artificial lakes, surrounded by towering sand dunes and local fauna, making it a highly sought-after destination for Dubai residents
However, in 2018, the local tourist attraction saw a surge in popularity when a new, mysterious lake suddenly appeared.
In a remarkable turn of events, two interconnected water-filled lagoons, shaped like intertwined hearts, suddenly appeared amidst an arrangement of greenery that spelled out the word “love.” Thus, Love Lake was born, drawing hordes of people to its shores for its picturesque backdrops, abundant wildlife, and secluded atmosphere.
Interestingly, on this particular evening, the lake looks fit for royalty: as we arrive, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class with the license plate “1” drives by… famously driven by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Dubai.
This is no surprise, as Sheikh Mohammed is frequently photographed around Al Qudra, and it was his son who revealed the Lake of Love to the world in the first place. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, revealed the new tourist attraction in a surprise Instagram post in November 2018.
The aerial view of the intertwined love hearts made headlines in the UAE, given that they seemingly appeared overnight, with no prior knowledge of the lake’s ongoing construction.
However, this was all carefully planned. A spokesperson for Sheikh Mohammed’s engineering office reveals that the project, whose construction began on March 11, 2018, was shrouded in secrecy by its inception.
“The project was managed quietly with minimal involvement from anyone outside the project team. The idea was to announce and unveil this beautiful project to the world as a surprise.”
Dubai is no stranger to man-made wonders. After all, it is home to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest outdoor infinity pool at Address Beach Resort, and several other attractions with impressive team-allied claims to fame, such as Ski Dubai, the largest indoor ski slope in a shopping mall, and the Dubai Frame, the world’s largest photo frame.
