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Al-Shahaniya Stud Farm, located next to the camel racetrack, is one of the most prestigious equine properties in the Middle East and the place to see the most expensive thoroughbred Arabian horses in the region. It is like a 5-star resort for rock star thoroughbreds: With over 200 luxurious stables, an equine swimming pool, its own private 2200-yard training track, lush green pastures and much more, Al Shahania Stud is a true oasis of equine swank in the desert. For visits, shows and special events, visitors need to call their offices: +974 4490 3075 / 4490 3074

There are a few countries in the world where the ocean encroaches deep into the heart of the desert: Qatar is one of them. There only 30 singing sand dunes sites in the world and Qatar has one of them. The combination of these two unique features makes a desert safari in Qatar an unforgettable experience. Several companies offer 4x4 desert safaris which include everything from the thrill of dune bashing—the drivers go up and down giant dunes—to stops at Bedouin tents for dates and tea, full BBQ dinners at campsites, overnight camping, camel rides, and shisha stops, among others. Singing sand dunes, also called booming sand dunes, are rare dunes of sand that emit an audible acoustic reverberation when the actual grains are disturbed or moved. Luckily, catching the singing dunes doesn’t require a tour company. It requires the right combination of sand particle size, temperature and humidity for sand dunes to “sing” and some sand-boarding down the dune to create an avalanche. The bigger avalanche the louder the sound is.

Part of Lanzarote’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the 52-square-kilometer volcanic Timanfaya National Park is known for its Montañas del Fuego (Fire Mountains), where subsurface temperatures reach up to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (593 degrees Celsius). Eruptions as recent as the 18th century have produced a Death Valley-like lava landscape. The artist César Manrique designed a tourist center here as well as the El Diablo restaurant that uses geothermal heat to cook traditional Canarian dishes.

Zum Schwarzen Kameel’s unusual moniker, which means At the Black Camel, grabs your attention. It’s a play on the name of founder Johan Baptist Cameel, who opened the establishment back in 1618. Appointed a spice purveyor to the Hapsburg court in 1825, Zum Schwarzen Kameel is today a restaurant, with a separate delicatessen that makes good sandwiches and a gourmet shop selling fine cheeses and wines. The Kameel interior is justly famous as well, with a wood-paneled art nouveau dining room that (of course) postdates the era when Beethoven frequented the restaurant. The area around its Bognergasse location is now a stone-paved pedestrian zone with luxury shops, which makes the Kameel’s front terrace a delightful place to stop for a drink or meal.

As the blazing-hot summer cools into a pleasant autumn balminess, Emiratis’ attentions turn to...camel racing! The pastime has been a part of Middle Eastern culture for millennia, but in the 20th century the races evolved from impromptu affairs to professional events at the Al-Wathba Camel Racetrack, about 27 miles east of the city of Abu Dhabi. In recent years, young boys have been replaced by small robots (yes, robots) as jockeys, and the camels’ remote-control-wielding owners pace the camels around the track in SUVs. As the owners remotely swing the mechanical riding crops attached to the robots, crowds cheer from the stands. You must see camel racing to believe it, so arrive early, as races kick off at 6 a.m.

With a bit more Arabian flare than a typical shopping mall—and a design that comes from the regional souk architecture, the WTC Souk (or Central Market) is a replacement to an outdoor souk that stood in the same place until a fire destroyed it in 2004. The new indoor shopping centre draws in shoppers and visitors all year round who seek a more authentic shopping experience in Abu Dhabi to purchase local jewelry, fashion and scarves, and gifts including plenty of camel figurines, paintings, sculptures, spices, and carpets. Typcially Arabian, the market is also filled with cafes where you can lounge and enjoy a coffee with family and friends. More contemporary shops can also be found at the World Trade Center Mall which is part of the same shopping center development.

Wholesale Market, located off the Salwa Road on the way to Mamoura, this is the equivalent to a Farmer’s Market with a few cultural twists: a section devoted to fish with its own subsection for crabs, lobsters, crayfish, prawns, squid, locally-caught whole fish, and a non-air-conditioned fish cleaning section; an animal/meat section where butchered meat is available as well as live goats, sheep and cows which are taken to the slaughter house next door; a Vegetable Souq, where locals and international chefs barter for imported and locally-grown fruits and vegetables. There is no place like the wholesale market to observe true Qatari life, see porters carrying peoples’ buys in a wheelbarrow to their cars, or spot a few camels ready to be slaughtered.

To truly get away from it all, spend a night or two at Qasr al Sarab. The resort lies on the edge of the Empty Quarter that stretches deep past the Saudi Arabian border with the UAE in endless sand dunes. The resort is fairly self-contained along an arc of oasis. Activities range from camel riding and walks in the dunes to fine dining and spa treatments. Be prepared for a couple hours’ drive from the City of Abu Dhabi, but the spectacular views and quiet resort atmosphere are worth every second.

Camel racing is a big deal in Qatar. So big that there is TV channel dedicated exclusively to the transmission of camel races, local and abroad. Camel racing at Al-Shahaniya racing track, located one hour’s drive north of downtown Doha, is in full swing from November to February during which period, domestic and international tournaments are held. Even if there are no races, visitors are welcome to stop by the track every day at 9:30 am or around 5:30 pm when the camels are taken to the arena for practice. Around the racetrack, there is a virtual camel city and visitors are welcome to visit nearby camel stables. Although there is shaded seating in the grandstand, visitors can do as locals do and follow the race by driving their cars along the paved road which runs parallel to the 10-km track. A visit to the Al-Shahaniya camel racetrack is a unique opportunity to admire the best groomed and some of the most expensive camels on the planet, some of which are worth as much as one million Qatari riyals. To get there from Doha, take the Al Rayyan road and drive West until the Al-Rayyan football stadium, at which point the road changes its name into Dukhan Highway. Keep driving west for about an hour. The track is well sign posted.

Al-Dosari Zoo and Game reserve, located next to the camel race track and the stud farm, is a private zoo owned by the Al-Dosari family. It’s by no means, an impressive zoo, but it’s a very popular destination for Bedouin families and has a decent selection of exotic animals, such as Arabian oryxes, barbari sheep, Arabian wolves and even a few cheetahs. It is a place to learn about the local culture as if it frequented by local folk, and see the exotic oryx without having to go to the sanctuary. The place opens every day from 7 am till sunset. There is no entrance fee.

Before America had the Outback Steakhouse, Australia had The Overlanders in Alice Springs, a Northern Territory institution housed in the building that served as Alice Springs’ first town hall. Opened by Daphne Campbell (now Calder) and named after the Australian drama The Overlanders in which she co-starred, the place is part restaurant, part museum where antique leather saddles and framed playbills showcase the ranching and film history of the town. Celebrity fans should look for familiar autographs on the “windmill of fame.” Besides the decor and heritage, locals and tourists flock here for the quintessential cuisine, exemplified in The Drovers Blowout menu: a four-course meal that includes a platter of crocodile vol-au-vent, kangaroo fillets, buffalo medallions and wild camel served with plum sauce.

Not as glamorous as Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi or the new royal residence taking shape in the Capital, the Al Ain Palace, former home to Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his family, is equally as interesting. The palace grounds are quite large and visitors are free to wander between the bedrooms, coffee rooms, store rooms, and majlis (sitting or receiving room). The palace was home to the founding father of the United Arab Emirates until 1966. On the day of my visit, the museum was celebrating Eid al Adha and several men, including the museum’s Visitor Services Manager, greeted guests and welcomed everyone with Arabic coffee and dates while Emirati men swayed to the traditional Al Ayyalah - a dance that tells a story by no less than 25 men waving camel sticks and beating drums. Known for its oasis, Al Ain is a comfortable little town in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, about two hours from the City of Abu Dhabi.

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