Visitors find plenty to do in Dubai. But to root into the locale, take a drive into the heart of the most continuous desert expanse in the world, the Rub’Al Khali, or the Empty Quarter.

Lying within the boundaries of neighboring Abu Dhabi, the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara draws both tourists and locals. Here, the Arabian heritage of all the emirates, especially Abu Dhabi and Dubai, manifests through food, artifacts, cultural offerings and luxurious guestrooms. Set amid towering sand dunes like a remote but sumptuous oasis, the resort offers camel rides, Jeep jaunts, archery, falconry and other activities that seem to derive from a storybook fable.