Dubai has a lake shaped like two hearts, and it costs nothing to visit. Love Lake Dubai sits in the Al Qudra Desert, inside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. Entry and parking are free, and it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No tickets and no booking required.
So what is the catch? There is no shop, no café, and no food anywhere near the water. You drive about 40 to 45 minutes into the desert, and you bring everything you need with you. This guide gives you the real drive plan, the best time to arrive, and the small things that catch first-time visitors out.
Facts checked: 19 October 2026. This site is an information guide only and does not sell tickets. There are no tickets to sell. Love Lake is free.
Love Lake at a glance
- Entry fee: Free. No ticket, no booking, no gate fee.
- Parking: Free, in the open parking areas near the lake.
- Opening hours: Open 24/7, every day.
- Location: Love Lake Dubai is in Al Qudra, inside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve.
- Drive time: About 40 to 45 minutes from Downtown Dubai.
- Best time: Sunrise, or the hour before sunset.
- Food and drink: None on site. Bring your own.
- Swimming: Not allowed.
Where is Love Lake Dubai?
The Love Lake Dubai location is Al Qudra, in the Saih Al Salam desert area, inside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. It is one of the Al Qudra lakes, a group of man-made lakes spread across the sand.
The lake opened to the public in 2018. It became famous overnight when Sheikh Hamdan shared an aerial photo of it. From above, you can see the full picture: two big heart-shaped lakes locked together and trees planted on the western shore that spell the word “LOVE.”
For your maps app, the approximate coordinates are 24.84° N, 55.40° E. Type “Love Lake Dubai” into Google Maps, and it will take you to the same spot. Just download the route before you leave the city, because you do not want to be guessing at desert junctions.
From the ground, be ready for one honest surprise. You cannot see the full heart shape from the shore. You see curving water, paths, trees, and birds. The famous heart view is an aerial view. The place is still lovely at ground level, but it is a walk by a desert lake, not a viewing deck over two hearts.
What does the ground visit actually feel like? Calm. The paths wind along the water under ghaf trees. On the eastern shore, the winding paths were designed to form an image of two lovers embracing when seen from above. At eye level, you just get a quiet, curving lakeside walk with open sand beyond it. There is no music, no queue, and no one selling you anything. For many Dubai residents, that quiet is exactly the point.
Love Lake Dubai entry fee: there is none.
People search for the Love Lake Dubai entry fee because most Dubai attractions charge one. This one does not. Entry is free. Parking is free. There is no ticket window, no online booking, and no pass to buy.
Free does not mean costless, though. Your real costs are petrol for the desert drive and the water, food, and ice you bring with you. If you turn up with nothing, there is nowhere at the lake to fix that. The nearest place to buy supplies is the Last Exit Al Qudra food truck park on Al Qudra Road, which is open 24/7. More on that stop in the drive plan below.
Why is it free? Because there is nothing to sell. Love Lake is a public lake inside a conservation reserve. There is no operator running rides, no gate staff, and no ticket product. It was made as a public beauty spot, and it still works that way.
One warning that matters: if any website or agent tries to sell you a “Love Lake ticket,” close the page. There is no such ticket. Anyone charging you for entry is charging you for something free. A paid tour that includes transport is a different thing, but entry itself will always be free at the lake.
So the honest answer to “How much is Love Lake?” is simple. The lake is free. The planning is the price. Get the planning right, and this is one of the best free evenings in Dubai. It also earns its place in our Things To Do in Dubai guide for exactly that reason.
How to reach Love Lake: the real drive plan
Love Lake Dubai is a drive-yourself trip. There is no metro station or tour desk at the end of it. You simply drive in, park, and walk. Here is the plan that works.
Step 1: Leave the city on Al Qudra Road (D63). From Downtown Dubai, the drive takes about 40 to 45 minutes in normal traffic. The road is a good, fast highway for most of the way, with desert on both sides.
Step 2: Stop at Last Exit Al Qudra. This food truck park sits on Al Qudra Road before the final stretch to the lakes. It is open 24/7. Treat it as your last proper stop. Buy water, cold drinks, snacks, and ice here. Use the toilets here too, because you should not count on finding any at the lake.
Step 3: Follow the signs and your map pin for the last stretch. The final part of the drive leaves the main road and follows a flat track to the lake parking. A normal family car is fine for this trip. You do not need a 4×4. The one rule that matters: stay on the track. The sand beside it is soft, and a normal car that leaves the track can get stuck fast.
Step 4: Park and walk in. Parking is free and close to the water. From the car, you are on the lakeside paths in a few minutes.
The drive back. If you stay for sunset, you will drive back in the dark. That is normal here, and the main road is a proper highway, but take it steady on the desert stretch, keep your headlights on, and watch the road edges. Animals do cross in this reserve. There is no rush, and the last exit is open 24/7 if you want a coffee before the run back into the city.
One more timing tip. If you are going for sunset, leave downtown at least 1 hour 15 minutes before sunset. That gives you the drive, the last exit stop, and a slow walk to a good spot, with no rushing.
What to do at Love Lake Dubai
Walk or jog the circuit. A walking and jogging circuit of about 7 km runs around the lakes. You do not have to do all of it. Even a 20-minute stroll along the shore gives you the best of the place.
Take photos. The shore is full of heart shapes, wooden signs, and photo spots made for couples and families. Go early or late in the day for soft light. At midday the light is harsh, and the photos look flat.
Watch the birds and fish. Ducks, swans, and other birds live on the lakes, and you can see fish in the clear water near the edges. Enjoy them from the path. Do not feed the birds or the fish.
Have a picnic. Bring a mat, food, and cold drinks, and use the open areas away from the water’s edge. Take every bit of rubbish home with you. There is no one out here to clean up after visitors.
Barbecue and camping, with care. Barbecue and camping are allowed only in the designated areas of the reserve, not on the lakeshore itself. If you plan to cook or stay over, use those signed areas, keep fire off the sand, and follow the signs on the day.
Stay after dark for the stars. Because the lake is open 24/7 and far from city lights, the sky out here is properly dark. On a clear night you can see far more stars than anywhere in the city. The reserve is a known stargazing area. If you stay, bring that light jacket and a torch for the walk back to the car.
Bringing the kids? Families do well here in the cooler months. The paths are an easy walk, children can spot fish and birds at the water’s edge, and there is space to run. Just plan around the two hard facts: almost no shade, and nothing to buy. Go in the morning or late afternoon, carry double water, and keep the walk short for small children. The full 7 km circuit is a lot for little legs.
What you cannot do: swim. Swimming is not allowed in Love Lake Dubai. The water is for the birds and fish, not for people.
Love Lake photos: where the best shots are
Love Lake Dubai is one of the most photographed free spots in Dubai, but the famous photo needs honesty first. The two hearts are an aerial picture. From the shore you cannot see the heart shape, so do not arrive expecting that view at eye level.
What you can shoot from the ground is still very good. The hour before sunset gives you golden light and reflections on the water. The LOVE trees on the western shore, the wooden heart signs along the paths, and the curving shoreline all make easy couple and family photos. In the morning, the birds at the water’s edge are active, and the light is soft. A normal phone is enough here. Midday is the one time to avoid: the light is harsh, the colors wash out, and every photo looks flat.
Love Lake for couples
There is a reason couples drive 45 minutes into the desert for this lake. It is quiet, there is no queue, and no one is selling you anything, and the sunset over the water is genuinely romantic. The classic plan is simple: stop at Last Exit Al Qudra for coffee and snacks, walk the shore in the golden hour, take your photos by the heart signs, then eat your picnic as the light fades.
One honest warning so the date goes well: there is no restaurant, café, or shop anywhere near the lake. The picnic you bring is the dinner. Bring it well, and bring a light jacket in winter, because the desert turns cool fast after sunset.
What is NOT at Love Lake (read this before you go)?
This is the section most guides skip, and it is the one that saves your trip.
No shops, no cafés, no food. There is nothing to buy at the lake. No water, no coffee, no snacks. Everything comes with you in the car or from the last exit stop on the way in.
Do not rely on toilets at the lake. Guides disagree about facilities, so plan as if there are none you can count on. Use the toilets at Last Exit Al Qudra before the final stretch.
Almost no shade. The sun out here is full desert sun. A hat, sunscreen, and more water than you think you need are not optional, even in winter.
Dogs: check the signs on the day. Rules on dogs have changed over the years and sources disagree. Check the signs on the day. If you are unsure, leave your dog at home.
No swimming, and no feeding the wildlife. Both rules protect the lake and its birds. Please follow them even if you see someone else breaking them.
Best time to visit Love Lake
The lake is open 24/7, but the hour you choose changes everything.
Sunrise is quiet and cool, with soft light and active birds. If you like empty paths, this is your time.
The hour before sunset is the most popular time, and for good reason. The heat drops, the light turns gold and the whole lake glows. This is the best time for photos and picnics.
Midday is the hard shift. In summer it is simply too hot to enjoy a walk with almost no shade. Even in winter, midday light is harsh. Go early or go late.
Season: The comfortable months run from about October or November to March or April. Winter weekend evenings get busy, because half of Dubai has the same sunset idea. For a calm visit, pick a weekday, or arrive well before sunset on weekends and let the crowds gather behind you.
Only have one hour? It still works. Drive out in the late afternoon, skip the long circuit, and walk just the closest shore loop. Twenty minutes by the water, a few photos, watch the light change, and head back. Short and done well beats long and rushed, especially with children.
Make it a half-day: Love Lake with the Al Qudra lakes and cycling
Love Lake does not have to be the whole trip. The Al Qudra area around it is one of Dubai’s best free outdoor zones.
The other Al Qudra lakes sit a few minutes away in the same reserve. They are wilder and less shaped than Love Lake, with more birds and more space. Many visitors do Love Lake first for the photos, then move to a quieter lake for their picnic.
The Al Qudra cycling track also runs through this desert, and the area around the lakes connects to it. If anyone in your group rides, a sunrise cycle plus a lake walk is a strong morning plan. If nobody rides, the drive itself, with lakes on both sides of the road, is half the fun.
A simple plan that works well: leave the city mid-afternoon, stop at Last Exit for supplies, walk Love Lake in the golden hour, then eat your picnic as the light fades. You will be back in the city the same evening, and the whole outing costs little more than petrol and snacks. For more free and low-cost ideas like this, see our Things To Do in Dubai guide.
What to carry: the Love Lake checklist
Pack the car the night before if you are going for sunrise. A 5 AM hunt for sunscreen helps nobody.
- Plenty of drinking water. More than you think. There is none to buy at the lake.
- Food, snacks, and ice, bought at Last Exit Al Qudra or brought from home.
- A hat and sunscreen, even in winter.
- A phone with the map pin saved and a full battery. Photos drain batteries fast.
- Comfortable walking shoes. The paths are easy, but the full circuit is about 7 km.
- A light jacket in winter. Desert evenings turn cool once the sun drops.
- A bag for your rubbish. Take everything home.
- A small torch or phone light if you are staying past sunset. The paths are not lit like city streets.
The short version
Love Lake Dubai is one of the easiest yes answers in Dubai. It is free, it is open all hours, and the drive is simple. It only goes wrong when people treat it like a city park. Treat it like a small desert trip instead: fill up on water and food at Last Exit, arrive for sunrise or the golden hour, stay on the track, and carry everything back out with you. Do that, and two heart-shaped lakes in the sand will give you one of the calmest evenings in the emirate, for the price of petrol and a picnic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Love Lake Dubai free to visit?
Yes. Love Lake Dubai is completely free. There is no entry fee, no ticket to book, and no charge for parking. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your only costs are getting there and whatever food and drink you bring.
Where is Love Lake Dubai located?
Love Lake is in Al Qudra, inside the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve in Dubai. The approximate coordinates are 24.84° N, 55.40° E. It takes about 40 to 45 minutes to drive there from Downtown Dubai on Al Qudra Road (D63).
Can you swim in Love Lake Dubai?
No. Swimming is not allowed in Love Lake. The lake is a home for birds and fish. You can walk the circuit of about 7 km around it, take photos, and picnic in the open areas, but you cannot get into the water.
Are dogs allowed at Love Lake Dubai?
Rules on dogs have changed over the years and sources disagree. Check the signs on the day. If you are unsure, leave your dog at home.
What is the best time to visit Love Lake Dubai?
Sunrise, or the hour before sunset. Both give you cooler air and the best light for photos at Love Lake Dubai. The comfortable season is roughly October or November to March or April. Winter weekend evenings are the busiest time, so arrive early or choose a weekday.
The Dubai Tours and Safari editorial team researches and updates our Dubai and UAE travel guides, checking prices, timings and facts against official sources.
