We stopped for two hours to visit a pyramid-shaped structure that rises from the desert sands some 45km south of Abu Dhabi on the lonely highway that leads to the Liwa Oasis. It holds the private car collection (🎟️ 56,85 AED) of HH Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, known as “Rainbow Sheikh.” In 1983, Sheikh Hamad bought seven Mercedes 500 SELs, painted in rainbow colors for each day of the week, earning him the nickname “Rainbow Sheikh.”
There are some 200 vehicles on display – from prototypes to concept cars to American classics – the oldest being a steam-powered 1885 Mercedes. The car park is the resting place of several iconic vehicles, including the Sheik’s monster truck, an eight-bedroom motorhome with a balcony, and the Globe Trailer dubbed the “earth on wheels.”
Parking location – Al Dhafra: 24.098670N 54.418737E (🚻)