In the southern corner of the Badia and nestled close to the Saudi border off the main highway is the alien landscape of Wadi Al Dahik. The area's name refers to its gleaming chalk cliffs that resemble a laughing white smile, and which make a dramatic contrast to the black basalt of the surrounding desert. Time and wind have sculpted the cliffs into dramatic forms, and the area is perfect for hiking.
Around 55 million years ago the region was part of the ancient Tethys Sea, and the erosion of the soft limestone turns up plenty of fossil sea life – keep an eye out for shells and shark teeth.
