The date gardens water holes of the Liwa were the envy of others and the area was frequently attacked by rival tribes.  Left destitute, many families migrated to the coast, where a flourishing fishing community was established on Abu Dhabi island.

In 1793, the Ruler of the Bani Yas, Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab, transferred his headquarters from the Liwa to Abu Dhabi, giving added impetus to the island's development.  Coralstone was used to build the Ruler's fort.   Two centuries on, Sheikh Shakhbut's fort remains, much extended and restored, and in use today as the home of the National Archives.

Despite losing its importance as the residence of the Sheikh, life went on in the Liwa without major change for the next 170 years until the first oil revenues began to reach Abu Dhabi in the 1960s.