Who doesn’t like weekend getaways? So do me.
Two weeks ago, it was a long weekend in UAE in honour of martyr’s day and UAE national day. It’s one of the most awaited off which people look forward to in the UAE. Like everyone else, I ponder what do we do, where shall we go and there comes one of our friend with the idea of driving with a group of friends to Hatta dam and enjoy the kayaking.
As per sources, Hatta lies to the south-east of Dubai’s main territory and is about 134 km east of Dubai City. It is located relatively high in the Hajar mountains. It borders Oman to the east and the south, the Ajman enclave of Masfut to the west, and Ras al-Khaimah to the north.
Well, the plan that was called for was exciting. We were fifteen of us and as scheduled, we meet up at a common place at Silicon Oasis, one of the most quiet and beautiful residential area in Dubai.
After our quick breakfast at Arya’s, we embark on our journey towards the mountains. It’s quite scenic and can be considered as one of the hidden treasures here in the Gulf! As we drive, we reach the outskirts of Dubai, it’s indeed a beautiful drive particularly when you are surrounded by deserts on both the sides. Yes, the drive in the Kalba road is simply amazing with red soil and beautiful dunes. One can spot camels often in these deserts, quite a treat for the kids!
As we drive further and reach the Hatta border, one can experience the change in the driving condition, this is where the deserts end and the mountains begin. We reach the Rocky Mountains, call it black or dark brown in colour! The appearance of the mountain terrain with blue skies is zig zag and irrespective whether its lush green or nude, mountains are the most beautiful existence the universe gave us. The serenity here should be felt and experienced, one of the most picture perfect backdrops I must say.
We reach Hatta Dam after a drive of 1.30 hours. Weekends attract more crowd and the place was crowded due to the long weekend. We park the vehicle and make our way towards the dam. It was a long queue for the tickets moving in a slow pace, yet this didn’t dissuade our enthusiasm for kayaking. The view is so surreal and picturesque, the blue skies and the clear water complimented each other.
- Hatta Dam surrounded by majestic Hijar mountains.
The crystal green waters are framed by the majestic mountains. Swimming is prohibited but you can burn off some calories with kayaking and paddle boating. One can rent the paddling boat for an hour and the timing for kayaking is unlimited. It doesn’t seem easy as it looks, one can have an absolute workout on their arm muscles.
While the four among our friends went ahead with kayaking, I settled for a peddling boat with another friend and his beautiful 1 year old toddler to give us entertainment.
After all the fun, laughter and burning out the calories, there we go to Hatta fort hotel to celebrate some comfort of life. This 4 star hotel retreat in Dubai is the ideal destination for leisure, business and incentive stays. The location of the hotel is surrounded by mountains and is very rejuvenating. An ideal place to be close to the nature and best for stay-cations.
Key Notes:
- Ideal to visit this place post summer when the weather is pleasant. Best Time – Oct to March.
- Price per Kayak and paddling boat – AED 60 and AED 120 respectively. Kindly check the site for any price changes. http://www.hattakayak.com/
- No washrooms in the vicinity.
- Open from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM from Sunday to Saturday.
- There is some parking spaces available, if you’re visiting it on a Public holiday or a busy weekend, make sure to park your car somewhere down on the road.
- The place is not commercialized. Please carry your own stuffs. Snacks, water etc.
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