Kayaking Hatta before the sun got serious
Hatta Dam, Hatta · Adventure
Vinay booked a 6am slot. Aditi found out at 5:40am.
Green water, orange rocks and absolutely no shade. We paddled for an hour, argued about direction for twenty minutes of it, and then sat on a rock eating parathas from a foil packet.
Why we went
Vinay read that the water is calmest before 8am. He was right, annoyingly.
What actually happened
We rented a double kayak, which was a mistake for a couple who steer differently. Ten minutes in we switched to two singles and the marriage survived.
Cost
AED 60 per kayak / hour
Duration
Half day incl. drive
Best time
Oct to Mar, before 8am
Adventure level
7/10
Food and drinks
Carry your own. The cafés open late.
- Vegetarian: yes (Vinay checked)
- Non-veg: no
- Drinks: no alcohol
Vinay says
Best two hours of the month.
Aditi says
Beautiful. Never again at 6am.
Couple verdict
8.0/10
Go. Just negotiate the timing before booking.
Would we do it again? Yes, at a civilised 8am.
If you liked this, we also did these
History
Getting lost in Al Fahidi on purpose
Al Fahidi Historical District, Bur Dubai
Vinay read three plaques out loud. Aditi found the best courtyard café in the city.
Read the whole thing
Adventure
A dune drive we booked ninety minutes in advance
Al Qudra desert
We planned dinner. We ended up sideways on a sand dune.
Read the whole thing
Games
Board game café night that turned competitive
JLT
Vinay explained the rules for 25 minutes. Aditi won in 40.
Read the whole thing