Go kayaking in Qatar and escape the heat of a desert.

Kayaking in Qatar- all you need to know

When I heard some time ago that flamingoes live in Qatar I burst with a big laugh. “Really?”, I replied with a note of sarcasm. In a country where temperatures reach 100 C (well…it feels like it sometimes), it rarely rains and a pure desert dominates the landscape, I did not expect to see these majestic pink birds. And what happened? I was invited by Aqua Sports Qatar to take part in a kayaking afternoon north of Doha.

Why you should go kayaking in Qatar?

This place is special, I must admit. It might have even became my favourite spot in Qatar nowadays. Why? Well, it’s green, cooler than the city and gives me a perfect opportunity to move my body a bit. Those of you, who haven’t been to Qatar between May and October or are not familiar what middle Eastern desert might feel like, would not believe me when I say that even a 100 meters long walk in summer feels like it’s going to kill you. If you go kayaking, you escape to a place that offers cooler temperatures (not by much but enough to notice).

The day starts with everyone meeting at a parking lot of a shop near the kayaking point, from where you are escorted by Aqua Sports team. Nothing can happen without health and safety demonstration,right? Aqua Sports have great staff, that apart from accompanying you all the way through safety procedures and the kayaking part, they tell you some stories too.

Once ready and briefed, we walked through a muddy bit to pick up our kayaks and paddle towards the area where it’s most likely to see flamingoes. They are not the biggest friends of humans (or maybe rather interested in us) as every time I approached these pretty birds in many parts of the world, the flew away. This time I managed to get a bit closer, but still it was quite a challenge.

After an hour of paddling, we got to a Purple Island for a little walk and great views. My favourite part however, came at the end when we got in between mangroves. It just didn’t look like Qatar at all. It was was calm and green there…one of the best relaxing options. It’s true that at times we had to ‘walk’ our kayaks as the tide was low, but the orange sunset at the end compensated all the walking in the salty water.

The evening was topped up by eating warm shawarma at the bonfire with the sound of live drum music.

What you need to know before you go kayaking in Qatar

In winter (between November and March) even if it’s hot during the day, temperatures might drop significantly after sunset, especially in the north of the country. Bring with you a jumper or a jacket.
You will get wet, this is for sure. Pack change of clothes including underwear if you don’t want to wear a swimming suit underneath your clothes.
Wear shoes to get wet. Flip flops might not be the best idea as you can easily slip wearing them. I also tried the standard beach shoes, but once out the water they become slightly uncomfortable. After testing my new water trainers ( I like to call them that, not that it’s their brand tagline), I can highly recommend to you these Tropic Feel trainers that come in variety of trendy designs and colours. I actually tested them in on various terrains and I don’t travel anywhere without them anymore. If you’re looking for ultimate travel shoes- these are it!
At times you might need to toll your kayak, especially when the tide is low and it becomes too shallow to keep paddling.
Cover yourself up. Be mindful that Qatar is a Muslim country and wearing bikini in public (unless in a hotel or a beach far away) is not allowed. I wore regular gym leggings and a cotton top. Next time I would choose something that gets dry quicker as I was uncomfortable and cold afterwards.
One of the must-haves would be a waterproof mobile and camera case. GoPro would be an excellent choice as well. You will for sure get wet, so to avoid your expensive devices getting ruined,
Bring a hat and sunglasses. If you burn easily, use some sunscreen. I love this and this creams as they are not greasy and don’t make my face shine. Actually I use them all the time, especially in hot and humid environments.

See als0: Practical and pretty. 5 favourite accessories to take on a trip to a desert.

Quick tips for traveling to Qatar

Qatar is a lovely and easy country to travel to. A while ago I wrote this and this post with tons of tips for traveling to this little country, so please feel free to check it out.

Where to stay:

Qatar’s capital, Doha, is full of excellent hotels that will bring your trip to the next level of luxury. Here are a few of my favourite hotels that I use for weekend escapes (even if it’s just 10 minutes away from home), for romantic dinners or drinks with my pals.

Sheraton Doha– I love this hotel for many reasons. It is the first luxury hotel in the country, but over 30 years after its opening, it is still modern, classy and full of attractions. I especially like the main hall, where some entertainment happens from time to time, for the tastiest chocolate smoothie, an outdoor swimming pool with great views and a restaurant with the sea view.

W Hotel-this hotel is one of my favourite chains as they always manage to create a boutique-like style and pretty interiors. Depending on a country, they surprise with unique design. In Doha, this hotel is also home for some of the most trendy restaurants and bars. Whether you stay here or not, you should visit it for a night out or a nice dinner. I especially recommend sushi.

St. Regis- if you fancy a great pool, trendy clubs and excellent spa experience, this hotel is for you. It is also at a walkable distance to Katara Cultural Village (which is a must) and The Pearl (by car though).

Intercontinental– just next to St.Regis, Intercontinental gives great dining options and a beautiful beach.

Kempinski Marsa Malaz– a really fancy option for the fussy travellers. This hotel is located in The Pearl a modern residential part of the city.

Mondrian– apparently this is one of the most instagrammed places in Qatar. It’s a bit further from the main attraction of Doha, but it has a beautiful indoor pool and other designed areas that just ask to be photographed.

Book an Airbnb here and get 30€ off your first booking.

If these hotels are not appealing to you (although I doubt it), you can use the form below to compare the offers of various websites: