Having given you a rather basic review about Living in Dubai, I thought it might be interesting to take you out of the city and look at some of the surrounding areas that make up Dubai and the UAE.
Now that the weather is starting to cool down, most days now between 35 and 39 degrees, outside past times and off road adventures do make a pleasurable way to spend your leisure time. The cooler months are between October to May and although you can go off roading, camping etc. between June and September it is very, very hot and not unusual to have temperatures well into the 50’s, whew and its sticky with humidity also.
Dubai has many little villages and only one other significant sized town which is to the east and is called Hatta. Hatta is just over an hours drive, about 100km, and nestles at the bottom of the Hajar Mountains. It has the oldest fort in the emirate built in 1790 and you can see several watch towers overlooking the town on the surrounding hills.
We love taking this trip and everyone who visits normally gets to see the Hatta village and the Hatta pools.
The Trip: to Hatta and back can be done in about half a day, but why rush it. Take it easy pack the cool boxes and make a day of it. You’ll be glad you did. The road to Hatta is well signposted through out Dubai and is within easy reach from most parts of the city. The drive to Hatta is on a super highway that runs through some pretty fantastic dunes and mountain landscapes, camels are a plenty and don’t get offended if you want to stop and take some photos, but don’t get to close as they are a bit whiffy.
Just over about half the distance between Dubai and Hatta there is a sand dune called “Big Red” which is over 100 meters high. This is a very popular stop of point for many, and although we haven’t dared to try it ourselves, you can see lots of others practicing dune diving (yes I mean diving not driving) in 4 wheel drives and dune buggies, and also trying there hand at sand skiing. It looks like a lot of fun albeit a bit scary also. There are also some fantastic, brightly dressed camels with carpets over their backs, you can have your picture taken with them or go for a camel ride.
When you come to the end of the highway in front of you is a roundabout which has a small replica of a fort built in the centre, to the left of you is the Hatta Fort Hotel, truly this is an oasis in the desert quite literally. It is set into the mountains and makes the perfect weekend getaway. (Perhaps another review) In front of you is the road leading to the border of Oman, which is 10km away and to the right, the route we will take, the road into Hatta village.
Hatta: is a very relaxed town with lots of ruins and the Heritage Village, a recreation of how the village once was some 400 years ago. It was actually constructed, by the Dubai Government, around the site of an old settlement which you can explore and discover how traditional life was in the mud houses. There is a central fort, children’s playground, coffee grinding house and a tranquil oasis with running water and shaded seating areas. In front of the entrance to the Heritage Village there is a house which displays traditional products and handicrafts which can be purchased. That really is about all there is to see and do here, further on through the village and out into the mountains are the Hatta pools, where we are heading.
Past the Heritage Village we come to a small roundabout where we turn left and go past the new part of the town still on a main road at this point and heading toward the mountains, 4km along this road we take a right turn at which point we leave the comfy road driving and its hold onto your seat time with lots of bumps and dips. The road is actually much better now than it was the first time we did the trip some 6 years ago and it’s not unusual to see ordinary saloon cars taking the route. The journey to Hatta pools is about 6km along a landscape of many side wadis (a deep ravine which fills up with water during the rainy season) with small villages on both sides of the track, as the pools have no shade, these spots make perfect spots to stop off and have a picnic as there is fresh running water, lush plantations and it’s great way to meet some of the local people, who almost always want you to go and eat and meet their families. We continue until we see a sign for Al Qahfi (hand written on a wooden board) and turn left toward the pools; the road descends dramatically down to the wadi and is a bit of a thrill as you feel like you are sliding out of your seat. Here we leave the 4 x 4 and continue on foot.
You are actually walking down a stream that leads to the pools, the rocks that you pass are so curved and smooth from years of relentless water erosion. Each time we go to the pools they have changed. After there has been rainfall or a flood some will disappear as they fill up with gravel and new ones appear but whatever or wherever they are beautiful places to swim.
Once you have had a leisurely swim you can walk downstream crossing lots of puddles. After it rains a wide stream appears from the pool and leads to a narrow gorge. The stream plunges into the gorge and waterfalls of different heights appear. A little way on the drop is so steep you can hardly see the bottom. You can keep walking along the top of the canyon and see many more gorges and pools of water and its so peaceful you won’t want to leave. It’s a lovely place to wander on your own and with friends, or just sit and watch the world go by.
Tips: Take plenty of drinking water, towels, change of clothing, swimwear and a good pair of trainers for walking over the canyon as some of the gravel is loose and slides underfoot.
There are many, many places all over the Emirates like this, each worth a visit and each beautiful in its own right.
I hope you have enjoyed our little day trip to the Hatta Pools. ~ Carol
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