QA: A Dip in Salt Water

After nearly three years in this country, I finally decided to have a dip in a blue Persian Gulf. With few other friends, we decided to have a picnic at Messaied Beach, south of D0ha. This is the area where tourists come for a Desert Safari. However, driving a non-4WD vehicle only allow us to reach the beach near the resort. Further into the desert, you need a 4WD and good driving skills to maneuver the sand dunes.

Driving from D0ha to Messaied takes only 30 minutes and utmost 45 minutes - unless you are harrassed by the brutal drivers in 4WD who think the roads are theirs.

Messaied is a refinery area, if I am not mistaken and a home to Qatar Endurance circuit. Our current King, Tuanku Mizan participated in the Qatar Endurance race before and was featured in the local newspaper. His Majesty has to withdraw from representing Malaysia in Asian Games last year since it coincided with the oath taking ceremony. Well, if he was here during thegame, I would not be able to watch the endurance race. Hehehehe.... don't have a pick-up truck or 4WD to follow the racers 80km into the desert. And it started at 6am in the morning..... :-)

Messaied is the nearest beach for the urbanites from Doha. There are more beautiful and secluded beaches up north and west, but these are quite far. The one at Fuwairit (north of Q4tar) is nice and beautiful. Another that local frequent is Wakrah Beach, just situated at near the end of runaway 14 of DOH international airport. Messaied on that day was a bit crowded too - with beach buggies zooming on the sand near picnickers spurting sands into the food :-(

The weather was nice and we had only 1.5hrs of day time when we reached there. During this "summer" season, it is too hot to do any outdoor activities before 4pm. In fact, the best time is around 5pm, but it will shorten your day time enjoyment since the sunset is at 6pm.

Had "fried beehoon" and KFC for our late lunch. What more satisfying after the deep in the salt water than a hot KFC... hehehehehe.... thanks KM for "sponsoring" KFC... :-)

Enjoy some photos... guess which one is me ;-)

~ MT @ Qat4r
~~ Messaied Beach

~ To Travel Is To Discover Oneself ~