Aquatech Watersports allows you to see and experience Dubai like no other, via a clear kayak! Dubai is home to some stunning beaches and crystal clear and clean water. Perfect for relaxing or taking part in a water activity. Aquatech Watersports in the Jumeirah 1 open beach, near La Mer South, offers an experience which is kind of in between, I’d say. It is between a relaxing experience and an adventurous water activity. As the name suggests, you will be riding a kayak, but not any old kayak, it is a transparent clear kayak, which you can see through and see what is underneath i.e. the pristine water below. There are a couple of companies who are offering such a unique experience now, but these guys were the first to do so. In this post we’ll talk a little more about the experience itself and what you’ll need to know regarding it.
What you need to know
How much does it cost? 99 AED for a single kayak and 158 AED for a double kayak.
How long can you ride the kayak for? 1 hour.
Can children go? Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
What about the equipment and prior kayaking experience? The equipment is provided and no prior experience is required.
Where is it? Jumeirah 1 open beach, near La Mer South. Google Maps Location link.
How can I book this experience? Visit this website.
Can you pay cash? Yes, you can pay on arrival, but to do so book via the WhatsApp number provided in the above link
What clothing is recommended? Light and comfortable.
When is the best time to go? There are 8 slots to choose from. Starting at 6:45 am and the last one being 5:15 pm. I’d recommend trying to go to the early one, if possible, the very first one. That is when the temperature will be the best and so you’ll be able to enjoy it. We booked the 9:45 slot and it was bearable even though if facing a particular way and from specific angles, the sun was hitting us hard towards the end of the hour.
Our experience
We left the booking until the night before and this made us apprehensive. We assumed it would be very popular and busy and therefore difficult to book a slot, but upon checking online it seemed that all the slots were available. I noticed the option to pay in cash upon arrival, so I decided to take that option. I had to contact a WhatsApp number to secure the time slot. I contacted them quite late in the evening (8 pm) and they actually responded quite promptly. And before I knew it, the booking was done. So, the booking process was effortless and very easy.
We got a Careem there and the particular section of the beach itself was fairly easy to locate, even though there weren’t any signs. We got there and spotted the clear kayaks and as we walked up to it, a couple of Filipino gentlemen approached us and greeted us. They took the two clear kayaks into the water, set us up and left us to it really. Again, smooth and easy.
In terms of the kayaking experience itself, this was our very first time so we didn’t know exactly what to expect. It was fairly straight forward and didn’t take too long to get a hand of. Rowing one makes you go one way and rowing the other way makes you go the other way. Simple, right? The experience itself was wonderful to be honest. It just felt very relaxing and tranquil to just sit there in the middle of the water and ride on a kayak slowly. Very enjoyable experience. We didn’t go crazy with the kayaking itself, we rowed a bit and then relaxed a bit too. So, I guess it depends on what you’re after. You can make it as relaxing or as adventurous as you like. One lovely twist is the view you get from the water. Not only is the beach and water beautiful, but you also get a gorgeous view of the Dubai skyline including the Burj Khalifa. We actually finished way before our end time. We rode for around 40-45 minutes and then we were done. Our arms started to feel it (maybe due to our lack of fitness). So, the hour you get is more than enough.
For a single kayak, as mentioned above, the price is 99 AED, which I think is great value for money especially considering you’re in Dubai and how much other water activities cost and for how long you get. Amazing value for money, I have to admit.
