Do we detect your desire to discover new and interesting experiences this season?

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It’s no secret that FACT has the inside track on unique things to do in Qatar. We’re the Woodward and Bernstein of lifestyle events, the Holmes and Watson of entertaining attractions, the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys of cool cultural experiences. With that reputation preceding us, we felt it was time to deliver an important dossier to you, our trusted readers. For this edition of our cover story we went undercover to uncover some of the most interesting and unusual places and adventures in Qatar.

From evocative and exciting landscapes, to natural phenomena that must be experienced to be believed, we’ve unearthed some spectacular scoops for you.

Our top-notch investigation also led us to several amazing familyfriendly attractions and fun activities that, until now, haven’t been given the exposure they deserve.

We’ve even catered for those with altruistic leanings. If you want to do some good, we’ve done the homework on uplifting and valuable volunteer work.

We’ve reached for the skies and sunk to the depths to deliver on our mission. Join us as we become the Number One Arabian Detective Agency and reveal some of Qatar’s undiscovered delights and hidden gems.

UNEARTHING THE MYSTICAL SIREN SONGS OF THE SAND

Who knew that the desert does its own version of karaoke in a poignant and beautiful way?

When we got wind of this natural spectacle, our undercover investigations led us 40km south west of Doha to a place known mystically as ‘The Singing Sand Dunes of Qatar’. Here the large dunes emit a lyrical and distinctive humming noise as a result of wind and friction.

Several crescent-shaped dunes make up the formations known as the Singing Dunes, and by rolling down these dunes you can elicit their ‘songs’. Scientists have suggested that the friction caused among the sand grains as they rub together makes them deliver their unforgettable low-frequency melodies.

There are less than 30 sites worldwide where you can experience this phenomenon, so it’s well worth the half-hour drive to the site. You head out from Doha down Salwa Road, taking Exit 24 to Messaieed, then continuing for 15km through two roundabouts before turning right towards Al-Kharrara.

IT’S JUST AN ILLUSION

Clear the memory space on your smartphone. Load your incredulity. Bring your curiosity. What you see is not what you get at the Museum Of Illusions, one of Qatar’s best kept secrets. If you enjoy clearing the smoke, eliminating the mirrors, and knowing how the magician executes a deft deception, then we’ve got the place for you. The Museum of Illusions is a unique destination in Doha. We went undercover to reveal it’s attractions and now we’re letting you in on the secret. This a family-friendly experience where everyone from young kids and tweens to teens, parents and grandparents can enjoy lifting the veil on visual tricks. With 21 experiential exhibits the immersive destination includes instillations like the Infinity Tunnel, Head On A Platter, Ambiguous Cylinder, Chair Illusion, Tricky Stick and the Clone Table, as well as rooms such as the Rotated Room, Vortex Tunnel and Antigravity Room. The museum lets you see the working mechanics behind reality distortion. It’s also an ideal space for Instagrammable moments, so you can share your eye-deceiving snapshots with friends, family and followers. Sure to elicit more than a smile or two, it’s perfect for school holidays, family outings or even a whacky first date.

GO: https://museumofillusions.qa/exhibits/

IF YOU CAN’T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM

Here’s something you probably never knew existed in Qatar; a way to escape hum-drum everyday life and connect with your inner rhythm section in a way that can’t be beaten – or in this case, is beaten. We’ve uncovered for you a fundamental way to get inspired through the instinctive energy of music. Drum Circle Africa Festival empowers individuals to explore their creativity through drum circle sessions in the desert. Whether it’s for a party, a festival, a corporate team-building exercise, or just pure and simple personal expression, it’s a musical collaboration that is both uplifting and inspiring. Drum Circle sessions are uninhibited stress release spaces that enhance receptivity and creativity and effectively convey the maxim that working in unison with others is the best way to ensure collective success. It’s also great for all age groups as you can start drumming within 15 minutes of your first session.

GO: http://drummingqatar.com

PAWS FOR REFLECTION

Small actions can make the world of difference. A little altruism really goes a long way for one of Qatar’s most under-exposed voluntary activities. Paws Rescue Qatar is an animal welfare group that provides shelter and support to homeless or discarded dogs and cats in Qatar, where public volunteers can add value in several ways. You can impact an animal’s life with a low-commitment contribution by simply visiting Paws to walk the dogs, cuddle the cats or help with any duties at the retreat. Almost nothing else on earth feels as good as making a difference in the lives of those that offer unconditional love in return. As an individual or small family, you can make your difference any day between 9am and 5pm by freely walking in. Larger groups should preferably make an appointment first. On a more sustained level, fostering is a great way to help an animal without making a lifetime commitment, as Paws looks for temporary homes for cats and dogs. Adoption is the top tier commitment for those who want to make a permanent difference.

GO: Visit https://pawsrescueqatar.org/support-paws/volunteer for links to their location or contact them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pawsrescueqatar/ or Instagram @pawsrescueqatar

IN SINK WITH MOTHER EARTH

Geology fans and people with a proclivity for natural phenomena landmarks take note. We figured it’s time for you to uncover your inner Indiana Jones and discover somewhere very special. Musfur Sinkhole is an evocative ecosystem that should be on your radar to explore. Heading out from Doha on Salwa Road, you take Exit 35 for about 10km and continue on a dirt track for another 12km until you encounter this ancient sinkhole. Formed in a time before the smartphone – 325,000 to 500,000 years ago to be precise – the cavity recess is about 12 metres wide and plummets to a cavernous depth of 92 metres, making it the largest sinkhole in Qatar. Sinkholes are common where the rock below the land surface is limestone, which is naturally dissolved by groundwater circulating through it. As the rock dissolves, spaces and caverns develop underground causing most of the sinkholes in the Arabian region. It’s important to note that due to the nature of their formation, sinkholes are not guaranteed to be safe, so all visits are taken at your own risk.

GO: Just enter ‘Musfur Sinkhole’ into your Google maps and off you go.

IS IT A BIKE? IS IT A PLANE?

Imagine owning the skies for a moment in time. We found an experience that fuels that emotion full on. A paratrike flight provides you with the unforgettable sense of majesty and freedom you’ve dreamed of. By far the lesser known of all the aerial sports in Qatar, paratriking is an exhilarating escape from down-to-earth everyday life. A paratrike is essentially a three-wheeled light vehicle supported by a large paragliding chute and powered forward by a motor to which the propeller is attached. On arrival at Sealine Beach, home of most paratrike operators, you begin with a short pre-flight briefing, then put on a set of in-flight headphones, strap safely into the back seat and get ready for take-off. A certified instructor will talk to you via the headset as you taxi the long stretch of beach and then gently lift off the ground. Flying is a controlled adrenaline experience that isn’t over in a flash like a parachute jump yet provides the same sense of freedom. The paratrike is an open structure, unrestrained by fuselage, windows or wings, where only the sky surrounds you. Leaving from Sealine Beach and flying low and slow is the ultimate way to truly soak up the incredible views of Qatar from a
360-degree perspective.
GO: Visit https://skymasters.qa for more information.

THE SNOWBALL EFFECT

If you’re looking to chill this summer, we’ve got a secret tip for you. Qatar has its own answer to snow-capped peaks, deep white pistes, and ice-cold winter sports activity. Snow Dunes at Festival City Doha is a 9,500sq/m indoor park covered in wet-packed snow generated by 17 snow-machines in a minus four-degrees Celsius environment. It’s an exciting and unique winter wonderland in one of the hottest places on the planet. There are a dozen different attractions that cater to every age and active capability. You can go to Snow Dunes Park in your own warm gear, or you can hire snow-friendly attire on arrival. Talk about a warm reception. Among the attractions, Dune Dash is a 50-metre ride that’s all downhill and very, very fast, while Snow Storm is a dual racer thrill slide. Snow Slide is a slightly more subdued kid-friendly experience. You can also hike up Snowy Mount, meander through the snowy hillocks of White Dunes or snack at Snow Dunes Restaurant. If you’ve only just heard of Snow Dunes Park, it’s time to experience the snowball effect and make some white noise about it.

GO: Visit https://www.snowdunes.qa/ for more information

EMBRACE CACAO MEDITATION AND SOUND THERAPY

When we go undercover at FACT, we go deep; in this case the deep breathing and even deeper soulfulness incumbent in Cacao Meditation and Sound Therapy. This unusual and inspiring experience, hosted at a Villa in West Bay, invites people (currently in strictly limited numbers during Covid) to attend free-of-charge, and to try sound healing, meet others and share yummy food afterwards. You can reconnect to yourself while experiencing the health and spiritual benefits of pure 100% ceremonial cacao straight from the jungles of Guatemala. Among many wonderful health benefits, cacao boosts oxygen and blood flow throughout the body, which should help you feel both relaxed and focused during meditation. Evenings begin by sampling a cup of Ceremonial Grade Cacao followed by breathwork and meditation. Sound, in the form of hang drum, guitar and singing bowls, is one of the most important conduits to core meditation, and is an ‘instrumental’ part of any evening session.

GO: Visit www.danielmatallana.com or call 3328 6827 for bookings and more information.

REVEALING AN OUGHT-TO-SEE AUTO SEA

Call it an extreme way of reducing one’s carbon footprint, or a grave way to see where automobiles spend their retirement, we’ve uncovered a haunting spectacle not far from Doha. Just outside Al Wukair is an eerie and compelling experience. On a lonely desert site lies an ocean of about 22,000 deserted and dilapidated cars. These abandoned autos – a combination of current rust buckets and former star performers of the street – now cover a one square kilometre expanse of the desert, as they rest in peace, and sometimes pieces. There are two separate lots: one for cars still to be claimed, and another where vehicles are salvaged for scrap. The amazing sight is not done proper justice by Google Maps. You need to be there to feel the atmosphere and absorb the truly massive scale of so many cars in varied stages of abandon, some still bearing traces of use by their former owners.

GO: The site is located off Al Wukair Street.

NO TIME TO WASTE

It’s no secret that the environment needs our help, and plastic waste on beaches is a good place to start. Plastics pollute the environment and contaminate the seas, killing sea life and degrading the ecosystem. What we’re uncovering is how much of a difference you can make simply by taking time one Friday to make a clean sweep of a beach near you. Recommencing this August with Friday sessions, Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP) gives you the chance to action change through a few hours of voluntary work. Founded in May 2017, DEAP is a volunteer organisation focused on beach clean ups as a way to lead the fight against plastic pollution in Qatar. DEAP has already organised 150 events with more than 9,000 volunteers collecting over 90,000kg of trash and is a completely non-profit organisation without funds. It is given the necessary clean-up supplies, including plastic trash bags, by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.

GO: Follow @deapqatar on Facebook or Instagram for updates.