Category: Activities

This past weekend I picked up a Mercedes GLE to review for the blog and since it was a pretty comfortable car to drive, I decided I needed to go on a long road trip. So I headed to Al Bohayra Farm on Friday to check it out.

Getting there was a bit dramatic. Other than the fact it was a long drive (around an hour and a half) but Google Maps took me on a strange route. I took the causeway bridge to the other side and everything was great for a while after the bridge but then suddenly the highway ended with barriers and was diverted to a small pothole-ridden road (pictured above). The remaining highway was still under construction but oddly some cars were going through the barrier and driving on the semi-finished highway. I drove for a while on the pothole-ridden road but it just got really bad and even though I was in an SUV it was still really bad. So I got off the small road and drove down onto the unfinished highway which was pretty finished actually not sure why they had it closed off. But, after a while, even the unfinished highway ended with barriers diverting all the cars onto the adjacent road going against the flow of traffic. Some cars drove through the barriers into the even more unfinished highway while the rest of us were suddenly driving on a highway with cars coming towards us. It was super confusing and after a few minutes, we found a way to enter the unfinished side of the highway where we continued driving until we got back to normal roads. There definitely must be an easier way of getting there but it must have been one of those days where Google Maps wanted to mess with me.

Once we got to Al Bohayra Farm I was surprised at how busy it was. There were tour buses parked on the main road and their huge parking was pretty full. There is no entrance fee, you just walk in through the main gates and explore the farm. There are various things to do on the farm including renting bicycles, picking strawberries, exploring the farm, shopping at the farmers market and having delicious corn on the cob or lunch at one of the many fast-food restaurants like Burger King, Applebees, Pizza Hut and a few more (no farm to table restaurant if you’re wondering). There are various play areas for the kids, pony rides and lots of farm animals to see.

Even though there were so many people on the farm it never felt too crowded. The farm is large and the facilities there are made to handle a large number of people. Even some of the restaurants like Burger King had two branches on the farm. I really had a good time and I want to start checking out some of the other farms now that are also open to the public.

Al Bohayra Farm is located in Abdali which I had never been to before. I drove around the area a bit after visiting the farm and it felt like I was driving through one of those random towns while doing a U.S. road trip. There was also a bit of a wild west feeling which I kinda liked.

Al Bohayra Farm is worth checking out if you’ve never been. The farm is open every Friday and Saturday from 10AM to 9PM. Their instagram account is @albohayra and here is their location on Google Maps.

If you’ve never been to the Red Palace (or Red Fort) in Jahra then you should really check it out. Back in 2013 I went to Jahra for the first time and made a fun day out of it and I decided to do it again last week with a friend who themselves hadn’t been to Jahra before.

We started off by having lunch at the Kuwaiti restaurant The Seventies. It’s located next to a bunch of interesting things which makes it a great spot to visit first. Right next door to it is an artificial lake with swan paddle boats, the largest City Center I’ve seen (reminded me of Walmart), and there’s an amusement park that used to be called The 99 Village after the comic books.

After we were done killing time in this area we headed to the Red Palace which opens at 4:30PM. There is plenty of parking inside the Red Palace grounds and we were the only ones there except for this one security guard. Once we parked we told him we wanted to go inside to check out the palace and he unlocked the main gate for us and then all the little rooms inside.

The Red Palace was the site of the Battle of Jahra in 1920 between Kuwaiti and Saudi forces and so is a historical site. If you go with very little expectations the place is actually a really great place to check out. There isn’t a lot inside, there are four rooms which each sharing a subject relating to the Kuwaiti past but the real fun is walking around the palace, exploring the grounds, and taking pictures. The sky was beautiful and the sun was setting as we got there so I ended up getting some great shots.

Going all the way to Jahra just to check out the Red Palace might not be worth it alone, but when you combine it with a bunch of other activities it’s actually really fun. Entrance is free and they’re open from Monday to Saturday from 8:30AM to 12:30PM and then again from 4:30PM to 8:30PM. On Fridays they only open in the afternoons from 4:30PM to 8:30PM. Here is their location on Google Maps.

Baroue the kids store recently opened a snow park inside their Avenues store called Frostland. I passed by it over the weekend to check it out and was actually impressed. Mostly because I was not expecting their snow park to be so big but also because I didn’t think they would have actual snow.

Frostland is fairly huge considering its located inside a store but the Baroue store was always huge to begin with. The whole top floor of Baroue has now been converted to Frostland with different snow and ice related activities like ice slides, ice cars and the snow dome. Kids and parents are given winter gear to wear because its actually winter in Frostland and you’ll need to be properly dressed to play in the snow.

The ticket price for Frostland is 11KD for 2 hours and 6KD for guardians. If you want to check out some videos and more pictures of their snow park check out Frostland on instagram @baroue_frostland

Kuwait Motor Town are starting their 2019/2020 season this coming weekend with an open track experience at the race track! An open track experience is when drivers sign up to race their cars around the circuit for fun and I’m super excited for the new season to start.

The KMT race track opened last year and it was incredibly fun not only racing around our great track but also just meeting other people and hanging out with friends. There are 4 car open track events and a bunch of bike open track and drift events up on their website right now. Since the weather is still pretty hot me and my friends signed up for the later dates (October 25, November 1) which are now showing as sold out. But, there are still spots available for earlier days if you’re interested.

The entry fee for a driver with a car is KD75 (which is really good) and the number of cars is usually limited to around 70 cars per open track day. If you want to find out more or if you’re interested in signing up then visit the KMT website [Here]

Here is also a link to their instagram account which is @kmwkw

Photo on top by @81gram

Ikarus Technologies is a local startup with a passion for astronomy and the cosmos. I found out about them from a reader and they seem to cover everything related to astronomy from selling telescopes and camera gear to training. They have telescopes ranging from KD30 to over KD1,000 so they’re pretty much covering all kinds of astronomers from first-timers to the more experienced.

If you’ve ever wanted to get into astronomy this could be a really good starting point so check out their website ikarustech.com.

Thanks Pat!

The Kuwait Harps are starting a new season of Gaelic Football and are looking for new faces to join the club. Gaelic Football is a form of football derived from the Irish ball games. There are some major differences between regular football and Gaelic football like the fact Gaelic football is played with 15 players per team and you can also hold the ball with your hands.

The Kuwait Harps compete primarily in tournaments based in the Gulf region and new players are always welcome and immediately feel at home within the club. The majority of the current squad were actually new to Gaelic Games when they first arrived in Kuwait. While many clubs in the Gulf region can depend on a strong pool of Irish players, this is not the case in Kuwait. While a core of the club may be Irish, it relies heavily on the support of players from the international expat community. Kuwait Harps Players have come from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Canada, USA, Australia and even Sudan to name but a few countries.

If you’re interested in joining the club, they’re holding a taster day. Taster days are just for people to come along and see if they like the sport and want to join. It’s aimed at all abilities (both fitness and Gaelic wise) so anyone can come along and there is no need to sign up. All you need to do is come out in your normal workout gear and bring some sunscreen, water and maybe a hat or sunglasses.

When: Tuesday, September 3rd from 6PM to 8PM
Where: AIS (Google Maps)

For more information email [email protected] or visit their Facebook Page, instagram account @kuwait_harps_gaa or website kuwaitharpsgaa.com.

Golfania is an indoor miniature golf park that’s located in the basement of Discovery Center. They’ve been around for a few years now, but I only tried them out for the first time last night. It’s not a large park but it does offer a bit of fun if you’re in a group or on a date. There are 12 holes in total and depending on how large a group you are, you could zip through them pretty quick. But even if you do end up flying through the course, once you’re done you could head next door to Cosmo for bowling or maybe a game of pool so your trip to Discovery Center would still be worthwhile.

The cost for one round of golf that includes all 12 holes is KD3 per person. It looks a bit lame but we were a group of 4 last night and had a pretty fun time. Here is the location of Discovery Center on [Google Maps]

The Kuwait Harps are starting a new season of Gaelic Football and are looking for new faces to join the club. Gaelic Football is a form of football derived from the Irish ball games. There are some major differences between regular football and Gaelic football like the fact Gaelic football is played with 15 players per team and you can also hold the ball with your hands.

The Kuwait Harps compete primarily in tournaments based in the Gulf region and new players are always welcome and immediately feel at home within the club. The majority of the current squad were actually new to Gaelic Games when they first arrived in Kuwait. While many clubs in the Gulf region can depend on a strong pool of Irish players, this is not the case in Kuwait. While a core of the club may be Irish, it relies heavily on the support of players from the international expat community. Kuwait Harps Players have come from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Canada, USA, Australia and even Sudan to name but a few countries.

If you’re interested in joining the club, they’re holding taster days. Taster days are just for people to come along and see if they like the sport and want to join. It’s aimed at all abilities (both fitness and Gaelic wise) so anyone can come along and there is no reason to sign up. All you need to do is come out in your normal workout gear and bring some sunscreen, water and maybe a hat or sunglasses.

When: August 31st, 10AM to 12PM and September 5th, 5PM to 7PM
Where: GUST Univsersity [Map]

For more information email [email protected] or visit their [Facebook Page] or on instagram @kuwait_harps_gaa

Things usually slow down considerably during the summer months because of the heat but there are still things you can do and one of them is wakeboarding.

Q8 Balance is a wakeboarding school that charge by the hour. They provide you with all the gear you need to wakeboard and they use one of the best wakeboarding boats available. All the wakeboarding is done inside the lagoons in Khiran which is great especially for beginners since you don’t have waves to deal with. Q8balance charge KD35 per hour which is pricey, but what I usually do is go with a friend or two and split the cost since it’s too exhausting to wakeboard the full hour alone plus, not as fun.

I book my sessions over WhatsApp a week ahead of time since they’re usually super busy. So if you’re interested in wakeboarding, they’re on instagram @q8balance and their WhatsApp number is 66130092.

A few days ago I was dropping some stuff at my frame guy to get framed when I spotted an interesting looking store down the street from him. Turns out it was an air guns store that also sold some outdoor gear. So I decided to drop by and check it out when I realized the store had a small shooting range in the back that was open to the public. Air guns is another name for pellet guns and they are guns that use compressed air to fire out little metal pellets. Pellet guns don’t have the same restrictions and costs involved as real guns and so, this shooting range is also far cheaper than the Mayadeen shooting range.

The shooting range at this store is priced by the half hour. 30 minutes of shooting a pellet rifle will cost you KD7.5 while an hour is KD15. The cost includes the rifle and an unlimited amount of ammo. In comparison, firing a real ammo rifle at Mayadeen costs KD8 for just 10 bullets. I did half an hour with a friend and it was pretty fun and therapeutic. We both found it therapeutic because you spend a lot of time focusing on the target and so you zone out of everything else.

If you’re looking for a fun activity to do, you should try this out. It’s not as intimidating as firing a real weapon and it’s also not as loud so it’s very accessible to everyone. The place is located in Shuwaikh and is called Gannas Al-Rheeb [Google Maps]. During Ramadan they’re open from 12PM to 5PM and then from 8PM to 12AM. During regular days they’re open from 11AM to 9PM. You can find them on instagram @airguns.q8

There is a new inflatable water park on the Gulf Road next to the Swimming Pool Complex and Corniche Club. You might have spotted it when driving by since the setup is pretty big and uses brightly colored yellow and green inflatables. They’re open from 10AM to 6PM on weekdays and 8AM to 6PM on weekends (not sure about their Ramadan timing). They’re charging KD2 for an hour of fun or KD5 for a full day. There is a lifeguard, but if the children are under 8 then they require an adult with them. If this looks like something you’d be interested in, here is their location on [Google Maps]

Thanks Fahad

If you’re looking for a new fun activity, then you should consider rowing with the Kuwait Pilot Gig Club. Back in April of last year, I posted about them, but it was towards the end of their season and I wasn’t able to try them out. Then a friend reminded me about them a couple of weeks ago so we both signed up for a trial session which turned out to be a lot of fun.

The meeting point for the trial session was the Nino’s parking lot on the Gulf Road at 4PM, I had gym nearby till 3:40PM and then headed to Nino’s once I was done. I had leg day at the gym which turned out to be the worst thing to do before rowing since I later found out that 90% of rowing involves using legs. My legs were sore for days after!

The trial session is for people who have an interest to row, but have never rowed before and are curious to try it. Each rowboat can take up to 6 people, we were 5, just me, my friend, the coxswain (captain) and two experienced rowers. We started the session off on land with information on the boat and the oars. Once in the water, we were then taught the basics of rowing and how to row as a team. I loved being out at sea and I hadn’t done that in forever because I get seasick so easily. But, I had taken some amazing motion sickness pills (Betaserc) and really didn’t feel sick at all. Rowing wasn’t very difficult, but it obviously will take a number of outings before getting comfortable with the techniques and motions. You do have to be fit and have some strength but other than that, they’ll teach you everything you need to know.

If you’re interested in rowing this is what you need to do. Firstly you have to contact them on 99031123 or [email protected] and arrange for a trial session. If like me you enjoyed the experience and want to take part in this activity, then here are the prices:

Intro Course
Involves 6 rowing sessions + 1 social row. The cost is KD75 and the course needs to be completed within two months.

Monthly Membership Packages
You need to have completed the intro course and then it’s:

– 4 Rows KD 30/- monthly
– 8 Rows KD 55/- monthly
– Unlimited Rows KD 75/- monthly

Make sure you also check out their instagram account for more pictures and videos @kwt_pilot_gig

I’ve posted about archery classes in Kuwait a couple of times already, but they seem to be moving the classes to different spots. Right now they’ve started offering the archery classes at the Palm Beach Resort every Friday and Saturday. The classes are for both kids and adults, so if you’re interested in taking up a new activity, you can whatsapp them on +96566013056 for more details.

I have to admit, I don’t know much about bridge other than the fact its a card game. But, when I was invited to pass by a Kuwait Bridge Club game night, I jumped on the opportunity. There are lots of random things that take place in Kuwait that not a lot of people know about and I love bringing them into the spotlight.

The Kuwait Bridge Club was originally established in 1958 and in 2010 was officially recognized by the government. They’re a very active club that meet up and play twice every week. I passed by this past Wednesday to check them out and I left impressed. Usually the club holds their games at the Kuwait Graduate Society on the Gulf Road but they’re currently temporarily having them at the Safir Hotel. They have a pretty legit looking setup and when I dropped by there were around 6 or 8 different games taking place.

Their website is pretty active with the latest scores from every game night posted up right away, and they have a Facebook group with pictures and information as well. The cost of taking part in a game night is KD2.5 and if you’re into bridge then really this is where you should be every Sunday and Wednesday night. If you’re interested in joining the club or want more information, visit their website [Here] or contact Mr Numan Al-Turki on 99707404 or by email on [email protected]

The Kuwait Baseball Softball Challenger League (KBSC) is a local non-profit organization that provides their players with 6 months of physical activity and competition twice a week for a minimal fee.

Registration for 2017-2018 season is now open for boys and girls ages 4 to 17. They have their regular baseball divisions, a girls’ softball division and a challenger division for players with physical and/or developmental disabilities.

Their baseball fields (pictured above) are located off the 6th Ring Road at the Hunting and Equestrian Club. They are super legit fields with green grass, bleachers and even lemonade and corndogs. If you’re interested to find out more or to register for their 2017-2018 season, click [Here]