Category: Information

Last June, I posted that Alghanim Industries had launched the brand Sama X and had become the official distributors of Starlink’s satellite internet in Kuwait. The service was meant to launch last year, but when I reached out to them in September, they said licensing and regulatory approvals were taking longer than expected. They were hoping to finalize everything by the end of last year, but according to a contact of mine at CITRA, those issues still haven’t been fully resolved.

Starlink internet works through satellites, making it perfect for places where regular internet can be spotty or completely unavailable. I spent Christmas in Lebanon where the internet was incredibly slow and unreliable, and I told myself that next time I go back, I’d bring my own Starlink with me. Starlink has a small portable unit with roaming packages, which would be perfect for a trip like that. But since there’s still no confirmed timeline for when Starlink will go live in Kuwait, I’ll either have to wait a bit longer or buy an imported unit and pay a premium.

If you want to stay posted on the launch, their website is Sama X

Yesterday I posted that Kuwait Airways will start flying to Mykonos but according to my contact at Kuwait Airways, they’ll soon be launching new direct flights to more interesting destinations, including:

• Beijing
• Maldives
• Moscow
• Phuket

Maldives and Beijing are the two destinations I’m most interested in. Maldives because I’ve been wanting to experience it for a long time, and Beijing because I want to explore parts of China and it would be a great starting point. I do wish they brought back Athens instead of Mykonos though, especially since after deciding it would be my go-to summer spot, they suddenly stopped flying to it.

Kuwait Airways will start flying to Moscow three times a week and Mykonos twice a week, both starting in June. I’m still waiting to hear back on the other destinations, but you can keep an eye on their account for an official announcement @kuwaitairways

There were recently articles in the newspaper about Royal Pharmacy having their license revoked. The article didn’t make much sense to me since it didn’t really explain why their license was revoked. I read a few comments online about people thinking it was because they had too many branches open in the same area, and a lot of people sounded like they were happy their license was being revoked, like they wanted Royal Pharmacy to be punished for their success.

I have a Royal Pharmacy near my house (actually 3) but there is one I pass by the most. So I asked my pharmacist what the issue is and if they were in fact closing down because all three pharmacies near me were still open.

According to my pharmacist the issue is that basically the Kuwaiti owner of Royal Pharmacy had his citizenship revoked. So all the Royal Pharmacy stores no longer had a Kuwaiti partner.

I think the way pharmacies work in Kuwait is that an individual pharmacist needs to be the owner. So for example Royal Pharmacy or Boots are brands names, but each pharmacy is owned by an individual pharmacist. That’s why sometimes you’ll find a pharmacist name on the sign or a window sticker written in a small font.

According to my pharmacist who is an expat, because the Royal Pharmacy owner is no longer Kuwaiti, all the pharmacists need to find a new Kuwaiti partner. So the pharmacies won’t be closing (or most won’t at least), but they will be renamed or rebranded. One of the three Royal pharmacies next to me already had the word Royal removed from the signage. I’d imagine some other big brand might now want to take over the Royal Pharmacy brand.

Anyway, the above is just based on what my pharmacist told me so it might not necessarily be accurate, but it makes sense to me.

Recently, I noticed the Thunayan Al Ghanim Building at the Sheraton roundabout had been vacated and looked like it might be getting demolished. That worried me because of its historical importance, so I reached out to the family, and it turns out the building is actually going to be restored.

When the building was constructed in the 1950s, it was considered one of the most advanced in Kuwait. In the photo above the building is under construction while surrounded by traditional Kuwaiti houses, a very noticeable contrast at the time.

The Thunayan Al Ghanim Building was also the first building in Kuwait to have an elevator. There are stories of Bedouins coming in from the desert just to watch what they called “the flying horse” that can go up and down. Over the years, the building housed the original Kuwait Oil Company offices, the British Consulate, Kuwait’s first English bookshop (later opened in the basement of Al Muthana Complex), and the original Sultan Gallery.

Because of its historical value, the family plans to preserve the building.

I haven’t been posting for a few days since I wanted to take a bit of time off to enjoy the holidays. But I’m back now because a lot of people have been asking if there will be fireworks tonight, and the answer is yes and no.

If you’re asking whether there will be a huge fireworks show like the ones previously held at Kuwait Towers or earlier this year at Al Shaheed Park, then the answer is no.

However, similar to last year, there will be several fireworks displays taking place around Kuwait.

The biggest one was expected to happen at KLAND, but they announced late last night that the fireworks show has been canceled.

That means the largest displays are now likely to be at Messilah Beach, Al Kout Mall, and Al Khiran Mall. If you don’t want to drive that far, or you’re looking for something near Kuwait Towers, JON will be holding a short fireworks show that will last a few minutes.

Wherever you end up watching the fireworks from, have a great night and happy new year.

Update: Messilah Beach just announced that their fireworks show is also canceled due to “directives of the relevant security authorities.” I wonder what’s going on🤔

Update2: JON also canceled their fireworks

Update3: Al Kout Mall and Al Khiran also announced the cancelations of their shows

West Elm is closing down next week, so they’ve been running clearance sales to get rid of their stock. I passed by over the weekend and went back again today, only to find out they just started their big sale. Everything is now at least 70% off. Some of the accessories are even discounted by more than 90% because they have buy one get one free deals on top of the discounts.

I’m pretty sad that West Elm is closing down. It was my favorite furniture store, and we really don’t have many other places that offer a similar style.

They’re closing down on December 25, but I’d head there sooner. The store was super busy when I was there, and I’m sure a lot of the good stuff is going to get sold. Pottery Barn is also having a massive sale since they’re also closing on the 25th.

The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) recently opened the first phase of its Eco Park project, a government initiative aimed at supporting urban greening and promoting sustainability in Kuwait. The Eco Park focuses on improving green spaces in urban areas while also supporting research related to desert development and urban planning.

The park officially opened earlier in the month but I kept postponing my visit because of the weather. But, on Friday when I saw the sun was out I decided to pass by and check the park out and take some photos.

It’s fairly big, depending on what you’re comparing it to. It’s much smaller than Shaheed Park and Shuwaikh Park, but bigger and more interesting than most neighborhood parks.

When you first walk in, you’re greeted with a list of rules, including a no pets allowed notice. I’m actually fine with that. I walk my dog in that area and although I always pick up after him, I know a lot of people don’t. I’d rather have a dog free park than constantly worrying about stepping in poop. Inside the park there are plants and flowers everywhere (but no grass), and two artificial lakes, one large open air lake and a smaller shaded one. On the other end of the park is a large open space that looks like it could be used to host events or activities like yoga sessions or outdoor workouts. There’s also a pathway marked with no entry signs that leads toward the second phase of the park.

I couldn’t find the park’s opening hours listed anywhere, and I didn’t see any security or staff on site to ask about the timings. I reached out to KISR on Thursday to check, but I haven’t heard back yet. That said, I drive by the park daily and haven’t seen the gate closed so far.

If you want to pass by, the park is in Salmiya, facing the Gulf Road, in front of the Cliffs Tower and just before Dar Hamad. Here is the location on Google Maps.

Update: KISR replied, the opening hours are Sat to Wed 6am–6pm and Thu to Sat 6am–9pm

I’m sure you’ve heard of UPayments by now. If you’re starting a business or already running one, their name has probably come up more than once.

What makes UPayments interesting is how much they’ve transformed over the years. They started off as a simple payment solution, but today they’ve become a full ecosystem that a lot of businesses rely on. And now, as a subsidiary of NBK, they’ve grown into one of the most trusted and regulated payment providers in Kuwait. That alone gives a lot of confidence to anyone trying to build a serious business.

When you’re choosing a payments partner, there are plenty of options out there. But reliability, security, and long-term stability are things you can’t compromise on. That’s where UPayments really stands out. They’ve gone from being “another payment solution” to becoming a solid growth partner for businesses of all sizes.

Only after that transformation does it make sense to look at what they actually offer today. Their services cover pretty much everything a business might need:

• Online invoicing and payment links for instant collection

• A full e-commerce platform to help you launch and run an online store

• Payment gateway APIs and plugins for easy website and app integration

• Smart point-of-sale devices for in-store payments

• A property management and rent collection system for landlords

If you’re running a small business or planning to start one soon, UPayments is definitely worth checking out. You can find more information on their website upayments.com

Kuwait Space Rocket is a project established in 2018 to build and launch the Arab world’s first suborbital liquid rocket. The team is made up of highly talented individuals from different STEM fields:

Naser Ashknani – Mechanical Engineer

Sulieman Alfuhaid – Aerospace Engineer and Propulsion Engineer at SpaceX (Currently pursuing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering)

Hassan Almutawa – Mechanical Engineer

They first reached out to me back in 2019, and going through our old emails now, I realized I regretfully didn’t take them too seriously. Their mission then, and still today, is to launch the first Arabian rocket into space and capture footage of the Kuwaiti flag with planet Earth in the background.

Since I last spoke to them, they’ve had five launches. Two were ground-tested only, while the other three were full rocket launches, with the highest altitude reaching 1,366m.

The team follows a goal driven engineering process that lets them move quickly and efficiently from concept to construction. They start with the design phase, using software like SolidWorks, Matlab and ANSYS to map everything out. Once the designs are ready, they move into the build stage, relying on tools such as 3D printing, welding, drilling, milling and CNC machines to bring the parts to life. Finally, everything goes through rigorous testing, including static testing to make sure every component performs the way it should.

Tomorrow (Saturday, December 6) at 8AM, the Kuwait Space Rocket team will attempt to launch their fourth rocket, AMBITION 3, to an altitude of 15 km. It’s a world record attempt for the highest altitude reached by a single stage sugar fueled rocket.

Since the launches take place inside a Kuwait military defense base, spectators aren’t allowed, but they’ll be streaming the attempt live on their Instagram. If you want to watch the launch tomorrow at 8AM, follow them @kuwaitspacerocket

Update: The record attempt failed after the rocket sadly exploded during launch

Active Arena is one of Shuwaikh Gate Holding’s latest projects (@shuwaikhgate) and is a new modern destination that just opened in Funaitees on the coastal strip. If you’ve driven down Road 30 toward Fahaheel recently, you’ve probably noticed it on the left side next to the National Guard Officers Club. It’s a futuristic looking building in a super convenient spot, easy to access with plenty of parking, which makes it a great stop for families or anyone looking for a quick and easy place to hang out.

Right now the project has Raising Cane’s, HID Café, and the largest PLAY Entertainment in Kuwait, with more concepts opening soon. The PLAY branch is huge and occupies most of the building. According to the manager I spoke to, it also has one of the largest soft play areas in the region.

If you’re in the area and looking for a quick bite, a cup of coffee, or a new spot to take the kids, check the place out. You’ll find the mall’s exact location linked in their bio @activearenakw

Al-Farsi Kites Team are back this Friday for their first desert display of the season.

A lot of people don’t realize this, but the Al-Farsi Kite Team (founded in 2003) owns some of the biggest kites on the planet. Their Kuwait flag kite has held the Guinness World Record for almost 21 years now, but they actually have two even larger ones. They’re called The Blue Manta Ray and The Hope. The Hope alone is around 1,250 m², about the size of three basketball courts.

During the winter months, the Al-Farsi Kite Team puts on a display every Friday in Bnaider near exit 258. The display starts after Friday prayers, and they’re usually there until around 5 PM.

For weekly updates and the Google Maps link to their location, check out their Instagram account @alfarsikite

Last week I visited Failaka for the first time since a school trip back in 1989. I’ve been meaning to go back ever since, but because I get seasick, I kept putting it off. A few months ago though, my wife and I got accepted into the Failaka Institute for Knowledge and Arts Research (FIKAR) residency program, and that was the push I needed to finally go back.

FIKAR is a space dedicated to artists, writers, filmmakers, musicians, and researchers who want to explore and celebrate the history and stories of Failaka. I first found out about it when I met the founder (Sulayman Al Bassam) a few years ago and they’re now in season 3 which I’m excited to be part of.

For anyone who wants to visit Failaka but isn’t sure what to expect or even how to get there, I wanted to quickly share my experience.

Transport
I’d recommend taking your car since Failaka is big and you’re not going to be able to explore all of it on foot. You can walk around some of the abandoned buildings and visit an archaeological site, but not much else. There are two car ferry operators, Joan alKuwait and Ikarus Marine. I went with Joan since I was taking my dog and Ikarus doesn’t allow pets. The cost was KD30 for a round trip including the car and driver, and additional passengers are KD10 each.

Things to do
Once you get to the island you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a post-apocalyptic movie scene. Imagine an abandoned neighborhood with no people, cars left decaying in driveways, and empty destroyed homes slowly being taken over by nature. I loved it.

Other than exploring the abandoned buildings, there’s a museum on the island with archaeological sites you can visit. We drove out to a live archaeological site in the middle of the island, and an archaeologist there was nice enough to give us a tour. There’s also Wanasa Beach, which has a restaurant and a place to rent bicycles and kayaks. And that’s pretty much it. One night is all you need on the island.

Stay
We stayed at FIKAR, but there are small houses you can rent and hotel rooms in the Heritage Village which you can book through Ikarus.

Finally, there is 5G service on the island, two bakalas and a gas station. If you have any question or curiosities let me know in the comments.

Yesterday I passed by the Kuwait Book Fair and it was pretty packed in the morning, filled with buses and kids from different schools around Kuwait.

The book fair is divided into three halls, 5, 6 and 7. The English book stalls are all located in a corner of hall 6. Compared to the Arabic books the English stalls make up a very small part of the fair but even if you’re there just for the English books I’d walk around the rest of the fair since there were a few Arabic book sellers that also had some English books for sale. The main English stalls though were the following:

Al Sadu House
Austin Macauley Publishers
Awtar Publishing
Brijbasi Art Press
Harvard Press
Hachette
KISR
Macmillan
National Geographic
Oxford University Press
Qatar Press
Samarkand
Scholastic
Thames & Hudson
The English Bookshop
USBORNE
US Embassy in Kuwait
WH Smith

From the list above all the stalls are in hall 6 except for three, the US Embassy, KISR and Al Sadu House, those stalls were located in hall 7. I’m not sure if I’m just imagining it or not but the English books section seemed smaller than the previous years. Still worth checking out though.

If you’re into Kuwait’s past, there is a great book called ‘Screen & Memories Since 1954’ that documents Kuwait’s movie theater history. I picked it up last year and it’s really nicely put together and bilingual. You can find it at the Maraya Publishing booth in Hall 6, Stall A26.

And if you’re planning to pass by the fair, just take into account that it’s open at different timings on Friday and Saturday compared to the rest of the week.

Mornings 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Afternoons 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Friday 3:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM

The 48th Kuwait International Book Fair kicks off this Wednesday, November 19 at the Kuwait International Fairground and runs until November 29.

The book fair debuted in 1975 and is the largest held in Kuwait, usually offering a massive selection of Arabic books along with a good range of English ones.

The fair will be located in Halls 5, 6 and 7, and the opening hours will be:

Mornings 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Afternoons 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Friday 3:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM

For more information, head over to @kw_nccal

Last year I got a tour of Messilah Beach and shared photos of the space, and since then quite a bit has changed. Messilah Beach is now set to open this coming weekend, and the biggest update since my last visit is that there will no longer be a ticketing system to enter. It’s now open entry for everyone.

The Messilah Beach project includes various water play zones, kids play areas, tennis, football and basketball courts, plenty of restaurants, and a large beach area. Visitors will be able to explore the different facilities and only pay for the activities they take part in.

Not everything is open yet. Right now, Fun Quest, Trampo at The Beach (which looks incredible), Oliver restaurant, 1% Coffee, Trolley, and the sports courts are open. Over the next few weeks more concepts will be opening including Chocomelt, Ananas, Zooba, Frost Gelato, Good Stuff, Mr. Holmes, Soul Juice, Potato & Sweet, Thai Wok, &Cookies, and Just Juice. A fun entertainment park will also be popping up on the beach this winter.

The soft opening is this weekend and there will be various activities taking place from sunset to 10PM, including DJ performances, sea-themed parades, and food trucks right by the shore. So if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you can pass by and check the place out. @messilahbeach

For more photos, click here.