Fujairah Water Activities: I’d Like to See That!

The recently announced tourism goals for Fujairah and the east coast highlighted one of the region’s greatest assets when it said there would be the ‘maximizing of the beaches’.

This is exactly what the hotels along the coastline are doing. When the Fujairah Rotana Hotel opened earlier this year, it highlighted its proximity to the water and they advertised their long list of water activities.

At the World Travel Market (WTM) held this week (12-15 November) in London, Le Méridien Al Aqah hotel will highlight “the restorative benefits of Fujairah’s natural resources” and its location “perched on the edge of the Indian Ocean and focused on total wellness for guests through the use of natural and marine elements.”

Patrick Antaki, General Manager says, “Guest surveys have revealed that proximity to the water is among the key reasons for visiting Al Aqah and at WTM, we are highlighting the ways in which we are integrating the Indian Ocean more closely with our overall guest experience, whether through spa relaxation and wellness or dining by the sea.”

But not all tourists and Fujairah residents want to stay at a hotel. Those coming to Fujairah for a day often don’t want to pay the high price of using hotel facilities, including the water equipment. Many who live in Fujairah city may not want to travel the 45 minutes up the coastline to the Al Aqah, super hotels.

It is good to see the enterprise of the owners of the Al Shatha Scooter Rental (see the article) now operating on the northern-most beach of Kalba.

There are possibly other activities (boat trips, diving etc.) advertised at places like the Fujairah Marina but these are not always visible to the casual day tripper arriving on the east coast. [If you own or know of a water activity on the Fujairah-Kalba coastline please add the information in a comment below]

It would be attractive if there was the emergence of a variety of other water sports available to the public—for adults and children. These might include fishing trips, boat cruises, water skiing, wake boards, sailing, pedalos, kayaks, windsurfing and lessons and safety equipment (life jackets etc.) to boot.

Geoff Pound

Image: Windsurfing.