The Wandering Quinn in Kuwait

I spent 2 days seeing Kuwait with my local friends and from it, I've got some good places to visit in Kuwait city, and further afield for you. Kuwait is often referred to as being a boring city or tourists and travellers and I would say that's because things are spread out and it's hard to get around. However in one day in Kuwait there are a few things to do in Kuwait City and ways to Kuwait. Start at the Scientific Centre and walk along the boardwalk to Marina Mall. Get lunch at Fareej Swalieh. Catch a cab or the bus to the Old Marina and do a round boat trip to see the city for 1KD. Take a cab or bus to the Kuwait Towers and go up them for Sunset. Take a cab to the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City and do a free guided tour on Thursday-Sundays at 5:00, 5:30, 6:00 & 6:30pm. Walk to Souq Al Mubarakiya and to Salat Square. End in Al Shaheed Park at night. There are also museums and of course lots of shopping malls in Kuwait too which will introduce you to the old and the modern Kuwaiti culture. The following day I headed along what is the longest bridge in the world to the desert for an evening of camping and dune buggies in the desert with my friends. This would be possible to do as a tourist but you would need a 4x4 and equipment.

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Always nice to hear from people sharing a positive experience here - LWDLIK

Fun Day with Kuwait Sailing Club

Kuwait Sailing Club Open Day Friday 3 May. Come and try sailing! https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kuwait+Sailing+Club/@29.2685019,48.0891202,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x3fcf756f6eb95e8f:0xe17669e1f78d76c1!8m2!3d29.2685019!4d48.0913089

Atlas Obscura - Kuwait Water Towers

 Article Credit to Tony Dunnell

Kuwait City's uniquely designed water towers look straight out of a retro sci-fi cityscape. 

Dotted around Kuwait City are six groupings of eye-catching water towers. Five are composed of striped mushroom-shaped towers, and a sixth features towers that look like they’re about to take off for Alpha Centauri, albeit in a retro sci-fi kind of way.

In 1953, the city set up two large seawater distillation plants. A lack of a piped water distribution system, however, meant that this water had to be transported to customers in tankers. So in 1965, a Swedish engineering firm was commissioned to build a modern water distribution system to connect the distillation plants to Kuwait City with an expansive system of water towers erected around the city. 

But the Amir of Kuwait at the time, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed, didn’t want just any old water towers. He wanted structures that would also function as works of art—landmarks that would impart a sense of modernity and technological advancement upon all who gazed upon them.

The firm presented a number of tower designs, and two types were selected. Five of the groups, consisting of 31 towers in total, feature the so-called Mushroom Towers, completed in 1976. These vertically stripped towers do indeed resemble mushrooms, supported on shafts of varying heights. Each concrete tank has a capacity of 3,000 cubic meters, with the groups placed in strategic locations around the city.

Part of the reasoning behind the mushroom design was to create a kind of pillared hall, where shade was cast on the desert floor beneath the giant mushrooms. The idea was to create landscape gardens in the grounds beneath them, but not all of the groups have yet been decked out as such.

For the sixth and final tower group, the Amir wanted something even more impressive, as these were to stand prominently on the bay across from the Amir’s palace compound. The engineering firm presented a handful of designs, and the Amir chose one that wouldn’t look at all out of place in a retro sci-fi cityscape.

This group of three towers, known simply as the Kuwait Towers, was completed in 1979. The largest is a 607-foot concrete “needle” supporting two spheres along its length. The spheres themselves are clad in enamelled steel plates, arranged in spiral patterns and in eight shades of blue, green and gray—a design chosen to imitate the mosaic surfaces of Islamic domes.

The lowest but largest sphere is divided in two; its upper half contains a restaurant, banquet hall, and an indoor garden, while the lower half holds a large reservoir. The second and highest sphere holds no water, instead functioning as a rotating viewing platform and café. The second tower is 482 feet tall and serves only as a water tower. The third is a bare needle with no spheres but does hold equipment and lighting that illuminates the other two towers.

Know Before You Go

The five groups of Mushroom Towers can be seen sprinkled around Kuwait City, and are typically admired from afar as nothing more than landmarks. The map coordinates above point to the Kuwait Towers, located in downtown Kuwait City, on the bay and just off Arabian Gulf Street in the Sharq District. The Viewing Sphere opens from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. The entrance fee is 3 Kuwaiti dinar (about $10 USD). The restaurant is free to enter and is open from 8 a.m. until midnight.

Sign up for newsletter and get the best of Atlas Obscura in your inbox. [link] Some really good articles about interesting places to travel to.

They also have an article on the House of Mirrors, Qadsiya, Kuwait [link].

Salwa Sabah Al Ahmed Competition Show Jumping Event

Map

Kenaneya Farm, Abdally Open Day

Instagram Kenaneya Farms bio registration link

Shinsawi Yoga on the Beach and Brunch at Be Cafe

Join www.shinsawi.com on their next activity with @be_kwt for an afternoon yoga session on the beach and a delicious brunch after, this Saturday at 2 pm. Limited spots!

Exclusive Bee Hive Tours at The Lovely Sadeer Farms, Abdally

Instagram: @sadeer_farms and @justbeekw

Camel Racing

Desert Camping, Boat Trips, Farm Rentals, Island Trips, Tours of Kuwait

Arabella Fun Day for the Kids

Shinsawi Dog Meet Up

Savanah Shack at Movenpick Hotel Teaching Windsurfing, Sailing and Kayaking

#Windsurfing and #Sailing courses for beginners and those who want to improve their skills are now available. Contact us to learn now @SavanahShack at Movenpick Hotel, Bidaa. Tel 9712 2151

The Stunning New Part of Al Kout Mall is Open and Well Worth a Visit

Kuwait’s leading property developer Tamdeen Group has announced that its Al Kout Project, the largest waterfront retail and entertainment destination in the country is open and thriving. 

Occupying a plot of 300,000 sqm, Al Kout Project offers six diverse experiences reflecting the unique architectural heritage of Kuwait. The most modern of these experiences is Al Kout Mall, which opened for visitors during the first quarter of 2018, said the developer.

The mall will increase the overall leasing area of Al Kout Project to 100,000 sqm.

The KD123 million ($407 million) Al Kout Project compromises 360 stores and a 12-screen cinema, which is equipped with the latest Imax and 4DX systems and will be managed by Kuwait National Cinema Company (Cinescape).

Dining features prominently at Al Kout Mall, with an array of local and international restaurants and cafes, including 11 Kuwaiti trademarks which affirms Tamdeen’s constant support for ambitious initiatives from Kuwaiti entrepreneurs.

Al Kout Mall is also home to Infunity Sea Family Entertainment Centre, the largest indoor facility-of-its-kind in Kuwait. The Centre is themed around marine life and is an ideal edutainment for visitors of all ages eager to learn more about the marine environment, said the statement from Tamdeen.

In addition, Al Kout Mall will house the first-ever Q8 Karting, the biggest indoor track of its kind in the Middle East, offering an exhilarating experience that simulates pro racing. The Q8 Karting track is designed to suit all types of races, and age groups, it added.

Al Kout Project has a seafront stretching 1.6 km in Fahaheel area, with captivating views of the Arabian Gulf, particularly at Al Kout Marina, which can accommodate more than 150 boats.

Meanwhile, Al Kout NaG’at, a favourite pier for fishermen, is one of the rare spots that has preserved its heritage, with traditional sailboats, fishing methods, and commercial activities.

Tamdeen pointed out that another highlight of the project was Al Kout Souq which reflects the area’s heritage. It features a traditional-style marketplace where traders sell fruits, vegetables, fish and meat.

The design of the Souq area reflects the simplicity of shopping in old Kuwait, it stated.

The project not only offers variety in entertainment and shopping, but also caters to the tourists via its five-star Al Kout Rotana Hotel. Strategically placed, it is 25 minutes’ drive from Kuwait International Airport and a 45-minute drive from the Saudi borders.

The project promotes easy accessibility, with Al Kout Mall connected via a footbridge to Al Kout Souq, offering stunning views of fountains, and the marina, said the statement from Tamdeen.

The mall also incorporates a multi-story car park and external parking, with 3,600 parking slots, it added.

LWDLIK - I just got back and I'm well impressed. It's beautiful airy interiors, subtle chic colours and its gorgeous loos are stunning. The architecture is fresh and interesting with lots of curves so you are not quite sure what is ahead of you. 

Just loved the Cinderella coach

A excellent selection of good retail stores, varied restaurants and coffee shops all listed here [link]. 

Fun Day at the Beach Event in Khiran

Review: Sheikh Abdullah Salem Cultural Centre Museum Complex

Garbage collected in a month. 

Starfish petting pool for the kids

A few exhibits were under maintenance

Mars rover

Labs and workshops

Book shop 

Gift shop

Embroidered cover from the Holy Kaaba

Silk embroidered with gold and silver thread palanquin for carrying the
Kaaba curtain. Circa 19th century

Ibn Battuta compiled an account of his 30 years of travelling in 1354

Cool, spacious walkways 

An interesting, fun morning spent at the impressive Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre. Very well priced, lots of free cool underground parking, covered walkways, spacious interiors filled with extraordinary pieces.

Opening Hours

OPENING HOURS

Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre is open during the following days and hours:

Days	Museums	Outdoor Facilities
Sat	9:00 AM – 7:00 PM	9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sun	Closed	Closed
Mon	9:00 AM – 7:00 PM	9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tue	9:00 AM – 7:00 PM	9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wed	9:00 AM – 7:00 PM	9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thu	3:00 PM - 10:00 PM	3:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Fri	3:00 PM - 10:00 PM	3:00 PM - 11:00 PM

* Ticket sales will stop 1 hour prior to closing time.

* Museums’ doors will be closed 15 minutes prior to full closure.

ONE-DAY PASSES

Adults (18+):	3 KD
Junior | Student (Max 18):	2 KD
Under 2:	Free of Charge
Ambulant Disabled:	1.5 KD
Wheelchair Disabled:	1.5 KD + Free Helper
Chaperon:	2 KD

A One-Day pass is valid for a single entry into ASCC, and multiple entries into all Museums.

SPECIAL TICKETS

Type	Price	Special Need Price
Virus Attack	2 KD	1 KD + Free Helper
Planetarium	2 KD	1 KD + Free Helper
Maker Space	5 KD	5 KD

It seems as well as the above prices there is a half-price entrance for the over 60s - maybe that's what's meant by ambulant disabled.

The initial reaction on arrival is awe-inspiring. The architecture is impressive, there was friendly helpful staff at the entrance and directing in the expansive car park, quick efficient security checks and loads to see. 

You will need at least 3 hours to see all the museums, extra time if you book special shows or workshops. There is a small Starbucks coffee shop and a larger restaurant to sustain you. The museums are spacious, airy and beautifully laid out. Adults and children all seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves and we loved seeing the kids squeal with delight at the starfish petting pool. The kids all seemed very interested and engaged in all they saw. 

Congratulations to Kuwait for their world-class museums, a real treat for all.

10/10 even though there were a few exhibits under maintenance but it didn't really take away from the overall magnificence.

Website: www.ascckw.com

Horse Pilot Ranch in Wafra - Horse Riding, Camel Farm, Archery, Volleyball, Farmers Market, DJ, Bonfire and Entertainment for the Kids

Breakfast and Sunset Dinner Cruise

www.aware.com.kw

Another Morning in Souq Mubarakiya and SoMu

Bait Ahmed Cafe and Curiosity Shop - Great cake, tea, interesting items for sale and the best toilet. 

Bait Ahmed

Map showing approx location in Souq Mubarakiya of Bait Ahmed Cafe and green arrow shows SoMu.

12 Chutneys, SoMu - The cutest darn Indian restaurant you ever set eyes on, 

worth visiting just to take photos of it. Food is good too.

12 Chutneys, SoMu.

Interior of 12 Chutneys.

The timelessly elegant and serene Flower Latte Cafe next door to 12 Chutneys.

Flower Latte Cafe

The 'peaceful protest' artwork

And we really do.. A Haring inspired artwork says it all. Lots of lovely art work in SoMu.

Lunch time.

And what a yummy, well priced lunch it is too.
Just plonk yourself down at the restaurant that smells the most delicious. 

Previous Souk Mubarakya posts  [link] 1 [link] 2  [link] 3 [link] 4 and Caffeine, one of our fav coffee shops [link]. Or check the label for Souq Mubarakiya on the lower right side of the blog.

A lovely morning with my friend Michelle whom I have to thank for her great company and two or three photos that I stole from her.