Never heard of the Singing Sand Dunes, even though you live in Qatar? You’re not alone! This fun and unique destination is a true hidden gem, often overlooked by locals and tourists alike. And if you’ve, in fact, heard of them, chances are you’re confusing them with… Sealine! The landscape looks pretty similar, so many people assume that Singing Sand Dunes are somewhere on the way to the Inland Sea.
Today, I’d like to shed a bit more light on this spot on Qatar’s map!
Where are they exactly?
Singing Sand Dunes is an area located in the middle of nowhere, off the Orbital Highway (also known as the Truck Road). Before you set off on an adventure, make sure you know where you’re headed – there are several spots on Qatar’s map which are named the same! Not sure if they’re all equally fun, but this is where we’ve been going:
What’s with the name??
Why Singing Sand Dunes? As it turns out, the name comes from the sound that the sand makes when a large amount of it moves! The best way to hear the dunes sing is to slide down the dune on your bum. 🙂 My husband nailed it when he said: the fatter you are, the louder it sings!”.
To be fair, the sound of the sand is comparable more to low-key howling (I’d be scared if I heard it at night!), but naming them the “Howling Sand Dunes” doesn’t seem like a great idea!
What’s it like to visit?
My first experience with the Singing Sand Dunes was VERY confusing! First, we got lost because we ignored the exact GPS coordinates and just typed “Singing Sand Dunes” into google maps like the lazy people we are. 🙂 This, in turn, led us to a totally different area, crowded with dune bashing locals and generally unsafe. Then, we sorted out the coordinates and arrived around the location, but weren’t sure if we weren’t in the wrong spot again, because the desert was all rocky, rather than sandy. And that’s the interesting part about the dunes! They basically spring out of the rocky desert – these massive patches of sand! You can see them on Google Maps satellite view – they look a bit as if a giant horse left its hoofprints all over the area.
Now the great part is: you can drive all the way to the bottom of the dune! Desert is rocky so you won’t get stuck in the sand. A 4-wheel-drive is definitely not necessary (unless you wanna try dune bashing, which I don’t recommend), but to be on the safe side, it’s best to take a car with high ground clearance (and preferably all-terrain tyres, because these rocks are sharp!).
What I like about the Singing Sand Dunes?
- First and foremost: the whole experience is FREE! And considering how expensive Doha is becoming when it comes to family entertainment – that’s a massive upside.
- It’s super fun for the kids of all ages! Older kids can run up the dune and slide or roll down. Toddlers can play in the super soft sand.
- Adults can have fun too! Granted, climbing up is HARD! But then you get to unleash your inner child and make the sand sing. 🙂 Daily workout completed!
- The area doesn’t really get crowded – at least I never saw crowds around there.
- Sunset views are INCREDIBLE! I’d say one of the best I’ve seen in the whole Qatar.
- I’ve already briefly mentioned it, but I really need to highlight it: the sand on the Singing Sand Dunes is super soft! Perfect for the kids to play around
What are the downsides?
- There are no facilities around – no washrooms or food stalls. You need to bring all your provisions with you. The nearest toilet is at the Woqod Station, approx. 10 min drive away.
- The flies! Not sure why, but the bottom of the dune seems to attract an unreasonable number of flies! Make sure to keep your car closed or you might bring some (many) with you home. Also, cover your food. Flies go away after the sunset. 🙂
- There is a small chance that you’ll encounter the crazy dune bashers. I’ve never seen any, BUT I did see tyre marks at the top of the dune, so take that into consideration and don’t let your kids venture too far away from you.
- The fact that some visitors are not bothered to take their trash back with them and just leave it lying around (a common problem locally, sadly!), spoiling the experience for others. I was once advised to visit right before the weekend, before the “trash-generating” individuals arrive.
Have you been to the Singing Sand Dunes? Or did I convince you to visit? 🙂
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