Fancy a change from footy? Need something a bit more extra than the gym? It’s important to shake things up every now and again and, luckily for us, the UAE isn’t afraid to upset the apple cart when it comes to alternative ways to keep active.
From slinging hatchets at a bullseye to careering around in inflatable bubbles, here are six weird and wonderful alternative sports to try this weekend.
Axe throwing
In an era when the likes of Game of Thrones and Vikings have leaned heavily on pop-culture, we’ve all spent far too much time wondering just how good we’d be with a medieval weapon. Well, wannabe Ragnar Lothbroks can prove they’ve hands for a hatchet with axe-throwing classes in Hatta. Distantly related to darts (we don’t mean that at all), axe throwing is exactly what it says on the tin. Expect an adrenaline rush when slinging your cleaver towards the target, just make sure no one is in the vicinity during the back swing.
Hatta Wadi Hub, located off the Dubai-Hatta Road. www.visithatta.com/en/play/adventures (048522200).
Dodgeball at Bounce
Dodgeball and trampolines are a wicked combo. We don’t know who first hatched a plan to combine the intensity of the hard hitting game of evasion with a spring-propelled elastic floor, but we’re massive fans of theirs and would like to buy them a drink. The rules are simple: whack a member of the opposition team with a projectile to eliminate them from the game. The first team to have all their bodies knocked out is the loser, but it is only those who can master the new spring in their step who will be victorious. Be ready for battle.
Various locations across the UAE. www.bounce.ae.
Kite surfing
Kite surfing is synonymous with UAE beaches, and it will be a very cold day indeed when sun seekers fail to spy at least one surfer skimming along the waves with his trusted flying machine. It’s a tricky skill to master, but certainly one everyone can try their hand at – even if it means taking a few glugs of seawater as part of the learning process. How does the song go again? Let’s go fly a kite…
Locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, www.kitesurfinguae.com.
Paintballing
Paint isn’t just for DIY jobs. Pack it into a pellet, jam it into a magazine and you’ve got a screaming good time on your hands. There are a million (almost) different ways to enjoy paintball – from capture the flag objectives to save-the-hostage missions – but the tried and tested team skirmish is where it all began. With abandoned huts and vehicles littering the arena, there are plenty of places to take cover (think the Nuketown map on Call of Duty). The only potential hazard is a medley of bruises the following morning, and that’s only for those breaking cover too soon and too often. Brave enough to enter the fray?
www.paintballdubai.com.
Sandboarding
Dubai may have notoriety for its larger than life indoor ski centre, but the UAE’s first love will always be sandboarding. First of all it’s much more accessible – pick any spot in the desert and you’ll likely find a decent enough dune to conquer, and the only critical piece of gear required is a board (none of this thermal stuff required in baking outdoor temps Shaun White). Package deals from tour operators usually include dune buggy hire and camel riding, so it’s a full gamut of desert sports in one go. When it comes down to it, orange sand melts the face off white powder. End of.
Various locations across the UAE.
Zorbing
Zorbing is another spectacular example of sporting imaginations running wild. It’s a phenomenon that has lifted even the most spud-like couch-potatoes up and out of their living rooms. Its marriage to football is a riot (sometimes known as bubble soccer), but we love the original version for its endearing simplicity: climb into an inflatable ball and roll about. Down the road in Hatta zorbers can take on one of two obstacle-laden tracks, twisting and turning from A to B in a crazy race unlike any other. Keep on rollin’, baby.
Hatta Wadi Hub, located off the Dubai-Hatta Road. www.visithatta.com/en/play/adventures.
