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Tuesday 10 June 2014

Singing Sand Dunes - Qatar

Have you heard of the Singing Dunes in Qatar? Have you been there?



Rush360 Team was there just for you!!! Exact Location can be found at www.rush360.qa  by searching for "Singing Sand Dunes"

Take Salwa Road, to go to Mesaieed
Take Exit 24
Turn at Khararah (follow the Rush360 Map as you get few turns marked "Kharaarah" and may get confused where to turn)
Keep going and you will see the Singing Dunes

SUV's are best to travel on, but since there are roadways non SUV's can travel too. Watch for little rocks at the foot of the dunes, so you've got to drive carefully, also at times sand is piled up across the road and you may get stuck just like us!!!

We had a bunch of fit boys (who were visiting the dunes) as saviours who pushed us through the sand. Its always better to go with a crowd as you will not find any help close by other than visitors. Keep some phone numbers handy to get help!

So  What are Singing Sand Dunes?



According to National Geographic "Scientist call it "singing sand," . As sand grains shuffle down the slopes of certain sand dunes, they produce a deep, groaning hum that reverberates for miles".

It still remains a mystery as to how they produce these hums and why different dunes sing different tunes. But the closest conclusion so far is supposed to be this

" ........ the scientists say that collisions between sand grains cause the motions of the grains to become synchronized. The outer layer of the dune vibrates like the cone of a loudspeaker. The particular note depends primarily on the size of the grains"
(New York Times)

The Singing Sand Dunes in Umm Said really sings and you experience the vibration as well. Having a skateboard makes it fun, but if you do not have one, anything would do. Even something like this....


If not just your footsteps can bring out the humming!



Be fit! You need all that strength to climb up to slide again!



What can you do at the Singing Dunes!

Imagination and Creativity is the limit! You can have a family picnic, (in summer it has to be an early morning one or a late night one) slide and slide and have fun, Read a book (a very quiet place indeed, no big noise except for the humming), watch the vast dunes and ponder the creation of the Creator, or you can simply fly a kite like this.....



And of course when you visit the Singing Dunes please do not litter!.. Littering is ugly!

A place not to be missed. Hot summer days are not ideal to visit though! Cooler months are great! Get out of the place before sunset and its pretty dark unless you are an experienced camper and you are ready to camp!

Marco Polo in the 13th Century said the singing sands  "at times fill the air with the sounds of all kinds of musical instruments, and also of drums and the clash of arms",

...... but we wonder what the Arabs had to say about the Singing Dunes and may be they would have discovered the humming many many years before Marco Polo!

Anyone knows anything???!

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