Hatta Resorts and the Hatta Wadi Hub have reopened their doors for the sixth season, bringing plenty of activities for people of all ages and physical abilities.
Hatta, an exclave of Dubai high in the Hajar mountains, is on the border with Oman and has been a popular adventure activity spot for years.
Kayaking, hiking, zip-lining and the Hatta Drop-in water slide are all making a comeback, but this year the team has introduced the Aerial Adventure Park, which is spread over 39 platforms with 66 elements to conquer. These include a high ropes course, a giant swing, zip-line belay and something called the Leap of Faith. Each experience lasts between 90 minutes and two hours, and the park can hold up to 75 visitors at a time.
It also has a ground-level area that caters for up to 10 children aged three to six. Experiences there last 30 to 45 minutes.
In terms of accommodation, this year many Hatta Resorts favourites make a return, including the Sedr Trailers, the region's first trailer hotel; the Damani Lodges, which sit amid the mountains; a collection of caravans for families; and the domes, or glamping tents, which offer panoramic views of Hatta's stunning landscapes. People can also take their own tents or vehicles to camp out at the park, and day-trippers are welcome.
Food is available from the on-site cafe, which serves classic fare such as sandwiches and avocado on toast. There are also food trucks such as Sedr Bites, Taste of Hatta and Damani Bites.
Nearby, there is also dog-friendly JA Hatta Fort Hotel, open year-round, which reintroduced its Terra Cabins on September 1. These are spacious cabins that offer mountain views with amenities such as a mini-bar, walk-in rain shower, on-demand multimedia projector and an alcove seating area, as well as a new menu for in-room dining.
The regular cabins can accommodate up to four guests with a bunk bed and double bed, while the Deluxe Terra Cabins hold five, with two bunk beds and a double pull-out bed, plus private patio area.
Anyone staying at the cabins also has access to the hotel's full facilities, including restaurants that range from a casual cafe and pool bar to a more sophisticated cocktail bar or fine-dining outlet. Recreational activities such as mini golf, airgun shooting, padel tennis and archery are also available here.
This year, the season opened with a celebration, as the Hatta Sign, which is 19.28 metres tall, was given the Guinness World Record for Tallest Landmark Sign, beating even the famous Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.
In October 2021, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, unveiled a bold vision for Hatta. The Hatta Master Development Plan, part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, sets out to draw further tourism, business and investment to the area.
There are plans to build a beach, a new lake, a cable railway, several hotels, and 120km of bicycle paths.
In January last year, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, issued orders to form a supreme committee to oversee the mega project.
Construction work is also under way on a Dh46 million waterfall attraction in Hatta.
More information is available at visithatta.com/en
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
