Making a splash: Qatar’s waterpark, whale sharks and the art of dhow making

Most citizens and residents depart for cooler climates over the summer months.  However, there's no better way to cool down for those who stay behind than to jump into the water, and the Qatar 365 team did just that. First up, Aadel Haleem visited the country's newest and largest waterpark, Meryal and discovered that it was designed to honour Qatar's oil and gas industry. The park has created a buzz in the region for its thrilling rides and unique concept. There are intentionally rusty structures, quirkily named rides, and the waterpark's mascot, simply called 'Oily', mark the turning point in Qatar's economic history.

Laila Humairah took to calmer waters and discovered Qatar's extraordinary marine wildlife. Laila met with Jassim Lari, who heads the Marine Wildlife Department at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Driven by his passion for nature, Jassim makes it his life's mission to preserve Qatar's biodiversity. From whale sharks to turtles to mangroves, the government has several initiatives in place to ensure these species continue to thrive for decades to come.

Finally, Laila met with Ahmed Jassim Alsayegh and had an exclusive look at how the traditional dhow boats are made. The boats are a central part of Qatar's marine history. It was through these wooden boats that Qatar discovered its rich pearl heritage and lucrative trade routes. Ahmed has been designing dhows for 30 years, and over time, he has incorporated the use of modern tools to build the dhow boats in the traditional form. Ahmed makes sure to impart the ancient shipbuilding methods in manuscripts and blueprints so that younger architects can learn the skill and pass it on, too.