Messila Water Village

This post is a little late, but here's my (our) take on Messila Water Village.

It's located just down from the Jumeriah Hotel and Messila Beach. It has four water slides - one where you take an inflatable tube for either two or three people; and three others that you slide down without a tube. There's a lazy river, a toddler pool and play area, a pool and play area for older small kids, a wave pool, a plunge pool (where the slide dumps you out above the water), and one of those almost vertical slides that you slide down on a mat.

My first impression is that it's a little run down and could use some updating. The tiles in the lazy river were painted over at one time and the paint is chipping, along with some of the tiles. There aren't a lot of inner tubes available for the lazy river, so everyone kind of just swims/floats along. The fiber glass of the slides is faded (understandable given how hot the sun is) and could probably use some patching.

But...the kids love it.

 

They beg to go every weekend. Friday is family day and Saturday is ladies and children under 7 only. Go on family day. On ladies day, the kids weren't allowed to go down any of the slides by themselves. All the monitors were women (obviously) and they kept telling the kids, "La, Habibi. Too little." Even when I told them the kids could go, they wouldn't let them. On Friday, the monitors are men. I'm pretty sure they were only there to make sure no one got crushed. They could not have cared less if the kids went by themselves. If I said it was okay, it was okay. So obviously the kids had more fun on Friday.

What to wear.

The first time I went, I wore a one-piece Speedo bathing suit and I felt uncomfortable. Not because anyone said anything or because I was getting a lot of looks, but because I felt exposed compared to what all the other women were wearing. So from that point on I wore swim shorts and a short-sleeve rash guard (swimming t-shirt) and I felt fine. Even though I didn't have all that much more covered up, I think because the shorts and shirt were a little looser I didn't feel as self conscious. Women and girls also have to wear a swim cap, hat, or bandana over their hair (hair in the filters). This is probably the most whistled at infraction in the lazy river.

Saturday/Ladies' days are a completely different story. There were women wearing everything from a bur-kini to a string bikini. You still have to have your hair covered. You're also not allowed to take your cellphone into the pool area with you - you have to check it at the counter before you go in. For a fee of course. Even though you have no choice but to leave it.

Food

The signs say no outside food or drink, but we take water (take LOTS of water) and snacks. There's a Burger King, Pizza Hut, and an ice cream stand so there is food. And the costs are what you'd pay anywhere else, so they don't price gouge you.

Anyway, even though it's a little worn around the edges and could use a face lift, Messila Water Village is a convenient drive and an affordable way to spend a Friday afternoon (get there before Friday prayers to get a good spot in the inner seating area under the shade). The entrance fee is reasonable (3KD/person) plus 500 fils for parking.