Do

     Do

Fuwairit Beach, Al Shamal Rd (Q1) (the signpost for the beach is just before Bridge 79). Popular with kitesurfers, and notable for unusual eroded rock for-mations. Be careful of rocks in the water.

Ruwais Beach (Abu Dhalouf Beach), Al Shamal Rd (Q1). This quiet beachfront is located directly on a small spit directly north of Al Ruwais, and has a few coves and inlets with picnic benches and shaded areas, and toilets. Dugongs and flamingos can occa-sionally be spotted here, and at high tide visitors can catch shrimp and crabs

good beach with fishing spots a bit further north of the old Scout Camp.

Al Jemail (Al Jumail) (visible from the highway). An abandoned fishing village, founded in the early 17th century and fully abandoned in the 1970s with the shift of Qatar’s economy to one based on min-eral resources. The site is now under the protec-tion of the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage, and can only be visited after prior approval by the Qatar Museum Authority. Arrangements can also be made through Doha-based tour groups.

Al Khuwair (on the waterfront, behind a cluster of radio towers). A traditional fishing village aban-doned in the 1970s. The name 'khuwair' refers to a small seawater canal.

Al Areesh. An abandoned fishing village, inhabited from the early 19th to late 20th centuries. 'Areesh' is the Arabic word for a shelter made from date palm fronds. 

Al Jassassiyeh Carvings

Al Jassassiyeh Carvings (Al Jassassiya) (near Huwailah and Fuwarit). A collection of about 900 petroglyphs, depicting such subjects as local fauna and boats. There are also geometric cup-shaped de-pressions, thought to have been used for traditional Arabian games using stones as counters. Recent studies date the oldest of these carvings to about 250 years old. Currently government permission is re-quired to visit the site, but Doha-based tour groups can make arrangements for you.Al Rakiyat Fort (Al-Rekayat Fort), 15km north of Zubarah, next to a camel farm (turn inland at the Al-Khuwair radio station, drive 200m off-road, 4WD not required). 24 hrs. Built between the 17th and 19th centuries, restored in 1988. The fort is notable for having three square towers and one round tower, and was constructed of coral, limestone, and mud brick. Free.

Al Thughab Fort (Al Thaghab Fort) (2km from Al Rakiyat Fort). 24 hrs. Built between the 17th and 19th centuries and restored in 2003. Similar to the fort at Al Rakiyat, this fort also features three square towers and one round tower. Free.

Al Ghariya (Al Ghariyah), Al Shamal Rd (Q1). A photogenic partially abandoned fishing village, ac-tive during Qatar’s pearling years. There is also a 

Al Ruwais

	Al  Sultan	Beach	Resort,	5555  Al
	Corniche,   ☎	+974	4472  2666,   e-mail:
	reservation@alsultanbeachresort.com.			A medium-

sized, five-star hotel with private beach, swimming pool, jacuzzi and fitness center. The facilities are accessible to day visitors for a fee. Two unlicensed restaurants are also onsite.

Camping, Simaisma beach (17 km south of Al Khor). A good beach with very shallow sea, pop-ular for camping. Free.

    Stay healthy

Hamad Medical Corporation has a medical emergency department at its local clinic here.

Al Khor Health Center, Al Khor Town Rd, ☎ +974 4472 0222.

Al Ruwais

For Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, see Ruwais.

Al Ruwais, also spelt Ar Ru'ays, is the northernmost city of the Qatar peninsula. With a population of just under 4,000 people, it is little more than a sleepy fishing village, the seaside teeming with local dhow boats. The town is a conglomeration of other surrounding towns, including

Madinat ash Shamal and Abu Dahlouf.

   Get in

'Route 101 and 100 buses (timetable) travel from Al Ghanim Bus Station, Doha to Al Ruwais and its surround-ing towns regularly, with the journey taking 2 hours and 2 and a half hours respectively. The first service to Al Ruwais leaves Doha at 6:20am, while the last bus back to Doha departs the bus station at 8:35pm. Be aware that buses can be affected by service changes and disruptions, so it is recommended you call Mowasalat to confirm first on +974 4458 8888.

The journey to Al Ruwais from Doha by road is just over 110km, the furthermost point from the capital in the country. The journey should take about an hour and 20 minutes along the Al Shamal Road.

Restaurants

                             

Maha al Khaleej Cafeteria, Al Corniche (by the dhow port). Offers decent burgers and a soft drink for a very cheap QR 3.

Pearl of Beirut, Al Corniche (directly opposite the port), ☎ +974 472 0123. Popular with Filipino ex-pats.

Blue Brasserie Restaurant, 5555 Al Corniche (Al Sultan Beach Resort). 6:30am-10am, 1pm-3:30pm, 7pm-11pm. Buffet dining in the hotel lobby.

Al Dente Seafood Restaurant, 5555 Al Corniche (Al Sultan Beach Resort). 7:30pm-11pm. A beach-front restaurant, serving Italian-style dinner only.

Al Khor Mall, ☎ +974 4453 3445. The mall has a standard food court as well as several restaurants, including Chilli’s (American), Royal Tandoor (In-dian), and Shatter Abbas (Middle Eastern).

  Grocery stores

Seashore Food Center, ☎ +974 4472 2405/0158. A decent-sized grocery store in a strip mall.

Lulu Hypermarket (Al Khor Mall), ☎ +974 4453 3533, fax: +974 4453 3533, e-mail: customercare@qa.lulumea.com. A full-sized hyper-market with a good deli selection.

Ansar Gallery (visible from the main road). Medium-sized supermarket. 

Al Khor Fly-In

Al-Khor is a pleasant and quiet town, and though its Cor-niche cannot match Doha’s in beauty, it does offer a nice enough place to relax and sunbathe, or play beach volley-ball or cricket if you feel like being a little more active. There are plenty of shady places to sit near the sand, but you can't swim in the bay here as, like much of Qatar, the water is too shallow.

Al Khor Fly-In, Al Khor Airfield, ☎ +974 4472 3490, e-mail: Info@alkhorflyin.net. An annual light aircraft show which takes place on a 3-day weekend in mid-January. The event is hosted by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, and is popular with avia-tion enthusiasts as well as families.

Dhakira mangroves (Thakira) (5 km north of Al Khor). This fishing village is now a bedroom community of Al Khor, and its extensive mangrove swamps are particularly good for bird watching. Entalek (based in Doha, tel: +974 3311 6249, e-mail: entalek.org@gmail.com) runs sea kayak tours of the area, which can be booked online here. An-other option for kayaking tours is the newly launched PaddleQatar (www.paddleqatar.com, tel: +974 5549 0895, e-mail: info@paddleqatar.com). They run kayaking tours in the mangroves, overnight ex-pedition to nearby islands and cater for groups and individuals.

Al Farkiah Beach (Farkeh Coast / Al Khor Fam-ily Beach), off of Al Khor Coastal Road Q1A (fol-low the brown signs for “Farkeh Coast”). S-W 7am-10pm, Th-Sa (families only) 7am-midnight. A public beach with shaded picnic benches, toilets and shower facilities, barbecue stands, and children playgrounds. Free.

Al Khor Public Gardens, Al Shamal Rd (10 km west of Al Khor, signposted 1 km north of turnoff to Al Khor from Hwy 1). Dawn to dusk. The gardens are currently closed for maintenance, but when they are open they provide a good opportunity for bird-watching. Free. 

Al Khor Museum

Al Khor Museum, Corniche, ☎ +974 4472 1866. This quaint museum overlooking the seafront pro-vides good views over the harbor from the second floor. It showcases archaeological artifacts from the Al Khor region dating from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age, as well as specimens of local ma-rine life. An additional exhibit illustrates the legend of Ghilan and Mae, one of whom was the region’s first female pirate and believed to be from Al Khor. Free.Dhow harbour. Traditional dhows are still used for fishing here, although their sails have long since been replaced by diesel engines.

Fish market. Early morning to late evening, except for Friday midday prayer. This is a good place to pick up fresh seafood from the day’s catch.

House of Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Missned. This is the birthplace of Sheikha Mozah (the second wife of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar). Although the house has not been main-tained, it is a good example of traditional Qatari architecture. It is closed to the public, but can beviewed from the outside.

Watchtower, Al Corniche. This defensive watch-tower was built in 1900 and is now fully restored. It is located in a small park with a pleasant view over-looking the Corniche and the beach. There is a sec-ond watchtower along the North Road. Free.

Purple Island (Jazirat bin Ghanim, or Al Khor Is-land). This small island, linked to the mainland via an earthen walkway through the mangroves, has seen human activity for the past 6000 years. The name comes from a purple dye from shellfish which were harvested here 3000 years ago. There are a number of archaeological sites on the islands, as well as old shell middens. This is also a good place for birdwatching and crabbing.

Simaisma Mosque, Simaisma (17 km south of Al Khor). Built in 1938 using traditional materials of coral, rock, and sun-baked mud. Non-Muslim vis-itors are advised to refrain from entering, but can freely view the building from the outside.

  

Al Khor

Al Khor

Perched on the eastern coast of the Qatari peninsula, Al-Khor (alternatively, Al Khawr; Arabic: روخلا) is a ma-jor settlement just north of Doha. The city is far older than Doha, but much smaller (the population is roughly 31,000). It used to be the center of the now non-existent pearl trading industry, so now the city is undergoing ren-ovation.

2.1      Get in

The Route 102 and 102x buses (timetable) towards Al Thakhira and Al Khor Community respectively service the town. Both depart from Al Ghanim Bus Station in Doha, with a bus every half an hour or so. The 102 has an hour and a half journey time, while the 102x will save you about 15 minutes. There are different timetables for Saturday-Thursday and Fridays. Be aware that buses can be affected by service changes and disruptions, so it is recommended you call Mowasalat to confirm first on +974 4458 8888.

Al-Khor is about 50 kilometres north of Doha, reached by either Al Shamal Road (Q1) to Al Ruwais, or by the Al Khor Coastal Road (Q1A), passing by the Doha Moto GP racetrack, Lusail City and the Pearl Qatar. The trip should take 45 minutes.