A guide to the best attractions outside Doha city 2024
Last updated on August 20th, 2024 at 02:00 am
Qatar offers a variety of unique best attractions outside of its capital city, Doha, that showcase the country’s rich culture and history.
You can explore ancient ruins in Al Jumail Village, experience traditional fishing at Al Areesh, and witness the historical significance of the Barzan Towers.
The unique Musfur Sink Hole and Zekreet rock formations provide natural beauty, while desert safaris offer an immersive cultural experience.
These locations are not to be missed for those looking for a truly experience the essence of Qatar.
This website uses affiliate links, through which we may receive a commission without any extra cost to you.
01 Arsan Café
Arsan cafe is located at the northern tip of Qatar; the cafe building was built in 1950 and opened as a police station; at that time, it provided security around the harbour and doubled as a customs post monitoring the boats entering and leaving the town.
In 2019 the place was restored and opened as Arsan cafe. Now, it is listed as a heritage site under Qatar museums.
The view of the Arabian Gulf from Arsan Cafe in Al Ruwais is so beautiful that it’s worth the visit.
A wide variety of coffee, mocktails, and desserts are available. The seating arrangements are neat and spacious to enjoy the calming scene.
The cafe opens seven days a week, 10 am to 9 pm, except for Fridays, 1 pm to 9 pm.
You can take many amazing pictures for Instagram in the cafe, by the sea, and on the way to the Arsan cafe. You can walk on the rocks in the ocean when the tide is low.
Tip
The cafe often add new items and change the menu, so ask about it before you order.
If you go with young children, you should know that the cafe is very near the sea and has a short platform that leads right to the water. And also, there are rocks nearby the site so keep an eye on them.
02. Ghost Town or Al Jumail Village
The village between Al Arish and Al Ruwais on Qatar’s coast was once a thriving place to fish and dive for pearls. It is now known as Qatar’s ghost town.
The word “Jameel,” which means “beautiful” in Arabic. People lived there from the 1800s to the 1900s, but now all that is left are broken pieces of pottery, beads, and other artefacts from the past. The minaret of its mosque still stands tall and proud to this day.
To visit this place, you have to drive 200 meters off-road.
03. Musfur Sinkhole
Musfur is the most prominent and deepest sinkhole cave that can be visited in Qatar, located 45 km from the capital of Doha city.
It’s pretty easy to get there and look around. This cave’s entrance is about 40 feet wide and 16 feet high.
There is no clear way to get down into the cave. You can get down from anywhere. The temperature drops significantly from the desert heat as you go deeper into the cave.
Even though the way down is pretty steep, you need to be extra careful because most of the rocks in the cave system are very sharp. If you’re with kids, watch them closely because there are no railings, and the stones can cause serious injuries.
It’s just a sinkhole in the ground. So don’t go with high hopes.
04. East-West/West-East by Richard Serra
Since it was built in 2014, East-West/West-East has become a well-known landmark in Qatar. Richard Serra made the piece.
This beautiful sculpture is in the Brouq nature reserve. It is made up of four steel plates, two of which are 14.7 metres tall and the other two are 16.7 metres tall. Still, they are all level with each other.
05. Zekreet Rock Formations
The mushroom-like rock formations of Zekreet, are a sight to behold. The desert environment is distinguished by these limestone rock formations formed by powerful winds.
It’s a popular site not just during the day but also at night, particularly for astrophotography lovers and those looking to stargaze with stunning dawn and sunset.
Location
06. Al Areesh
Al Areesh, located in the northwest of Qatar, was formerly a bustling fishing community. It was one of the largest fishing communities in Qatar, with over 40 houses.
These structures, now in ruins, were abandoned when Qatar’s oil boom began. Check out this location to learn about traditional Qatari customs.
Note
There is not much to see here other than a few abandoned buildings near the sea
Location
07. Desert safari
Desert safari in Qatar is a popular activity and a must-do while you are in Qatar. On this trip, you can do many activities, like dune bashing, sandboarding, camel riding, and enjoying a traditional Bedouin-style desert night stay in a desert tent with a BBQ dinner under the stars. It is a great way to experience Qatar’s unique culture and landscape.
To go on a desert safari, booking a tour with a travel agent is recommended. Your hotel can also assist with arranging the trip, or you can book a trip from several tour agents. The tour operator will pick you up from the hotel or designated location.
Various safari packages are available, so select the one that best suits your needs.
Full-day desert safari
A full-day desert safari typically includes a range of activities such as dune bashing, camel riding, sandboarding, inland sea visit, and traditional Qatari-style lunches in a tent.
Tour agents’ times may change in the full-day desert safari, and you can witness a spectacular morning sunrise or a sunset in the desert.
Duration for full day desert safari 8 hours
HALF-DAY DESERT SAFARI
A half-day desert safari generally refers to a shorter version of a full-day safari, typically lasting for 4-5 hours. The tour usually starts in the morning or evening, depending on the tour operator’s schedule. The itinerary of a half-day desert safari usually includes some of the main highlights of a full-day safari, such as dune bashing, camel riding and sandboarding.
Duration 4-5 hours
OVERNIGHT DESERT SAFARI
An overnight desert safari is a unique and exciting way to experience the desert. It usually includes a full day of activities such as dune bashing, camel riding, sandboarding, visiting the inland sea and a traditional Bedouin-style dinner.
A campfire will be lit in the night, and you will be served a traditional Qatari BBQ dinner, live performances, and entertainment under the stars. You can sleep in a luxury camp or a traditional Bedouin tent carpeted with conventional seating in the desert. It is a whole new experience for you.
Most of The overnight safari starts in the afternoon, so you can view the amazing sunset and sunrise in the desert.
Duration 19 hours
08. Singing sand
Singing Sand Dunes Qatar is a 100-square-kilometre landscape with around 60-meter-tall sand dunes.
Best time to visit Singing Sand Dunes Qatar
The best time to go is when there is a lot of wind because that will help you push the sand away. When the wind is strong, you can even hear faint whistles, adding to this place’s mystery. Get there an hour or two before sunset and watch the colours change in the sky
Activities to do in singing sand
Bring the dune to sing and hum: this works best with groups of three or more. Then, sit next to each other on the ridge’s highest point and descend.
It’s not about how quickly you slide down but how much sand you can push away. Work your way down using your hands, arms, feet, legs, and bum. As a result, the more sand you make out in a steady, continuous motion, the louder the dune will hum. If you come to a complete stop, you will hear the sound moving down the dune.
Note
During the summer, the sand gets very hot, and it’s hard to walk on it. Then, when it rains heavily, the sand gets very wet, and the dunes stop singing (it can take up to two weeks or more to dry out after it rains).
Singing sand facts
Singing sand, commonly known as whistling sand, is a natural phenomenon in which sand dunes make a loud, singing or whistling sound when stepped on or otherwise disturbed. This is generated by sand grains colliding and rolling around each other, producing small shocks; combine these shocks, and you have a singing sand dune.
The precise process of singing sand is unknown; however, it is considered connected to the sand particles’ size, shape, and movement.
Singing sand dunes may be found in various deserts worldwide, although they are most popular in deserts where the sand is made up of a particular mineral, such as quartz. Popular locations for singing sands include:
- The Gobi desert in China.
- The Great Sand Dunes National Park in the United States.
- The deserts of Oman and Qatar.
Location
09. Barzan Towers
The Barzan Towers are situated in the village of Umm Salal Mohammed, about 20 kilometres north of Doha.
This beautiful 16-meter-tall watchtower was built from coral rock and limestone in the traditional Qatari style between 1910 and 1916. It was used to watch ships, especially those carrying Ottoman forces in the early 1900s.
It is thought that it was also used to guard water sources and as an observatory to watch the moon and calculate the lunar calendar’s dates in contrast to other forts in Qatar.
The Barzan Towers were constructed across many stories, earning it the Arabic name Barzan, which means “High Place.”
Location
10. Purple Island
Purple Island is also known as Al Khor Island. Despite its name, Purple Island is pleasantly green and an ideal site for environment enthusiasts who will enjoy spotting fish, crabs, plants and flowers, fossils, and wildlife.
It’s also filled with abundant mangroves and picturesque calm waters. It is not entirely an island because it is connected to the mainland, The island is around 50 kilometres north of Doha.
Nature lovers will find the island a fantastic place to walk and look around. One of the things to see on the island is a mangrove forest in shallow lagoons.
You will also be happy to catch small fish, crabs, and many birds. The prominent landmark of this place is the wooden bridge that goes through the mangroves and over the water channels to some hills and Purple Island Beach.
You will feel adventurous walking along the wooden path next to the canal.
Purple Island is not a flat sand island; instead, it has a lot of small limestone cliffs. Don’t walk around barefoot because there are many crab openings on the ground
You can also kayak through the mangroves, but you must register with a tour company to use their gear.
You can choose a single kayak or a double kayak. Everyone gets a life jacket and an introductory lesson, which needs to be booked ahead of time.
Each company will have its own packages and prices, so shop around. When booking a tour, ensure you know what you’re getting.
For instance, if you want to kayak through the mangroves, look for a tour that includes that. Look for open-water kayaking on the sea if that’s all you want to do. Each package is different, so ask questions before you book.
Important notes before visiting these places
- There are no access to toilet facilities.
- Bring your own shade as it’s not available.
- Be mindful to keep water and foodstuff with you since there is no supermarket or restaurant nearby except in Al Khor city.
- Put on footwear that you would not mind getting wet.
- Vehicles must only be parked in authorised places. Driving is absolutely banned on any of these properties.
- Do not pick up or remove any stones, ceramics, pottery or anything else you may find on the site.
- Do not litter.
- Do not climb on any of the archaeological structures.
- No fires or barbecues
- No graffiti
- Before flying around, check with local authorities or tour guides
- Wear suitable clothing for the outdoors and desert climate conditions
- Bring enough water and snacks . Bring sunglasses and sunscreen
