Big Changes at Al Wakra

I had heard that Al Wakra beach was closed for "renovation", but as we were planning a beach barbeque with some friends I thought I would head down to check it out for myself. I expected the park to be closed, perhaps for some much needed cleaning up and repairing.

The entrance to the park was indeed boarded up - and when we peered through the boards all we could see was water. Proceeding past the former park, we could see that the majority of both the park and the beach had been dug up, with large pools of water being formed, and just a thin strip of being beach being left between the beach and the pools.


This wasn't stopping the inteprid locals from enjoying the sea - although who knows for how much longer! Bird's feet could also be seen in the sand, perhaps looking for the few remains of the mangrove swamps that we reported being uprooted a year ago.

I am not sure what changes are planned for Al Wakra. There have been murmers before about a water development, and there seems to be a Waqif style souq being built. However, with few good public beaches around Doha, and none worth a visit in Doha, I just hope the beach is not replaced with concrete.

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The Al Wabra Reserve

In one place in the Qatar desert it is possible to walk among trees and over a flowing stream, watch brightly coloured birds of paradise flit about and listen to bright yellow Golden Conules chattering away to you.

It’s not a mirage brought on by thirst but the superb wildlife reserve of Al Wabra.

Founded as a hobby farm, under its present owner, Sheikh Al Saud, and his team of European vets, the reserve has been transformed into a world renowned centre for the conservation of endangered animals.

With a collection of over a thousand animals and seven hundreds birds, all of them with different dietary requirements which are provided as far as possible by the farm itself, the reserve is a huge undertaking, requiring a staff of nearly two hundred.

Despite this, the reserve goes far beyond just keeping animals. The reserve has had success breeding animals which have never before reproduced before in captivity, and is without a doubt the only thing preventing several species from going extinct.

In our latest article, the Al Wabra Reserve, we look at the reserve and its activities before focussing on several of the species which the reserve is trying so hard to save.

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Qatar Beaches: Al Khor

Drive to Al Khor, make your way along main street towards the sea and follow the road round to the left and you'll come to Al Khor's Corniche. Unlike Doha, below the Corniche is a sandy beach, dotted with play areas and a mock ship for children to play on and shaded areas provided for barbecuing.

The play areas could be in better nick, and the thatch on the beach shades are wearing a little thin, but in our opinion this is still one of the better beaches in Qatar. Unlike many other beaches, the sand seems relatively free of glass, and on Friday the beach is busy with residents playing football and volleyball or having a barbeque.

The promenade also makes for a pleasant walk, and has plenty of flowers to admire - Al Khor is proud of its gardens. Walk to the far end and you'll come to a small area of mangoves - great for the children to play in, and to see the small fish and crabs that inhabit the mangroves.

Also see:

Qatar beaches: news

At the beach: Qatar style

Swimming in the sea in Qatar: Is it safe?

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Qatar Farm

I took this picture on a trip to Al Thaqab fort, located close to Al Zubarah fort. The fort itself is disappointing - it is simply a Hollywood construction which involved bulldozing the old remains before the new ones were built. (To add insult to injury the remains were bulldozed before any excavation could take place.)

The farm which can be viewed from the fort is more interesting. The owner, who is interested in self sufficiency, runs electricity from solar panels on the roof of his farm. He also provides water for his crops and livestock from a deep well that has been known to have been used since at least 1911.

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Al Jumeil

A solitary wall is all that remains of this house in the ruined Qatar village of Al Jumeil. This picturesque village, which was only abandoned in the 1960's, is located on the coast between Al Zubara and AL Ruweis, close to Al Ruweidah Fort.

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Oasis

Driving off-road on the Ras Abrouq Peninsula, we were surprised to come across this Oasis.



In front of the Oasis there is a fort - not a real one, but built to be used in a film set. A lonely security guard bounced out as we arrived, delighted to have someone to talk to.


He told us there used to be a well here, but this has now been closed off. Instead a pool has been built, and gazelles visit the Oasis to drink from the pool.

When we asked him if the water came from the well, he shook his head and said "Tankers!"

Also see: The Singing Sand Dunes

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Al Zubarah Fort

The fact that Al Zubarah fort was built as recently as 1936 is testimony to the turbulent relations it had with its neighbour and one time master, Bahrain. There are a number of other ruins and excavations in the area, but this is the most complete and one of the best known, decorating many postcards and books. A cannon decorates the front of this fort, while the Qatari flag flutters proudly at the top.


Until relatively recently, according to Discovering Qatar, it was used a police post, with prisoners held in the top rooms of the towers. These rooms could be reached only by reached by a rickety ladder. Now only one of these top rooms is accessible - still by ladder.


When you arrive the caretaker will give you some keys, and you can let yourself into see the displays of findings from the nearby excavations. We were more interested in the old well - when you peer through the metal grid that closes off its top, you can still see yourself reflected in the water deep below - although our view was slightly spoilt by a floating bottles.


Climb up the internal stairs and you'll find curious holes in the metre thick walls. The holes allow light to come in but are twisted to make it difficult for enemies to fire into the fort. Wooden shutters are still used in the windows, and can be opened to allow the cooling wind in.

To get to Al Zubara fort, head out of Doha along North Road. Start looking for signs to Al Zubara after the turn off to Al Khor. You'll need to do a U-turn and head back a few metres before turning right. Then just follow the road until you get to the fort.

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A trip to the Inland Sea

We stopped at the top of what appeared to be a sheer drop. “No, no, no,” said one of the lady passengers. Hassan, our driver, looked round with a grin. Then he gunned the car forward down the steepest slope I have ever been on.

We were on a desert trip to the Inland Sea. It had nearly not taken place at all – just a few hours before we were due to leave QIT tours cancelled our trip because of “a larger booking.” Luckily, Arabian adventures proved able to organize a trip at a moment’s notice.

The Inland Sea, or Khor Al Daid, is a huge inlet surrounded by giant rolling sand dunes. Together with these sand dunes, it’s definitely Qatar’s most impressive natural feature.

There are no roads leading to the Khor Al Deid, you have to go off-road. If you decide to go there by yourself, make sure you go in a convoy – and bear in mind that you car insurance will be invalid off-road.

We chose to go with a tour group. QIT had asked us if we wanted extreme driving, and we'd said no. Arabian tours hadn't given us the option of saying no, which is why we were now sliding down a sand dune at an impossible angle.

The driver did things with the car that I had not known were possible. The experience can best be likened to that of a roller coaster. We shot up steep sand dunes, skirted edges of sheer drop-offs and slid sideways down seemingly vertical mountains of sand. At several times we were scared stiff – but our driver knew what he was doing, and at no time did he lose control of the car.

After a helter skelter trip through the dunes, we arrived at the Inland Sea. This is an area rich in sea life – among other species, rare dugongs or sea cows can be found here. The water is incredibly clear, and across the sea you can see Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, it was so vast it was impossible to get a photograph which truly reflected its size.

After our stop here, we roared off again. This time our journey included a high speed trip over salt flats. At one point we stopped to examine flowers – friends who have been here for years remarked they had never seen the desert as green as it is now.

Our next stop was a camp by the sea. There wasn’t a lot to do here, so we lounged on the cushions provided and waited for the staff to prepare a barbecued lunch.

On our way back our breath was taken away once more by the sand dunes rolling away before us. Some people had an even better view – para gliders were drifting high above us in the cloudless blue sky.

The trip cost us 265 riyals per person, and this included the meal and drinks at lunch time.

Some tour groups:

Arabian Adventures Tel. + 974 436 1461 Mobile: + 974 550 7337
Qatar International Adventures: Tel. +974 467 6190 Mobile: +974 552 7225
Black Pearl: +974 435 7333 +974 555 1169


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Barzan Towers

The Barzan Towers were built at the start of the 20th century by Sheik Mohammed Bin Jassim Al Thani, at a time when the Ottomans were still sulking in Al Koot fort.

Barzan means high place, and it was said that pearl divers could see the towers when they returned from their pearl trips. They were essentially watch towers, probably built to protect an area where rain water collected - greenery, a well and a brook can still be seen in Um Slal Mohammed today.

The towers have been renovated (read completely rebuilt), and features such as modern air-conditioners do not add to the authenticity of the experience (although they may make it a lot more bearable in the summer months! However, the towers, with their thick stone walls, still make an interesting trip.

The towers also afford a good view of the surrounding area. You can see from the walls the extreme gaps in wealth that exist in Qatar. On one side of the towers huge modern and rather tasteless houses stand, on the other makeshift shacks exist. We watched one man walk a mile from these shacks to collect water from a tap.

The Barzan towers are located on the outskirts of Umm Slal Mohammed and are (just) visible from the main road. You can read more about the towers on the Heritage of Qatar website.

Also see: Things to See and Do in Qatar

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Umm Slal Mohammed: forts and streams

In addition to its more famous Barzan Towers Umm Slal Mohammed has two older forts – though given their size fortified houses might be a better name for them. They are located closer to the centre of town then the Barzan Towers, one by the mosque and the other opposite within a larger complex of houses.

Neither of them allow visitors to enter; the first is falling apart while the second appears, from the satellite dishes that sprout from it, to appear to be still in use.

The area around these forts is fascinating. On one side there is a plantation of dead palm trees,which looks like something out of a war-zone. Climb down into them, and you’ll still see the way the earth has been built up around them to trap any available water. And water was (and is) available – a massive well (be careful if you are with children – it's not fenced off) is present, with murky water at the bottom and an ancient Hudderfield pump still present at the top.

Directly behind one of the forts is one of the greenest areas I have seen in Qatar. Not only does it have grass, there’s a tiny little brook flowing through it, and it' s truly refreshing to hear the sound of running water in dry Qatar! With this unusual water and greenery, there are also a lot of birds and bird song to be heard.

Read about things to see and do in Qatar

Listen to the sound of the brook.

The Barzan Towers

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The Singing Sand Dunes

This weekend, we visited the singing sand dunes, one of approximately 30 sites in the world where sound is produced from sand dunes naturally. The dunes themselves curve round in a semi circle, forming a natural desert amphitheatre.

They didn’t sing. Again. (This was our second trip). The first time their failure was blamed on recent rain, so we waited until a few weeks had gone by without rain, but to no effect.

Friends who have been previously have sworn blind that there was something to be heard. We tried to set the sound off by running, jumping and rolling down the dunes, but to no avail. Several times we thought we hear a low droning sound, only to look up and see aircraft.

The closest we came to success was not at the designated dunes, but several kilometres to the south-east of them. These were similar looking dunes, and as we ran down them we heard a deep zoom-zoom sound with each step. This was not a continuous sound, though, but a series of sounds, each individual sound caused by each individual footstep.

Noise from singing sand dunes, which have been reported in the Middle East for over 1500 years, have been described as “roaring, booming, squeaking, singing or musical” (Singing and booming sand dunes of California and Nevada). Qataris used to attribute these sounds to evil Djinns; similarly, Marco Polo, when he heard the sounds 700 years ago, blamed the sounds on evil spirits.

There is still some controversy over how exactly the sand dunes produce the sound (see The troubled song of the sand dunes) . However, it is certain that for the sound to be heard the sand needs to be put into motion. When the singing is heard, the sounds’ vibrations can sometimes be felt reverberating through your body.

For singing to take place, the sand must also be extremely dry – even the presence of 0.1% moisture will reduce the effectiveness of the singing. This could explain why we heard nothing, as there has been heavy rain this year, and truffles are still growing in the desert.

Whether or not you hear any singing, there’s great fun to be had running down the sand dunes. the sand. In addition, you can see small lizards scamper along the surface of the dunes. Move towards them, and they’ll dive below the surface of the dunes. When there are no lizards, you can see the trail left behind them – a line made by their tail with footprints to either side.

When it is windy, you can also observe sand blowing off the back of the sand dunes, creating what appeared to be a lip of blowing sand – with blue sky showing beneath. The sand grains will settle on the back, contributing to the growth of the dune.

On the way to the singing sand dunes you’ll see thorny desert trees – and, at the moment, wild oats growing to the side of the road. Around the dunes you’ll also find small desert plants with thorny leaves and small, bright yellow flowers.

The area is very photogenic, and a great place to add rolling sand dunes to your photo collection. It’s worth staying until sunset, when the sun descends down over the dunes. You’ll also hear and maybe see some desert birds. And you might even hear those bloody sand dunes...




Also see:

The Singing Sand Dunes: directions

City-swallowing Sand Dunes

Singing and booming Sand Dunes of California and Nevada

The troubled song of the sand dunes

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The Singing Sandunes: directions

Head out of town along Salwa Road. About eight miles after the large roundabout by the industrial area, you’ll come to a Mobil Petrol station. Go past the station and do a U Turn. Drive back along the road, past the army camp, and take the right turning onto the road to Messaieed. Drive along the road, past two roundabouts. Turn left at the first junction after the roundabout. Follow the new road – be careful as there are some vicious speed bumps. You’ll cross a pipe line, and come to a t-junction - go straight ahead here. As you drive along (it's not very far) you’ll be able to see the dunes – leave your car by the side of the road if you have a sedan, or drive over the rough ground if you have a 4 wheel drive.

Click on map below for full image.


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Messaieed Industrial city

(also known as Umm Saieed and Musay-id)
Population: 12,674 (2004 census)

If you're a tourist you'll probably only see Messaieed as you drive through on the way to Sea Line resort or Khor Al Edaid (the inland sea) or to Umm Saieed beach. Your impressions will be of refineries spouting flame and massive housing constructions: the place is obviously going to expand dramatically.

Despite its small population, the present importance of this "city" cannot be underestimated: commodities imported and exported through its port account for about 60% of the country's GDP. The place itself cannot be mistaken for what it is: a town devoted to manufacture and industry.

Messaieed was established on the salt flats or Sabkhah of Qatar's coast in 1949. It intitially functioned as a tanker terminal by Qatar petroleum, and was Qatar's first deep sea port. Today its port sees about a 1000 ships a year passing through. Currently, Messaieed is expanding at an astronomical rate, and there seems to be many more buildings under construction than are currently built.

Go past Messaieed city and you'll find towering sand dunes on either side of the road. These prove an irresistible lure for dune bashing land cruisers. This is a dangerous sport, and on Fridays and on public holidays you'll find ambulances waiting by the side of the road, ready to pick up the dead and injured.

Near Sealine the Al-Afjah heritage village is currently being constructed on the site of the Old-Afjah village, and both Khor Al-Deid (the Inland Sea) is not too far away and the singing sand dunes are not too far away.

Facilities:

There's not a great deal to do in Messaieed. Nevertheless, it's less than an hour from Doha, and the following facilities are available:

Golf club - 18 hole golf course, tennis court, garden for children, swimming pool billiards room + banquet hall. Hosts several competitions including the Qp challenge trophy.
Contact: Tel: +974 4771 740

Al Shaheen recreational centre (junior staff) - swimming pool, tennis court, playground, gym + garden for children. Contact: Tel +974 4770848

Shopping - There's a shopping area in the City Centre which caters for all essentials and includes quite a number of restaurants. There's also a mall like building, which is mostly empty at the moment but will no doubt shortly be filled.



Recreational park - immaculately maintained park with gardens, shaded picnic areas, shaded sand area for children, children play area with slides and swings and a small skateboard park.

Messaieed medical centre - clinic with comprehensive services including dental health, antenatal care and a well women clinic.

Messaieed nursery school - English speaking nursery school following British curriculum.

Tel: +974 4760292

You'll also find a large mosque, Q-post, Q-tel and several banks including HSBC.

Messaieed industrial city website

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Losail racing track

Losail racing track is 5.4 kilometres long, has 16 turns and the longest straight is just over a kilometre. The major challenge for riders is not the turns but dealing with treacherous sand blown onto the track. To get to Losail Racing track head out of town on Al Jamlaa Street, past Doha Golf Club towards Al Khor. Drive along the desert road until you see the signs for Losail racing circuit.

Contact details: +974 4729151.



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Al-Khor

Older than Doha but far smaller in size (the whole municipality had a population of 31,000 according to the 2004 census) and importance, Al Khor is located an easy 50 kilometres from the capital city, to the North of Doha. This former pearl fishing centre is currently under renovation – beautifully manicured flower beds greet you as you drive in from the desert, but the road alongside the Corniche is shut off and half the city seems to be being dug up.


What to do

There’s not a lot to do in Al Khor, although I always find it a refreshing change to Doha. The harbour is worth a visit, and there’s a fish market just in front of the harbour. There’s mangrove swamps to look at, which should prove popular for birdwatchers. You can walk along the beach, where several play areas have been set up for children, baseball nets strung up and sun shelters erected. Between the beach and the harbour, there’s a small museum, although to be honest it’s currently pretty rubbish. Amazingly, I noticed two public libraries, and a department for the promotion of culture.There may be more things to do in the future, as half the town is being rebuilt, though its probably worth wandering round the town now to appreciate the older buildings and wind towers before they get knocked down.

Facilities

There’s a Hamad Medical Corporation Hospital nearby, but most of the facilities available are in Al Khor community. This is a housing complex for employees of Qatar Gas and Ras Gas. The community has a population of four thousand and has a medical centre, a supermarket and several clubs for its inhabitants with swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts and so on. Al Khor International School was established at the behest of Qatar Gas and Ras Gas, and is a satellite school of Doha English Speaking School. Education is also available in French.


School contact details:

Doha English Speaking School Al Khor (DESS),
Address: Al Khor community, PO Box 22166, Doha, Qatar
Website: http://www.akdess.com/school.htm
Email: akisbs@qatar.net.qa
Tel: +974-4734666
Fax: +974-4734665

Football

Despite being a small town with a population of 30,000, Al Khor has a 20,000 capacity stadium and a football team in the Q league.

Food

There’s a few restaurants strung along AL Khor’s main street – the vast majority of which seem to be Turkish. You can have some very good food here for very good prices – try asking them to put you together a platter of mixed food.

Hotels

Al Sultan Beach Resort is a new and plush hotel with 224 rooms, all equipped with with wireless internet. It’s also the only hotel we could find. We were quoted a pricey 1200 riyals ($330) for a night in a standard room.

Contact: Tel: 4722666 Fax: 4724111 Reservation: 5766660

Around Al Khor

There's some public gardens just outside Al Khor, and at nearby Al Thakira there are salt marshes which provide a very different scene to the normally dry desert. If you are feeling brave, cross the salt marshes in search of the Al Thakira beach. Losail racing circuit is located halfway between Doha and Al Khor, and has a number of races throughout the year. If you have got a four by four you could also visit the rock carvings at Jabal Jassiya.

Getting there:

If you go along Suhaim Bin Hamad , carry along under the new underpass by Hamad hospital, and just keep going straight! You’ll drive into and through the desert, past Losail Racing Track, until you hit the town. You can normally head straight through town and then back along the Corniche, but currently you need to head through the centre of town, past two mosques, and take the third exit off the roundabout after the public library. This will take you to the fish market, museum and beach.

Also see: Messaieed Industrial City


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