Al Khor - Purple Island and Mangrove Forest

Welcome to Al Khor, the coastline Qatari city famous for its magnificent Mangroves Forest and Purple Island and in general for a relaxation ambience in the numerous beaches and kids-friendly parks with friends and families which confirms its Arabic name - Creek. This created in 2018 Beach garden has been designed only for women and kids as it's a custom in Qatar to offer them more convenience and space in the country and in many places around Qatar if not entire week some particular days are designated just for them to spend time in like parks and gardens. Al Qarma beach is for women and kids under 10 years old, and it's a lovely relaxing venue for walks along the paths, with amazing facilities for kids to play and to listen to birds and watch the waves of sea while sitting on the comfortable beach under the wooden umbrella surrounded by peaceful radiant greens including beautiful oriental plants and trees.

Al Shuaa Reserve offers a perfect gateway from the noisy city, it's a place where you will truly reconnect with the amazing nature and watch and feed some fascinating animals and birds like ostriches, goats, rabbits, emus or Arabian onyx running around. On the 13,000m2 you will find a lovely gardens, kids toys, picnic tables with seats, so you can relax with the family or friends and have some quality time together.
Open Hours: Monday - Thursday: 5:30 - 19:00 Friday: 15:00 - 19:00 Saturday - Sunday: 5:30 - 19:00

Look at the all three watch towers located along the road opposite to the Al Khor Park landmark with the beach area on your right. Those defensive towers built around 1900 with 60 cm thick stone walls and 8 meters tall, positioned in the shape of an arrow, were primarily intended to keep an eye on Ain Hleetan Well which, as believed, provided magical benefits from drinking its water and to observe the foreign ships over the horizon and in the situation of attack, protect fighters throwing projectiles from theirs roofs.

For the great dinning experience visit AzizBukhari Mendi restaurant which specializes in Arabic - Yemeni - Pakistani cousine where in lovely ambience and friendly, attentive staff you can try the best dishes of those countries like chicken mandi - fragrant, with Hawaij spice mix typical for Yemen, rice dish served with meat, chapli kebab - minced kebab in the style of Pashtun made of chicken, mutton or beef with spices and formed as patty or Afghani fragrant rice pilau dish with a side of freshly baked flatbreads.
Open Hours: Monday - Wednesday: 7:00 - 00:00 Thursday: 7:00 - 00:30 Friday: 6:30 - 00:00 Saturday - Sunday: 7:00 - 00:00

Park your car here at the entrance of fabulous local island.

This charming wooden tower placed right in the middle of the bridge leading to the Purple Island is a great fish and birds observatory and the official entrance to the wonderful natural reserve - water surrounded Mangroves Forest. It's a perfect moment to take some unforgettable pictures of the fantastic scenery.

While walking towards the island itself, admire the amazing, unique mangrove landscape around you. It's a typical for the coastline type of salt - tolerant complex of plants/trees with need to survive in the area with insufficient oxygen in the soil, which growth is with longer than usual roots system to get the oxygen from the air, it filters metals in the water and cleans air and creates a great ecosystem with wild range of birds, fish and other live creatures.
Enjoy the peacefulness of this place and pure sounds of natural life. The island also known as Jazirat bin Ghanim was a former place for trading with the Bahrain and around 2000 BCE comfortable spot for pearl divers. You won't see much of the purple color around, as the name "Purple Island" came from simply a purple dye achieved by crashing a specific type of snail, sea snail thais savignyi, shells, which was a quite popular industry here during a Kassite time. Take a walk around the island where you will see the fascinating mangrove lagoons hosting crabs and fish, many unique types of birds and absolutely breathtaking picturesque view of the nature with radiant greens. Watch your steps on your way as there is plenty of crabs wholes and limestone short cliffs.

Pick up your car from here and drive towards the Al Thakeera Beach.

Enjoy this beautiful beach from where you will continue your mangrove nature reserve trip but first - relax, take a refreshing bath and satisfy your eyes with healing lines of lavish greens and bright blue sky. It's absolutely sensational!

The exciting part of your day is about to begin! You will be kayaking into one of the most beautiful on the land of Qatar, mangrove forest nature reserve area. During this two hours expedition which is set as close to the sunset time you will pass though the fascinating mangrove channels and see from close this unique, out of the world formations and also, depending on the level of tide and your preferences, admire again the beauty of the Purple Island you have just visited on foot. You will have this surreal experience of immersing yourself into this wonderful ecosystem and literally become part of it, being able to smell, touch and hear this unique forest area and its wild life.
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This humble restaurant is the Mecca for the seafood lovers where you will get the best quality, fresh - straight from the local harbor, delicate and melting in your mouth selection of crabs, calamaris and plenty of other varieties. Start your dining with flavorful crab with pepper followed by scrumptious grilled grouper fish served with potatoes and green salad, finish up with juicy watermelon slices. Enjoy your meal while sitting on the terrace area and feeling a breeze of fresh air from the sea on your face.

After an exciting day, have some rest at this inspired by Bedouin fortress hotel.