The Best Beaches in Qatar

Ras Abrouq Beach is located 50 miles west of Doha on the edge of the Ras Abrouq Reserve, which also known as Bir Zekreet. This remote, rocky beach is popular with windsurfers and campers who come for the picturesque half-moon bay and the striking limestone outcroppings that are shaped like gigantic mushrooms. Ras Abrouq is a few miles away from Film City—an abandoned film set—and close to a nature reserve where you can spot Oryx, gazelle, and deer. There are no facilities, no paved roads, no nearby gas stations, and no stores to buy water. If you’re making the trek out to Ras Abrouq, bring a four-wheel drive vehicle and be sure to pack plenty of water. The things that make this beach hard to access, however, are what make it worth visiting. The place is worth a trip just for the limestone formations, the silence, and the clear water.

Fuwairit Beach is one of the most accessible beaches in Qatar. 60 miles north of Doha, drive off of Al-Shamal Road (the main highway) to find a place where small eroding hills roll right up to the water’s edge. The area’s sandy bays are perfect for picnics, but there are no facilities or restaurants nearby, so you will need to pack accordingly. Fuwairit is popular with westerners, and it is not uncommon to see a few bathing suits here.

Sealine Beach is located just 30 minutes to the south of Doha, close to the town of Mesaieed and its Sealine Beach Resort. This long stretch of beach offers a variety of water sports equipment for rent. For those who prefer to play in the sand, dune buggies and quad bikes are available for hire at the resort, where visitors can have lunch, drinks, or book a room for the night.

Umm Tays Beach, located at the northernmost point of Qatar near Fuwairit Beach, has been named the most beautiful beach in the country by members of the Qatar Natural History Group. Umm Tays Beach is surrounded by forts, mangroves, an old abandoned fishing village, and a few run-down vacation homes that look like they’ve been empty for years. When the tide is low, you can walk or wade to a little peninsula that is popular with picnickers. You don’t need a tour operator to access the beach. Rent a car and drive north on the main highway until you reach the end of the road, approximately 90 minutes from Doha. You should arrive at Al-Jumail, an abandoned fishing village surrounded by mangroves and a few old forts. Follow the signs from the village to Umm Tays Beach.

Four Seasons Beach is the place to be if you like the sun, own a swimming suit, and have money to blow. This is one of the most luxurious, most immaculately-landscaped beaches in the country. The price tag includes access to private cabanas, shaded lounge areas, a three-level swimming pool, a hot tub, a whirlpool, a separate pool for children, and staff ready to satisfy your every whim. Hungry? No problem: the place has a beachfront restaurant offering a large menu of grilled food. And if after a day on the beach you feel like partying, there’s no need to go anywhere else. Every Thursday after dusk, the resort hosts an upscale beach party.

Katara Beach: It’s only one mile long, and you must pay an entry fee, but this beach is located right in the middle of the city. This beach in the Katara Cultural Village features one of the highest concentrations of water sports that Qatar has to offer. There is a strict dress code precluding women from showing elbows and knees, but Katara remains a very popular weekend spot for locals and expats. The space offers a variety of activities, including fishing trips, parasailing, water skiing, wake-boarding, kneeboarding, and windsurfing. You will also find a bouncy castle in the water, along with banana boats, kayaks, sailing dinghies, and canoes.