Introduction
The capital is a rich mixture of traditional Arabic and modern architecture. The Grand Mosque with its many domes and the Abu Bakir al-Siddiq Mosque are particularly interesting. There is an excellent National Museum in Doha tracing the country’s development. The modern town clusters around the Grand Mosque, the New Amir’s Palace and the Clock Tower.
This area contains most of the historic sites, including Umm Salal Mohammed, a relatively large village dominated by the ruins of a 19th-century fort. At Al Zubara is the Qalit Marir Fortress. Al Khor is the second-largest city, situated around a natural shallow harbour. Gharya has a golden sandy beach stretching for miles. Ruwais boasts a harbour, from where there is an occasional dhow service to Bahrain. There are also good beaches at Fuwairat, on the northeast coast, and Ras Abruk, opposite Hawar Island.
There are beaches at Umm Bab (‘The Palm Tree Beach’), Dukhan and Salwah, near the Saudi border.
This is a region of sand dunes and beaches, offering opportunities to go pearl hunting, or to practise any number of watersports. The ‘inland sea’ of Khor al-Odeid is the centre of a region of outstanding natural beauty, surrounded by the Sandi Hills, accessible only to 4-wheel-drive vehicles.
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