🏖️ Beach holidays in Qatar: features and secrets of comfort
A powerful stream of hot air hits your face. I cover myself with arafat and, as if through Arabic brocade, sometimes rough in design, but unusually colorful and rich in color, I see the desert, which connects with the sea. There are only two such places on the planet: in Namibia and Qatar. But in Namibia the sea is cold due to underwater currents, but in Qatar it is warm, gentle and ready to accept everyone, giving an unforgettable experience and vacation for every taste.
Qatar fascinates and attracts, leaving no one indifferent. And it doesn’t matter for what purpose you came here: on a work trip, at a competition, or just came to relax for a week, gain strength and recharge your batteries.
Qatar is known for its white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters. However, to get to most beaches you will have to buy an entrance ticket. Almost all the beaches in Doha, the capital of Qatar, are some kind of beach clubs.
Often, when purchasing a ticket to such a club, you immediately receive not only a sunbed and an umbrella, but also a deposit, that is, part of the amount can be safely spent on drinks and a snack during your vacation. Now I want to take you along those beaches that especially sunk into your soul. Let's look at their features and highlights, and also study prices.
B12 Beach Club Doha
I’ll start with the most atmospheric and attractive beach, according to the majority of tourists and the local population – the B12 Beach Club Doha. Opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00.
Here you will find stylish interiors and a variety of entertainment options for the whole family: beach volleyball, table tennis, football, teqball.
B12 Beach Club Doha features an all-day indoor restaurant, The Beach, with a beachfront dining area. There you can also find The Bistro food court, bright colorful sun loungers, a lounge and a VIP area. Popular DJs play sets here, or relaxing music that matches the atmosphere comes from the speakers. An inflatable water park is available for children – a playground with slides.
Do not forget that Qatar is a Muslim country with inherent restrictions for tourists. But on B12 beach there are no special appearance requirements for women; you can sunbathe and swim in a standard European bikini.
Ticket price is 120 Qatari rials (about $33) per person. For children under 18 years of age admission is free. For this amount you get a sun lounger, a beach towel, a bottle of water, high-speed Wi-Fi and access to the water park. 65 QAR ($18) of the amount is a deposit for which you can buy burgers, snacks, juices and cocktails: both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Do you want to relax here during your trip? You can safely stay in hotels such as W Hotel Doha West Bay 5 or Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach 5. These hotels are located within walking distance of B12.
Doha Sands
The next beach club that I will introduce is located not far from the previous one. It's called Doha Sands. The beach here is very wide and spacious, with a gentle entrance to the sea and perfect sand. Opening hours: from 10.00 to 17.00.
Beach volleyball and various water sports are available on site.
Women can enter the club in a regular bikini. There are also no prohibitions on alcoholic drinks here – they can be purchased for an additional fee at the club bar. The entrance fee is 50 QAR (about $ 14), but it only includes an umbrella and a sun lounger.
The closest hotels from Doha Sands are: Intercontinental Doha The City 5, Pullman Doha West Bay 5* and Retaj Al Rayyan 4. By choosing them, you will get a beautiful view of the city.
Nammos Beach Club
Another beach club in Doha is Nammos Beach Club. A premium club where, in addition to the beach, you will find a Greek restaurant with sea views, a bar and Dior prints in the decoration. The atmosphere here is quite sophisticated – this can be seen in the details, the movements of the staff and simply in the air. There are no dress code restrictions, so you can relax in a bikini. The beach is open from 12:30 to 2:00.
Entrance ticket is 300 QAR (about $82) per person. The price includes a sunbed, umbrella, towel, access to the cooling pool and… that's all.
Food and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in the restaurant and bar are for an additional fee. As for prices, a glass of wine will cost from 80 to 120 QAR (from $22 to $33), 0.33 liter beer – 44 QAR (about $ 13), tea and coffee – 20-40 QAR ($6-11).
It is also possible to rent a VIP cabana for the whole day for up to 10 people. It will cost about 10 thousand QAR ($2,747). The price includes a Jacuzzi area with TV, drinks, food and private access to the beach.
Nearby is the Raffles Doha 5* hotel. This is a luxury hotel in the iconic Qatar Towers with deluxe rooms, personal butlers and services for the whole family.
The Diplomatic Club
The Diplomatic Beach Club is located just five minutes from the Mondrian Doha 5* hotel. You can visit the club's territory from 08:00 to 01:00. There are no restrictions on beachwear for women.
Here tourists will be able to get comfortable sun loungers, umbrellas and the opportunity to relax, unwind, sunbathe, and enjoy the sea in the very center of the capital of Qatar.
Entrance fee is 100 QAR (about $27). The club has a swimming pool, fitness center, jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath and hairdresser – all for an additional fee. You will also have to pay separately for alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
974 Beach Club
974 Beach Club is located near the Ras Bu Abboud metro station (Gold Line). It is open from 10.00 to 18.00.
On the territory you can find bright design solutions, bars, restaurants, lounges and play areas for children. There is also a wide beach strip with a comfortable entrance to the sea.
Admission costs 35 QAR (approximately $9) for adults; children are admitted free. There are no restrictions on clothing, you can wear a bikini.
Beach Intercontinental Doha Beach 5
Along with beach clubs, some hotels in Doha offer the opportunity to use their own private beaches if you enter from the street. For example, the Intercontinental Doha Beach 5* hotel has two beach areas.
For a ticket to the general area you will have to pay 200 QAR ($55) for men, 100 QAR ($27) for women and 50 QAR ($14) for children. The second zone is intended only for adult tourists. To enter the Adults Only territory you need to pay 250 QAR ($64).
For this money you can get a sunbed, an umbrella and a towel. If you want to have a snack or drink, this is for an additional fee. There are no restrictions on appearance or alcoholic beverages here.
Katara Beach
So why are there no free municipal beaches in Qatar at all? This is exactly the question that arises when we get acquainted with beach clubs. Of course, there are also free beaches.
And one of them is located in Doha itself. This is Katara Beach – a small beach near the city center, located next to Katara Cultural Village. Entrance here is free, but women can only visit the beach wearing a covered burkini.
Even if you come in a long T-shirt and bicycle shorts, you will not be allowed to swim: your knees must be completely covered. Men are also required to wear shorts that cover their knees.
On the beach there are standard entertainment – catamarans, boats, parasailing. There is a cafe where you can buy a snack and a children's playground.
Khor Al Udeid Beach
The remaining free beaches of Qatar – picturesque, with cliffs, mangroves and majestic sand dunes – are located in various parts at some distance from the capital of Qatar. To get to them, you need to either thoroughly study the transport routes, or – which is easier and more reliable – rent a car
The very first place you should go by car is, of course, Khor Al Udeid Beach – a natural reserve on the border of desert and endless water. This is one of the most beautiful places in the country.
Khor Al Udeid is an inland sea, of which there are only two on the planet. Qatar is connected to the Persian Gulf by a narrow, deep channel about ten kilometers long. It can only be reached by walking over the dunes. But it’s hard to believe in it until you see and feel how the wave caresses and the surf hits.
And while you are driving through the desert, you think: “Well, what other sea could there be here?” And the sea is approximately 15 kilometers from north to south and 12 kilometers from east to west. This is a natural wonder of Qatar, a reserve with a natural ecosystem, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a unique place in the world where the sea penetrates deep into the heart of the hot desert.
In these picturesque places you can settle down, as the locals like to do, right on the sand with your tent, barbecue, grabbing a couple of kilos of meat for barbecue, vegetables, rice and dates. Qataris have a great time here, barbecuing and chatting under the starry desert sky.
For tourists willing to fork out the cash, there is the opportunity to book a room at the luxurious Regency Sealine Camp hotel, which is located right on the seashore. It has its own private beach, equipped with countless luxurious cabanas with white canopies. The entertainment is standard and worth trying at least once – desert racing in jeeps and buggies.
The atmosphere of this place is sacred. To understand this cocktail of emotions that you experience when you find yourself here, you must definitely visit Khor Al Udeid Beach yourself, sit on the shore and listen to the dunes rustling, the sand creaking and the warm waves splashing. Here you can observe the local population: the Bedouins who came here for the weekend in a caravan of 5-6 latest model Land Cruisers, the same Bedouins who 30 years ago walked here in camel caravans and slept in the open air.