Al Thakira Beach is a great place to find a part of Qatar that is quite different from Doha with its tall skyscrapers. The area is also unlike the barren sands of Qatar’s desert. Visit Al Thakira Beach to see blue-green waters beyond a shoreline populated with mangroves. Parts of the beach are good for sunbathing and picnicking. Try catching fish to cook on a barbecue right along the water.
The beach actually stretches for nearly 6 miles (10 kilometers), but some of this is made up of quicksand-like salt flats. Stay near firm sandy areas to avoid problems.
Notice how low tide reveals thousands of rather delicate pencil roots of mangroves thrusting a few inches up from the sand. You might see flamingoes standing one-legged among the trees as well as herons, terns and egrets.
Rent a kayak in the town of Thakira and explore watery channels between clusters of mangrove trees. The green of the mangroves is a welcome sight in Qatar’s mostly desert environment. These trees known as Avicennia marina or gray mangroves typically grow to less than 8 feet (2.5 meters) tall.
Use the mangrove tour to give kids an ecology lesson, showing how the trees thrive in harsh conditions of briny water, high temperatures, changing tides and high water levels. Their sustainability is important for providing environmental benefits of removing carbon dioxide from the air, filtering metals from water, providing fish breeding areas and protecting shorelines from erosion.
Travel north to Al Thakira Beach from Doha by car in about 1 hour or from Al Khor in 20 minutes. The beach area has a small wadi, a channel leading to the shore. Park along here on firm, dry ground. Wet sand can become unstable quite quickly. Before setting out for the beach, purchase anything you might need including sun umbrellas, towels, picnic and barbecuing supplies and plenty of water. The beach is open at all times and has no admission fee.
