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Voykit pocket guide · Qatar
Al Khor
الخور
Go as a half-day or one-night stop from Doha, November–March: museum, dhow harbour and mangroves. Skip in summer heat.
Al Khor is Qatar's second city by history, not by size: a pearling and fishing town about 50 km north of Doha with a small corniche, a free museum, a working dhow harbour and mangrove creeks nearby. It is a short, cheap trip out of the capital, not a base for a whole holiday. One night is enough; a half-day works if you have a car.
- Country
- Qatar
- Local name
- الخور
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- May–Sep (40 °C+ and humid), Ramadan daytime for eating outdoorsMay–Sep (104 °F+ and humid), Ramadan daytime for eating outdoors
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- QAR
- Money
- QAR (riyal) is pegged to the US dollar at about 3.64.
- Daily spend
- Budget QR 150–300 excl. bed · Mid QR 300–600 excl. bed · High QR 600+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar sell tourist SIMs at Hamad arrivals and in malls; passport needed.
- Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance 999 · Mowasalat (bus information) +974 4458 8888
- Plugs
- Types G, D · 240 V · 50 Hz · UK three-pin sockets are standard; bring a G adapter. Hotels often have universal sockets.
- Tipping
- Cafeteria / karak stall: Nothing.; Restaurant: 10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Taxi / app: Round up QAR 5–10.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: QAR 5–10.; Desert driver / guide: QAR 30–50 per group.
- Water
- Tap water is desalinated and treated to international standards; most residents still drink bottled water, which is cheap.
- Toilets
- Clean Western toilets in malls, museums, metro stations and petrol stations, with a water spray hose. Free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Karaki tea or soft drink at a cafeteria | QR 3–10 |
| Cheap cafeteria meal (burger and drink) | QR 3–15 |
| Mid-range restaurant main | QR 40–90 |
| Mall food-court meal | QR 25–50 |
| Taxi Doha → Al Khor | QR 100–150 |
| Al Khor Museum entry | Free |
| Al Farkiah beach entry | Free |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DOH · Hamad International Airport
- About 60 km south; taxi or ride-hailing to Al Khor, roughly 45–60 min (check)About 37 mi south; taxi or ride-hailing to Al Khor, roughly 45–60 min (check)
Typical fares
- Bus Doha (Al Ghanim) → Al Khor, Route 102
- about 1 h 30 min; 102x about 15 min faster (check)
- Taxi Doha → Al Khor
- QR 100–150, about 45 min (check)
- Al Sultan Beach Resort day access
- fee for non-guests (check)
Get around
Al Khor is spread out and the corniche sights are 1–3 km apart: a car or taxi is the practical way. Mowasalat Route 102 and 102x run from Al Ghanim bus station in Doha roughly every 30 min, about 1 h 30 min (102x about 15 min faster); timetables differ for Friday. Confirm times with Mowasalat before you rely on them.Al Khor is spread out and the corniche sights are 0.6–1.9 mi apart: a car or taxi is the practical way. Mowasalat Route 102 and 102x run from Al Ghanim bus station in Doha roughly every 30 min, about 1 h 30 min (102x about 15 min faster); timetables differ for Friday. Confirm times with Mowasalat before you rely on them.
See and do
Known for
- Al Khor Museum
- Dhow harbour and fish market
- Purple Island (Jazirat bin Ghanim)
- Al Thakira mangroves
- Al Farkiah beach
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Al Thakira mangroves | Drive 5 km north of Al Khor; kayak tours run from Doha operatorsDrive 3.1 mi north of Al Khor; kayak tours run from Doha operators | About 15 min by car |
| Purple Island (Jazirat bin Ghanim) | Earthen walkway through the mangroves from the mainland | About 20 min by car plus a walk |
| Simaisma Mosque and beach | Drive south about 17 kmDrive south about 11 mi | About 20 min by car |
| Al Zubarah | Drive north via Al Shamal Road | About 1 h 30 min |
| Doha | Route 102/102x bus from Al Ghanim, or drive the Q1 | About 1 h 30 min by bus, 45 min by car |
Sleep
- Al Corniche / dhow harbour
- Walkable seafront: museum, watchtower, fish market and the resort are all here.
- Al Khor Mall area
- Supermarket, food court and everyday shops; a short drive from the corniche.
- Al Thakira / Simaisma
- Mangrove and beach side; camping on Simaisma beach is free but basic.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | مرحباmarhaba |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much is it? | كم الثمن؟kam al-thaman |
| Where is the harbour? | أين الميناء؟ayna al-mina |
| Can I pay by card? | هل يمكنني الدفع بالبطاقة؟hal yumkinuni al-daf' bil-bitaqa |
| Water, please | ماء، من فضلكmaa, min fadlik |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'As-salamu alaykum'; handshake with the same sex; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Kissing or hugging in greeting in public
- Right hand: Eat, give and take with the right hand; avoid: Passing things with the left hand
- Feet: Sit with feet on the floor; avoid: Showing the soles of your feet to others
- Mosques: Visit Fanar or the State Mosque outside prayer times; women cover hair (abayas lent); avoid: Entering during prayers or photographing worshippers
- Hospitality: Accept coffee and dates when offered; drink at least one cup; avoid: Refusing outright
- Conversation: Ask about family in general terms, praise the country's progress; avoid: Asking about a man's wife or daughters; religion and the ruling family
- Queues and women: Let women and families use their own lanes and carriages; avoid: Sitting in family-only sections as a single man
- Anger: Stay calm in disputes and with police; avoid: Swearing and gestures; both are crimes
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer heat May–September: plan outdoor time before 09:00 or after 17:00.
- The bay is very shallow — you cannot swim off the town corniche.
- House of Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Missned is closed to the public; view from outside only.
- Simaisma Mosque is a religious building: non-Muslim visitors should not enter.
- Bus service changes and disruptions happen; confirm with Mowasalat first.
Al Khor is a quiet, low-crime town and safe for tourists; the real risks are summer heat, unlit ground around the archaeological sites and shallow water where swimming is not possible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Al Khor yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Al Khor Museum
- Dhow harbour and fish market
- Purple Island (Jazirat bin Ghanim)
- Al Thakira mangroves
- Al Farkiah beach
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Qatar — official tourism site: visitqatar.com/
- Mowasalat (Karwa) — bus services and timetables: www.mowasalat.com/
- Wikivoyage: Al Khor, revision 4580911 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4580911
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Al Khorالخور
إلى هذا العنوان، من فضلك
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire and ambulance999
- Mowasalat (bus information)+974 4458 8888
No embassies in Al Khor; all are in Doha. US, UK, Canadian and Australian missions are in the Doha diplomatic area (check addresses).
Free Wi-Fi is available outdoors along the Corniche.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/al-khor). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.