The Inland Sea

The Inland Sea is one of Qatar’s prime tourist attractions and most definitely one of the finest treasures here. Only four wheel drive vehicles can reach this point though which is at the southernmost point and it is best to travel in convoy with someone who is familiar with the route.

It makes the most magnificent photo opportunity with the sand dunes so close to the water’s edge. The sea surges west in a narrow channel that separates Qatar from Saudi Arabia and then curves off to the North to create a shallow lake which is tidal. All of the local tour companies operate both day trips and overnight stays with picnics, barbeques, camel rides, sand skiing and dune bashing which is not for the faint hearted.

Below is a list of operators offering trips:

Arabian Adventures – tel:44361461 or 55565359
Black Pearl Tours – tel:44357333 or 55551169
Gulf Adventures – tel:44221888 or 55881760
Qatar International Adventures – tel:44553954 or 55527225
Qatar International Tours – tel:44551141 or 55010137

Here's what UNESCO say about the area...

The Khor Al-Adaid area, also known regionally as the Inland Sea, is located in the south-east of the State of Qatar. The area presents a remarkable landscape formed by a globally unique combination of geological and geomorphological features. These features themselves create a diverse scenery of exceptional, undeveloped natural beauty, in what remains predominantly a ‘wilderness area'.

Each landscape unit on its own, notably the Arabian Gulf, large mobile dunes, the tidal embayment system, inland and coastal sabkha, recently discovered "salt hummocks", stony deserts, elevated mesas and rocky outcrops, as well as the transition between each of them, contribute to the unique character of Qatar's southern territory.

Photo: qatarmarine.net

This intrinsic attractiveness, of a largely uninhabited area, is added to by the presence of a diverse native terrestrial flora and fauna alongside a varied and sensitive marine ecosystem. The flora present in the area is typical of those habitats represented and supports species and communities mostly widespread on the Arabian Peninsula, yet not occurring in the same combination in any other single locality.

The fauna includes several species which are internationally rare and/or threatened, for example Dugong and Turtles, with populations of certain species of bird being of national and regional importance, e.g. long-distance migrant waterfowl winter, and regionally declining breeding species also resident, including Ospreys nesting on islets. Terrestrial areas continue to support Arabian Gazelles, while there are plans to reintroduce Arabian Oryx within the hinterland of Khor al-Adaid.

SEE ALSO: Best natural attractions in Qatar

The Inland Sea is a large tidal embayment with a convoluted shoreline, about 15 kilometres from north to south and up to 12 kilometres from east to west. It is connected to the Arabian Gulf by a relatively narrow, deep channel, about 10 kilometres in length. There is no comparable lagoonal system of this type known elsewhere in the world. The diverse water quality and bottom substrates create an exceptional variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats of considerable importance for some endangered marine species, particularly turtles and dugongs.

Furthermore, there are several valuable archaeological sites and a diversity of cultural heritage sites to be found in the area. The rocky desert of the Al-Adaid area clearly supported bedouins and their grazing stock. Pre-historical use of the small islands in the khor has also been revealed. Traditional farming and fishing settlements existed in the area, but this lifestyle is now virtually lost. Some grazing of camels still continues.

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