Purple Island (Al Khor Island)
جزيرة بن غانم
A small mangrove island in Khor Al Adaid Bay, once a workshop for purple dye, reached on foot along a wooden boardwalk.
Purple Island, officially named Ben Ghanem Island, lies in Al Khor Bay, about 50 km north of Doha. Around 2000 BC, the Kassites extracted precious purple dye from shellfish here, which gave the island its name. Today the island is covered in mangroves and shallows. A wooden boardwalk leads on foot to the island. At low tide you can watch crabs and waterbirds on the mudflats, and at high tide it is good for kayaking. Entry is free, but facilities are very limited, so bring water and sun protection. It can be combined with Al Thakhira Mangroves and the Al Khor coastal road for a half-day trip.
Opening hours
Open all day
Nearby sights
- Al Thakhira Mangroves
- Lusail Stadium & Lusail City
- Place Vendôme Mall, Lusail
- Barzan Towers & Umm Salal Mohammed Fort
- The Pearl-Qatar
- Katara Cultural Village
- Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque (State Grand Mosque)
- Education City Mosque (Minaretein)