Al Jumail
An abandoned pearling village on the northwestern coast, its buildings collapsing into sand.
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Al Jumail is one of several villages on Qatar's northwestern coast abandoned when the pearl trade collapsed in the 1930s after Japanese cultured pearls took the market, and its houses, courtyards and a mosque with a small minaret stand roofless in the sand, walls of coral stone and mud plaster weathering down. Nothing has been rebuilt. The sea is a short walk from the buildings.
What you actually see
- The roofless houses - coral stone and mud plaster walls standing open.
- The mosque - the building with its small minaret still standing.
- The collapse - a village emptied when the pearl trade failed in the 1930s.
- The coast - the shore the village worked, a short walk away.
When to go
November to March is the comfortable season. Late afternoon light is best on the walls. Summer heat on the open coast is severe.
Honest expectations
The buildings are unstable and entering them is unwise. There is no interpretation and no facilities. The track in is rough and the site is easy to drive past.
Nearby
Al Ruwais is east, and Al Zubarah is south.
What to pack for Al Jumail
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.