Al Wakrah Souq and Corniche

Al Wakrah was a pearling and fishing town before Doha grew, and its souq was rebuilt in the 2010s in coral stone and mud plaster along the harbour, with lanes of shops, a small fort, mosques and a beach at the end. Dhows still work off the harbour. The rebuild is recent but it follows the old plan and the setting on the water is the point rather than the shopping. The town's own history runs deeper than the rebuilt frontage suggests, and it was a substantial place when Doha was still small.

What you actually see

• The harbour front - the souq built along the water with dhows moored off it.
• The lanes - narrow streets in coral stone and mud plaster.
• The working boats - fishing dhows still using the harbour.
• The beach - the sand at the southern end of the souq.

When to go

November to March is comfortable through the day. Summer confines everything to the evening. Fridays and evenings are busiest.

Honest expectations

The souq is a recent rebuild rather than surviving fabric. Many units stand empty. Summer daytime heat makes it unusable.

Nearby

Doha is north, and Sealine is south.