Umm Tais National Park

Umm Tais National Park lies on an uninhabited island at the northern tip of Qatar, with sand bars and small islets fringed with mangroves; it was set up in 2006, during the 15th Asian Games. A number of migratory bird species live on the island, which is also one of the main nesting sites of the hawksbill sea turtle in Qatar, and the ruins of an ancient village, Al Mafjar, lie nearby, with plans to develop them as a tourist attraction.

Background

Umm Tais National Park occupies an uninhabited island at the northern tip of Qatar, with sand bars and small mangrove-covered islets, and is home to a number of migratory birds. It was created in 2006, during the 15th Asian Games, and the ruins of an old village called Al Mafjar nearby may one day be developed for tourism.

Source: Wikipedia, "Umm Tais National Park"

Highlights

• The mangroves - on the sand bars and small islets of the park.
• The migratory birds - a number of species live on the island.
• The turtles - one of Qatar's main hawksbill nesting sites.
• The island - Umm Tais itself at the northern tip of the country.

When to go

Any time of year.

Practical notes

The island is uninhabited, and the nearby ruins of Al Mafjar are so far only planned as a tourist attraction.

Nearby

The ruins of the old village of Al Mafjar are nearby, and Madinat ash Shamal is about 7.6 km (4.7 mi) to the west-south-west in a straight line.

Key facts