Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is a broad crescent of shallow water south of Khobar on the Gulf coast, sheltered and calm, and it is the main beach area for the Eastern Province, with a public strand, a line of resorts and compounds along the shore, and a long tradition of watersports: sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and jetskis all operate here, and the flat shallow water suits beginners. Dunes back the southern end. Facilities range from bare public beach with informal shelters to full resort access. The bay is used heavily on weekends by families from Dammam, Khobar and Dhahran, and the shoreline development continues.

History

In the early 1900s the bay was known locally as Doha Dhalum, a stop for the dhows of Arab traders sheltering from bad weather and taking fresh water from the artesian wells on its bottom, and for some 80 years it has been a place of recreation for oil workers and their families (Wikipedia, Half Moon Bay, Saudi Arabia).

The main sights

• The crescent bay - the wide shallow arc of sheltered water.
• Watersports - sailing, kitesurfing and jetskis on the flat water.
• The resort strip - the compounds and hotels along the shore.
• Backing dunes - the sand at the southern end of the bay.

When to go

November to April for comfortable temperatures; summer combines extreme heat with heavy humidity. Weekends are crowded, weekdays quiet. Winter water is cool for swimming.

What to expect

The public sections have limited facilities and litter is a problem at weekends. Modest swimwear is expected on public beaches; resorts have their own rules. The water is shallow a long way out. Industrial development along the Gulf coast is visible.

Nearby

Khobar lies north; Dhahran and Ithra are northwest.

Key facts