The Pearl-Qatar: What to Do, Where to Eat and Whether It's Worth a Visit

Doha's man-made island — marina, 'little Venice' canals, restaurants and the best evening stroll in the city.

The Pearl-Qatar is four square kilometres of reclaimed island built on the site of Doha's old pearl-diving beds — marinas, pastel Venetian canals and a lot of very good restaurants. It is where residents go for an evening walk and where visitors go for dinner with a view of yachts. Here is how to spend a few hours there.

The three districts

• Porto Arabia — the main marina crescent: superyachts, a promenade of cafés and the island's best restaurants.
• Qanat Quartier — canals, bridges and pastel townhouses modelled on Venice; the most photographed part.
• Medina Centrale — the local-life zone with cafés, a supermarket, a cinema and family restaurants.

Things to do

• Walk the Porto Arabia boardwalk from the Marsa Malaz Kempinski to the yacht club (30 minutes).
• Photograph Qanat Quartier's bridges from the water taxi or a gondola-style boat.
• Sunset drinks and dinner — Alain Ducasse's IDAM is at MIA, but Burj Al Hamam, Megu and Toro Toro anchor the Pearl's dining.
• Rent a yacht from the marina for a 2-hour cruise of the skyline (see our yacht guide).
• Shopping at the boutiques along Porto Arabia — mostly luxury and beachwear.

Is it worth it?

For an evening, yes: dinner at Porto Arabia with the marina lit up is one of Doha's best nights out. For daytime sightseeing it can feel like a residential development — combine it with Katara (10 minutes south) and Lusail (10 minutes north) rather than making it a destination on its own.

Where to eat, by mood

Staying at The Pearl

The Marsa Malaz Kempinski is the island's five-star resort with a private beach; serviced apartments in Porto Arabia towers are excellent value for families (kitchens, pools, marina views) and are on every booking site. It is a resort base rather than a sightseeing base — 20 minutes to the souq — but the sea, the restaurants and the evening walks make up for it.

Photography spots

• Qanat Quartier's central bridge at blue hour, canals lit.
• The Porto Arabia crescent from the boardwalk by the yacht club.
• Marsa Malaz Kempinski's façade from the water on a yacht or water taxi.
• The Pearl's towers from Katara beach across the bay.

A little background

The Pearl was built from 2004 on the site of Doha's historic pearl-diving beds — hence the name — and was the first development in Qatar where foreigners could buy property freehold. Its 32 km of new coastline, 18,000 homes and 400 boutiques were designed to feel Mediterranean, which is why the canals are Venetian and the boulevards Riviera. It is a real neighbourhood now, home to 25,000 people from 100 countries.

Getting around the island

It is bigger than it looks — 4 km end to end. Walk Porto Arabia's crescent, take the free Pearl shuttle bus or a water taxi (QAR 10) between districts, and use taxis at night. Parking is plentiful and free in the towers' visitor bays and under Medina Centrale.