About Al-khor City

To get there

If you go along Suhaim Bin Hamad (away from the airport), carry along under the new underpass by Hamad hospital, and just keep going straight! Drive into and through the desert, past Losail Racing Track, until you hit the town.
You can normally head straight through town and then back along the Corniche, but currently you need to head through the centre of town, past two mosques, and take the third exit off the roundabout after the public library. This will take you to the fish market, museum and beach.

The City

Al Khor (also spelled Al Khor) means "sea on three sides" in Arabic. Older than Doha but far smaller in size (the whole municipality had a population of 31,000 according to the 2004 census) and importance, Al Khor is located an easy 50 kilometers from the capital city, to the north of Doha. This former pearl fishing centre is currently under renovation – beautifully manicured flower beds greet you as you drive in from the desert, but the road alongside the Corniche is shut off and half the city seems to be being dug up.

History

Al Khor goes back a long time, though habitation has not been continuous – excavations have found remains dating back to between 5600 – 5300 BC, and pottery discovered has linked Al Khor to the Ubaid civilization. Three thousand or so years ago, on the island in the nearby bay of Khor Shaqiq, the Kassite civilization manufactured the royal colour of purple by crushing sea snails. See the History of Al Khor Island for more information.

What To Do

There is not a lot to do in Al Khor, although it does make for a refreshing change to Doha. The harbor is worth a visit, and there is a fish market just in front of the harbor.
You can also walk along the beach, where several play areas have been set up for children, baseball nets strung up and sun shelters erected. The beach is one of the best which can be accessed with a normal car, although the sand is a little course and you need to watch out for glass. Barbequing is forbidden, which doesn't actually seem to stop anybody from doing it.
At the end of the beach the sand disappears into mangrove swamps. The mangrove swamps are popular with birdwatchers, although they are not nearly as extensive as the ones in nearby Al Thakira.
Between the beach and the harbour, there is a small museum, but this currently seems to be in the process of being renovated. Amazingly, I noticed two public libraries, and a department for the promotion of culture. There may be more things to do in the future, as half the town is being rebuilt, though it’s probably worth wandering round the town now to appreciate the older buildings before they get knocked down.

Facilities

There is a Hamad Medical Corporation Hospital nearby, but most of the facilities available are in Al Khor community. This is a housing complex for employees of Qatar Gas and Ras Gas. The community has a population of four thousand and has a medical centre, a supermarket and several clubs for its inhabitants with swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts and so on. Al Khor International School was established at the behest of Qatar Gas and Ras Gas, and is a satellite school of Doha English Speaking School. Education is also available in French.

Source from here http://qatarvisitor.blogspot.com/2007/01/al-khor.html