Simaisma Beach & Corniche, Al Daayen

Overview

For years Simaisma Beach was one of the easiest escapes from Doha: a long, calm family beach about 40 km north of the city, with shaded seating, playgrounds, barbecue spots, a separate women’s section and small mangrove islands just offshore. Its seafront stretched for kilometres along the coast of Al Daayen, and on winter weekends it filled with families who wanted sand and quiet water without driving all the way to Al Khor.

Before you go, the key fact: Simaisma Beach closed on 10 June 2025 and is expected to stay closed for about five years. The whole 7 km coastal strip is being redeveloped by Qatari Diar as a major tourism destination. Some online listings and map apps still show the old opening hours, so don’t be misled by them. If your plan is a swim or a beach picnic, choose another beach for now.

This guide explains what has happened to Simaisma’s seafront, what is being built, and what you can still see in and around the old town if you are passing through: a 1930s mosque, the story of a pearling village and one of the historic wells that kept it alive. It suits people curious about Qatar’s coastal heritage, residents wondering what is going on at their old beach, and anyone planning ahead for its reopening.

History and background

Simaisma (also spelt Sumaysimah) is a small town on Qatar’s east coast in the municipality of Al Daayen, about halfway between Lusail and Al Khor. Its name is usually explained as a diminutive of simsim, the Arabic word for sesame, referring to the small sandy mounds of the local landscape.

The area has deep roots. Archaeologists found plaster vessels made to resemble Ubaid pottery here, and two circular burial mounds dated to the 5th century BC, described as among the earliest burial sites discovered in Qatar. In 1768 Simaisma gave its name to a battle between Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the chief of Zubarah, and the Al Musallam clan, whose power declined after their defeat.

By the early 20th century it was a busy pearling village. J. G. Lorimer’s Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, published in 1908, described a walled village at the bottom of a small bay, home to about 250 families, mostly of the Al Bu Kuwara (Al Kuwari) tribe. He counted 50 pearling boats crewed by 600 men, plus other sea-going and fishing boats. Drinking water came from the wells of Uwaynat Bin Hussain, about four miles inland, because the well beside the village was bitter. Simaisma was also known for making date syrup in traditional date presses, most of which were abandoned or lost as Qatar modernised in the 1950s and 1960s.

The modern beach came much later. In May 2018 the first phase of a 7 km family beach opened, with washrooms, showers, shaded canopies and a women-only section with its own gate. The ministry renovated it again ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022, and it reopened that November with new shaded areas, walkways, play areas and kiosks. The ministry gave its area as about 104,000 square metres.

In 2024 the government launched the Simaisma Development Project, and in November 2024 the foundation stone was laid for its themed entertainment destination, Land of Legends. The wider scheme, implemented by Qatari Diar, covers about 8 million square metres and a 7 km beachfront. Published plans include a 650,000 square metre theme park, an 18-hole golf course announced in May 2025 as Trump International Golf Club, Doha, a yacht marina, resort zones, villas, restaurants and an outdoor cooling system intended to make the seafront usable even in summer. The public beach closed on 10 June 2025 so that work could begin.

What to see and do

1. Understand what is (and isn’t) open

   The beach, its facilities and the seafront strip that made up the family beach are closed while construction is under way. Expect fencing, hoardings and site traffic along the coast. Don’t try to get onto the sand through gaps in the fence: it is an active building site, and the rules are there for your safety. The town of Simaisma itself is a normal residential community and you can drive through it as usual.

2. Simaisma Mosque

   The town’s best-known landmark is Simaisma Mosque, built in 1938 and regarded as one of the oldest surviving mosques in Qatar. As well as a prayer hall and minaret, it once housed a madrasa where children learned the Quran. Marhaba lists it as open from sunrise to late afternoon. If you want to go inside, dress modestly (covered arms and legs, and a headscarf for women), take off your shoes, and avoid prayer times. Otherwise, the simple stone building and minaret are worth seeing from outside.

3. The old town and its pearling past

   Modern Simaisma is mostly low villas, a few shops and a roundabout or two, but the layout still hints at the old village by the bay. Drive slowly through the older streets near the mosque and you will see the scale of the place Lorimer described: a compact settlement that sent dozens of pearling boats to sea each summer. There are no museums or signboards, so it helps to have the history above in mind.

4. Al Qarn House

   On a small hill on the south-west side of the former beach stands Al Qarn House, built in the late 1950s by Sheikh Fahad bin Mohammed bin Thani Al Thani. Its walls are made of beach rock mixed with shells, with bamboo beams and woven mangrove poles in the roof. The Department of Architectural Conservation finished restoring it in September 2023, and it was described then as accessible to visitors. Because it sits beside the beach, check whether it is outside the construction fencing before you plan a visit around it.

5. Uwaynat Bin Hussain well

   Inland from the town are the wells of Uwaynat Bin Hussain, the source of drinking water Lorimer recorded for the village in 1908. A stone well structure survives, and it is a reminder of how coastal villages depended on inland water to survive. It is on open ground rather than at a managed site, so treat it with care and don’t climb on the stonework.

6. Simaisma Family Park

   If you have children with you, the small Simaisma Family Park, opened in 1991, has a playground, a football pitch and a basketball court among landscaped palms and flowerbeds. It is a handy place to stop and let children run around on the way to or from the north.

7. Keep an eye on the new Simaisma

   The redevelopment is one of the largest tourism projects in the country, and its first phases are expected in the second half of the decade. Project leaders said at the November 2024 groundbreaking that construction would take roughly 36 to 48 months, with phased openings, while reports of the beach closure spoke of about five years. Treat any date as provisional until an official opening is announced.

How to get there

Simaisma is about 40 km north of central Doha, around 30 to 40 minutes by car. Take the Al Khor Coastal Road (Route 1A) north past Lusail, and turn east onto Simaisma Road, a 7 km carriageway that leads into the town. The roads are paved throughout and any car is fine.

There is no public transport in Simaisma. A taxi or ride-hailing car can bring you here, but you may wait a long time for one to take you back. For now, with the beach closed, it makes most sense as a short stop on a drive to or from Al Khor.

Use the coordinates 25.5747, 51.4864 for the town centre. Parking in the town is on-street and informal. Don’t park on the approach roads to the construction site.

Best time to visit

For the mosque and a drive around the town, any time from October to April works well, ideally in the morning or late afternoon when the light is softer and it is cooler. In summer, keep outdoor stops short and avoid the middle of the day.

For the beach itself, the honest answer is “after it reopens”. Until then, the Al Khor beaches to the north are the nearest alternatives for a family beach day.

Tips for your visit

• Ignore old opening hours online. Several listings still show Simaisma Beach as open. It has been closed since 10 June 2025.
• Respect the construction fencing. Don’t enter the site, fly drones over it or park across access roads.
• Dress modestly in town. Simaisma is a quiet residential community, and you may visit the mosque.
• Visit the mosque outside prayer times. Late morning or mid-afternoon is usually best.
• Take photos of homes with care. Photograph the mosque and public spaces, not people or private houses.
• Bring what you need. Shops in the town centre are small, and there are no visitor facilities.
• Check for news before planning a beach trip. Watch for official announcements from Qatari Diar or the Ministry of Municipality about reopening phases.

What to bring

• Modest clothing, and a headscarf for women who want to enter the mosque
• Water and sun protection for outdoor stops
• A camera for the mosque and old buildings
• Beach kit only if you are continuing to another beach

Combine it with nearby places

Al Farkiya Beach, Al Khor. The nearest good replacement for Simaisma’s family beach, about 20 minutes’ drive north. Shallow water, shaded picnic spots and play areas, with Sundays and Wednesdays reserved for women and children under 10.

Purple Island (Jazirat Bin Ghanim). Cross a wooden footbridge through the mangroves to Al Khor’s island, where people made purple dye from sea snails more than 3,000 years ago.

Al Thakira mangroves. Kayak through Qatar’s densest mangrove channels on a guided tour, north of Al Khor.

Lusail. Heading back south, Lusail Boulevard and the marina promenade offer cafés, restaurants and a long waterfront walk, a complete contrast to the quiet streets of Simaisma.

Frequently asked questions

Last checked October 2026. Hours, fees and access can change, so confirm with the official source before you go.