Time of the visit: the 7th of dec.2024

In Doha I took the metro from the city centre to the station"national library". From there I took a pirate taxi for around 2€( would have had to wait 10 min for an ueber taxi) to the modern Al Gharafa bus station. I asked for the bus 100 . The indian employee at the info desk told me that it doesnt operate any more. I had already expected the news and bought a ticket for the bus to Al Ruwais which isnt that far from Al Zubarah and according to the internet taxis are available in Al Ruwais.

I was the only passenger in the bus.......almost like a private taxi.....only bigger and much slower. Following the advice of the african bus driver I got off in Al Ruwais' city centre instead of its known port. Well,the city centre consists of a few shops,empty streets and a McDonalds.

I asked a local quatari man where I can get a taxi. He replied that there are no taxis,no ueber,careem or bolt in Al Ruwais. Kindly as he was he asked where I want to go but couldnt take me to Al Zubarah as it was in the opposite direction of the place he had to go to.

I entered McDonalds and ordered a coffee as it was still very early. I told the filipino and ugandan staff my problem. They told me not to worry. The African phoned an indian who arrived at McDonalds 30 min later. He took me from Al Ruhwais to Al Zubarah for around 4,50€. He also gave me his number for a return trip.

The visitor centre is inside the Al Zubarah fort which was built around 90 years ago. The fort itself has nothing to do with the whs Zubarah,the ancient commercial hub which got wealthy due to its pearls. The fort serves as a small museum mostly displaying archeological findings from the nearby Zubarah city which covers an area of roughly 400 hectares. Zubarah is the biggest arecheological site in Qatar and some of the more interesting findings can be seen in Qatar's national museum in its capital Doha which I did.

Zubarah was once a thriving pearl and merchant port-town with around 10.000-15.000 inhabitants. As for the visit itself it was totally underwhelming. Me,a mexican family as well as a brit with his friend were the only visitors. We could enter a free shuttle bus driven by a nice neapali man who brought us to the beginning of a boardwalk trail. The accompanying guide (Indian.... like all employees inside the fort) showed us some watchtowers(or better its tiny remains),some ruins,and some tents where excavations will be begin again as soon as the weather allows.

All in all an absolutely underwhelming visit of a whs where I for my part cant see any ouv at all.

Both the mexican family as well as the brit offered me a ride inside their cars back to Doha. The trip to Al Zubarah was more interesting than the whs itself!