al udeid tourism qatar

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Le Royal Meridien

• May 17, 2022
• By Aludeid Tourism

Located in Doha, 3.4 km from Lagoona Mall, Le Royal Méridien Doha provides accommodations with a restaurant, free private parking, a fitness center and a bar. This 5-star hotel offers a kids’ club and an ATM. The property has a 24-hour front desk, room service and currency exchange for guests. At the hotel every room

THE AVENUE DOHA

• February 18, 2022

The Avenue, a Murwab Hotel features a restaurant and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant which serves traditional Qatari dishes and intercontinental menu of other culinary options. The rooms come with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms have a seating area where you can relax. You will find a coffee machine

DUSITD2 SALWA DOHA

Located in Doha, 2 mi from Aspire Sports Academy, dusitD2 Salwa Doha features accommodations with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness center. Among the facilities at this property are a kids’ club and an ATM, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The accommodations provides a 24-hour front desk,

THE ROYAL RIVIERA DOHA

Providing some of the authentic and international cuisine available in the city, Sky View is a popular spot with a panoramic view of the Corniche and secluded dining, while Marhaba Lounge is renowned for daily Business Lunch and lively ambience is perfect for a more relaxed and informal occasion. cated along the Corniche, The Royal

Heritage Market Tour – Souq Wakif Tour

• May 28, 2021

Discover Souq Waqif on this guided tour. The standing market has been a part of Qatari commerce since long before the city began its rapid growth into the metropolitan center it is today. The souq is still an important spot for locals and visitors to find handicrafts, spices, clothing, jewelry, art, pets, even falcons for hunting.

Zubara Fort Visit

Originally built by Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani in 1938 to serve as a Coast Guard station, the Zubara Fort now serves as a museum displaying a varied collection of exhibits and artworks, with a focus on contemporary topical archaeological findings. The fort, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition for its preservation and as a unique example of a formative period, is the perfect place for fans of Middle Eastern history to learn more about military life in Qatar in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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Khor Al Udaid is the most popular choice for those looking for the perfect beach getaway in the Middle East region.

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Μajor tourist destination for Qatar. - Khor Al Udaid Beach

• Middle East    
• Qatar    
• Mesaieed    
• Mesaieed - Things to Do    
• Khor Al Udaid Beach

Μajor tourist destination for Qatar.

Infinite desert, fine sand and clear sea. Known also as ¨Inland Sea¨ at tourist brochures and tours. It is located near the border with Saudi Arabia and you get here only by 4X4 vehicle after two hours of adventurous and fun driving crossing the desert and the dunes. The beach and especially the driving on the dunes are both unforgettable experience. You will see Bedouin villages, camps, camels and desert travelers. The sea is crystal clear and the beach huge and wonderful. On the shore you will find and collect countless tiny white shells! If you want to stay on the beach for a while, don't forget to bring supplies and especially water with you, because you won't find any store or beach bar here.

It is peaceful here. The sand is fine, soft. The beach is clean. The water is clear. Certainly a place to come to for contemplation.

We started at 1:30 pm with a 4X4 taxi. We thought the ocean inlet into the dunes would be the highlight. In fact it was a breathtaking tour through a vast dune area with very steep dunes. The driver wanted to demonstrate his skills and climbed may be a few hundred dunes with very steep climbs and downhill driving. Absolutely breathtaking. You should arrive at Khor al Udeid an hour before sun set. Sunset in early December was at 4:50 pm. So be there on time. Beautiful view on the ocean, dunes and Saudiarabia.

I was in love with that natural spot in the desert. That moment when you see the real natural ressource of the country of Qatar. That view between the desret ant the beach is just magnificent. I must do when coming to Qatar. I recommand.

A must do when you visit Doha is a sand dune safari and visit the place that desert meets the sea. An amazing activity, feeling and place which remains unforgettable especially during sunset time or full moon. Colours are amazing. Definitely a highly recommended place to visit and an activity to do.

It is a sublime experience to be there near sunset time. However, it takes a sand dune buggy ride to get there.

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Things to do

Get familiar with Khor Al Adaid Beach

The word unique was created for this remarkable destination.

A relaxing and tranquil environment, Khor Al Adaid Beach is where visitors escape the hassles of everyday life to replenish mind; body; and soul.

Khor Al Adaid Beach

This area of southern Qatar is one of the most unusual yet attractive destinations imaginable. The pristine sea and ever-changing sands make visits totally memorable.

Wonderful to observe and fun to drive across, the dunes reach dizzying heights of up to 40 metres. 

How to get there?

Khor Al Adaid Beach is in the south-eastern region of the country, approximately 80 km from Doha and is best accessed by a 4x4.

Inland Sea Off Rd, Qatar

Various types of fish; crustaceans; and turtles are swept in from the sea while birdwatchers note cormorants; terns; gulls; ospreys; flamingos and migratory waterfowl. Oryx and gazelles often wander by.

The beach becomes much more like a resort on the shore of a lake in the morning, as water advances on to the desert to form what is known as the inland sea. The sea recedes in the evening and the beach becomes desolate again, while dunes magically change colour under golden sunsets. 

Highlights of your visit

The inland sea, magical sunrises and sunsets, oryx and gazelles.

Bring gear for fishing. Camp overnight and savour the sunrise, a time when wildlife is most active.

The beach is a favourite spot for Qataris, who enjoy a variety of desert activities here.

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Al Udeid: The good, the bad, and the very ugly

This story, originally published on Feb. 23, has been updated with new information.  One on hand, it has a swimming pool, access to travel and "you get three beers a day." On the other, mold cakes the walls, showers and air conditioning filters; bugs nest in food and urine and feces flow out of broken bathroom facilities. It's the tale of two Al Udeids, a base in Doha, Qatar, home to over 9,000 service members and civilians working in support of U.S. and allied operations in the Middle East.  And airmen have a lot to say about it. Not much of it is complimentary. Responding to an earlier Air Force Times article, "Just how bad are living conditions at Al Udeid?," airmen past and present sent in uncomfortable stories, but also pointed the finger at an alternative culprit: themselves. 

The area within Doha has been used since the 1990s. Service members for about 10 years used to hunker down in tents (some readers even say this was a better model than what is now there). Fast forward to 2003, when groundwork began for the first permanent facilities at Al Udeid.

Between 2003 and 2007, Congress appropriated and approved about $126 million (in 2015-16 inflation standards, that would be roughly $165 million). Since then, the Air Force has requested millions more to build on to the facilities.

For living quarters, the base looked to turn over to the Blatchford-Preston complex dormitories in 2008, commonly known as BPC (Better People Complex, nicknamed for the people eligible to live there). The goal under the five-year construction plan has been to move airmen from the older Coalition Compound complex, or CC, quarters to the newer BPC, which is now in its fourth phase of construction.

The base expects 20 new lodging facilities with integrated, quality bathrooms in the summer of 2016, Maj. Angela Webb, spokeswoman for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, told Air Force Times on Feb. 18.

The bathroom units, dubbed "Cadillacs," are the facilities airmen who live in the CC use day-to-day. They are a continuous work in progress.

The wing "has $378K worth of known requirements to maintain the Cadillac facilities and we have received, or are awaiting delivery of, over $350K worth of materials. We anticipate no issues being awarded the remaining amount," Webb said.

The Cadillacs may be a complete abomination as some have described, but if a maintenance issue is reported, contractors or civil engineers work quickly, said retired Col. Mike Menning, a former commander of the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group.

Airmen with the "Cadillac Maintenance Team," part of the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, for example, have completed more than 600 work orders, with more than 23,000 man hours since Dec. 31, the Air Force said . That included 41 jobs in one day.

The bad, the good and the ugly

Multiple responses to Air Force Times chronicled the way conditions are deteriorating because members who fail to keep basic cleanliness — such as using a urinal instead of the floor — leads to more maintenance issues.

"This is all a matter of perspective," Menning, who was in Al Udeid for a year in 2008, said. "What you see on some of these Facebook pages ...isn't poor maintenance, that's vandalism,...and there needs to be respect between fellow airmen," he said.

"There are a few airmen who have a complete lack of respect for the facilities,"

said retired Col. Mike

, a former commander of the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group.

"If we are going to act like children then we might as well be treated like children," one tech sergeant wrote.

And some say the situation could be even worse:

"After a few trips to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Mali I soon realized…YOU ARE DEPLOYED, DEAL WITH IT!"

​says Maj. Scott Noke.

"We are there to do a job, not on vacation at a five-star hotel," Cory, an airman who didn't provide his last name, said. "There are bound to be some or even multiple discomforts."

Other readers say that regardless of the basic hygiene and appreciation service members should practice, the bigger dilemma is the conditions the establishment only has control over: collapsing roofs, water and mildew in the walls, growing mold that has the potential to cause illness and stale, if not contaminated, water from the plumbing.

"I got extremely sick and was hospitalized for several days," Master Sgt. Scott McKenzie, who left Al Udeid this month, wrote to Air Force Times. "I was asked NUMEROUS times by the attending staff if I ‘used the sink water to brush my teeth?’ My initial reply was yes because we were never informed that the water could be a problem or potential health risk."

A few airmen returning stateside between December and February said that a handful of members also experienced salmonella poisoning.

But the Air Force says major illnesses have not been identified.

Maj. Angela Webb said. , spokeswoman for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, told Air Force Times on Feb. 18.

"Due to the expeditionary nature of this base, with large numbers of personnel rotating in and out within a short period of time, we do occasionally experience upticks in gastrointestinal distress for a very small percentage of the base population," Webb said.

The base has not received any reports of food poisoning, or any illness to that nature, she explained. But, she added, "most recently, we experienced a slight uptick in GI distress, affecting approximately [one percent] of the base population, that was not associated with the dining facilities and lasted for less than one week."

Lacking aesthetics

​Another problem

the building materials cannot withstand the consistently humid environment, officials say. But that’s just the nature of Doha, which can reach 120 degree, sweltering heat.

"[Air conditioning] units, the most important thing, would break or overheat," an airman identified as Anthony wrote. "Just to be met with the response from the dorm managers by telling us to turn them down or turn them off briefly. This meant allowing the...heat to slowly cook your room rotisserie-style as you toss and turn all night."

"It is not uncommon for there to be fires because the A/C units are so old and filthy that they overheat and catch fire," an airman, who asked he not be identified, added.

When they arrive at the base airmen are told that air filters need to be cleaned out on a daily basis to keep the mold out. "Airmen need to be better prepared about some truths about Al Udeid — it's hot, it's humid, and the quarters that you live in...need to be cleaned daily," Menning said.

The buildings become victim to heavy rains and sandstorms, deteriorating and collapsing walls and ceilings. And most commonly, waterfall-like streaks of black mold.

"Short of replacing ceiling tiles all the time, there's not a lot you can do," Menning said.

Bathrooms in complete disrepair will need a complete renovation, which will cost approximately $130,000 per facility, Webb said.

Back in 2014, the Air Force warned airmen about the detrimental effects of black mold. A release, "Recent humidity increases mold growth," advised airmen with preexisting respiratory conditions that they could react to molds growing in air conditioning units or from the "black mold" on the walls. "Certain individuals with chronic respiratory disease...may experience difficulty breathing," the release said. "Individuals with immune suppression may be at increased risk for infection from molds."

A screenshot of the Air Force's press release on growing mold during humid temperatures. The Facebook page, "Air Force amn/nco/snco," highlights the portions referring to potential health risks.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page

The release has since been scrubbed from the Air Forces Central Command webpage, but resurfaced in the " Air Force amn/nco/snco " Facebook group, a community page for airmen to post about careers, aircraft and trending news.

"While most molds do appear black in color not all are 'black mold,' or Stachybotrys," the release said, labeling the proper term for the fungus. "The mold itself is not toxic, but under the right conditions can produce a toxin."

The enduring mission

"My main concern regarding my experience there was the safety of the flight operations due to the inability to get good rest," said Maj. Travis Grantham with the Arizona Air National Guard. "And also the toll the living conditions take on the immune system and morale in general."

Nonetheless, hundreds of missions continue per day for the high demand for aircraft over Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.

Al Udeid has become an integral part to missions in Afghanistan, currently called Operations Freedom's Sentinel or Resolute Support, and to the fight against the Islamic State group under Operation Inherent Resolve.

Operationally, C-130 units on rotation to the base provide  airlift, airdrop and aeromedical evacuation to areas within U.S. Central Command. In January, the KC-135 Stratotanker refueling fleet at Al Udeid completed more than 14,700 sorties for operations tied to Freedom’s Sentinel and Inherent Resolve.

"What you're not seeing or hearing is how awesome Al Udeid really is compared to the other deployed locations," Menning said, citing these crucial missions supporting today's conflicts.

Additional planes at the base also include the C-17, C-21, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft such as the E-8C Joint STARS, RC-135 and P-3.

Menning also said that there is a clear disconnect between AFCENT members headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and those deployed. "It leads to a huge funding issue" to what those deployed need, especially at Al Udeid because it needs constant upkeep, he said.

"This is a permanent base now, and some people still only view it as temporary."

Oriana Pawlyk covers deployments, cyber, Guard/Reserve, uniforms, physical training, crime and operations in the Middle East, Europe and Pacific for Air Force Times. She was the Early Bird Brief editor in 2015. Email her at  [email protected] .

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US reaches deal to stay at Al Udeid for another 10 years, reports say

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II lands at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Sept. 5, 2023. The U.S. has reportedly reached a deal with Qatar to extend its military presence at Al Udeid for another 10 years. (Leon Redfern/U.S. Air Force)

The U.S. military will continue operating out of its largest base in the Middle East for another 10 years as part of a recent agreement with Qatar, reports said Wednesday.

The deal allows the U.S. to extend its military presence at Al Udeid Air Base, three unnamed defense officials and another person familiar with the agreement said, according to CNN . Reuters later reported the same information, citing an unnamed source.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation Wednesday.

Al Udeid Air Base has been key to American operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria over the past two decades.

The reports follow a visit by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Al Udeid last month, where he thanked Qatar for spending billions on revamping the base.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Qatar Defense Minister Khaled Al Attiyah stand during the playing of the American national anthem at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Dec. 19, 2023. The U.S. has reportedly reached a deal with Qatar to extend its military presence at Al Udeid for another 10 years. (Alexander Cook/U.S. Air Force)

The Gulf country’s spending “will support both of our forces for years to come,” Austin said in remarks ahead of his meeting with Qatar’s defense minister Dec. 19.

Qatar has been funding the replacement of temporary buildings on base with lasting structures, U.S. military officers told Stars and Stripes in 2022 .

These facilities will be able to last up to 75 years and will have walls hardened to protect against rocket attacks, Col. Anthony Figiera, director of Air Forces Central’s program management office, said at the time.

Qatar was recently designated a major non-NATO ally because of its close ties with the U.S. military. But the country has had a complicated relationship with the base over the years.

Maj. Samuel Richardson, construction management chief at the 9th Air Force program management office, points to the location of two dining facilities — one new and one old — on a future site plan map of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in 2022. The U.S. has reportedly reached a deal with Qatar to extend its military presence at Al Udeid for another 10 years. (J.P. Lawrence/Stars and Stripes)

For a long time, Qatar avoided drawing attention to the large American base not far from the capital of Doha because of sensitivities among citizens about the U.S. military footprint.

But Qatari officials started to tout the American presence in recent years. The country assisted in the U.S. evacuation of more than 124,000 people from Afghanistan in 2021.

It also has played a large role in helping broker the release of some of the approximately 240 hostages taken by Hamas during their Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Reports of the Al Udeid agreement come amid a rise in conflict between American troops and Iranian-backed militias in the Middle East. Militants have staged more than 100 attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and off the shore of Yemen since the start of Israel-Hamas war in October.

previous coverage

• Pentagon deploys additional 300 troops to Middle East as more attacks reported at US bases

related stories

• Russian warplanes’ flights over US bases in Middle East pose dual danger, experts say

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