Doha Travel Guide

The Pearl Â? Qatar

Despite still being a work in progress, The Pearl is already a staggering feat of human engineering, and one of Doha's hottest new tourist areas. An artificial island located in the West Bay and spanning more than 985 acres (400 hectares), The Pearl is intended to be a world-class luxury accommodation and beach resort destination in Qatar. Once complete, The Pearl would have created over 20 miles (32km) of new coastline - and of this, 12 miles (19km) has been ear-marked for the creation of pristine sandy beaches. Expatriate businesspeople in Doha will be interested to know that The Pearl will be the first land available for freehold ownership by foreign nationals, as its developers look to foster a lavish, secure Riviera-style community on the man-made island. Although only one phase of the residential development has been complete, The Pearl already boasts 3,000 permanent residents - and has become a massively popular shopping and dining area for well-heeled travellers and Qatari