Every escape from Doha seems to involve an hour in a car heading south. It does not have to: there are three islands inside a half-hour of the Corniche, and the only thing between you and them is a boat.
Why nobody talks about them
Qatar's tourist calendar points inland: the dunes, the inland sea, Zekreet. All of it is an hour or more of driving, and in summer all of it is unbearable by mid-morning.
Meanwhile there are islands sitting in plain view off the Corniche that most residents have never set foot on, for one reason only: there is no road, no ferry timetable, and therefore no obvious way to book it.
Al Safliya — the one you can land on
About ten minutes out from The Pearl marina, or half an hour if you leave from the Corniche. A low sandy island with a lighthouse and a shallow, clear shelf all around it.
The important part is that nobody runs it. A boat anchors in the shallows, you wade in, and you leave when you want. There is no café, no toilet, no shade — everything comes on the boat with you.
A half-day trip for a small group is typically QAR 700–900 for the boat, and a private speed boat by the hour is QAR 450–600 with skipper included.
Leave early at weekends. The shelf is genuinely empty on a weekday morning and genuinely busy by Friday afternoon.
Al Aaliya — the one for snorkelling
A few kilometres north of Al Safliya, roughly twenty-five to thirty minutes out from Doha. Quieter, rockier in places, and the island snorkellers pick when they want something to look at underwater rather than just clear water to float in.
Same rules as Al Safliya: no facilities, no gate, no timetable. Bring your own everything.
Banana Island — the resort one
Thirty minutes on the Anantara catamaran from the Al Shyoukh terminal, and the only one of the three with a hotel, restaurants, pools and water sports on it.
It is also the only one where you cannot simply arrive by private boat: access to the island is controlled by the resort, and the way in is the day pass at QAR 395 per adult, ferry and dining credit included, with children aged five to eleven at QAR 200.
A private boat can still cruise the water around it and stop to swim nearby — it just cannot put you ashore.
Which island for which day
The three are not competing for the same day out, which is why choosing is easy once you know what each one is.
- Empty sand, your own timing, no facilities → Al Safliya
- Something to see underwater → Al Aaliya
- Pools, lunch, water sports, zero organising → Banana Island
- A full day at anchor with twelve people → private catamaran, any of the above
When to go
October to May is the comfortable window — warm water, air you can sit in, calm mornings. In July and August an island stop belongs to the first hours after sunrise, because there is no shade anywhere on Al Safliya or Al Aaliya and the sea is around 33 °C.
For a full day rather than a crossing, a private catamaran is QAR 4,000 for four hours or QAR 6,000 for the day, twelve guests, with a bathing platform and lunch cooked on board.
FAQ
What islands can you visit near Doha?
Three are within about thirty minutes by boat: Al Safliya (landing allowed, no facilities), Al Aaliya (quieter, good snorkelling) and Banana Island (resort, access via its own ferry and day pass).
How far is Al Safliya Island from Doha?
Roughly ten minutes by boat from The Pearl marina and about half an hour from the Doha Corniche, depending on the boat and the sea conditions.
Can you go to Banana Island by private boat?
You can cruise around it and swim nearby, but you cannot land: the island is operated by the Anantara resort and access is through its own catamaran and day pass at QAR 395 per adult.
How much does an island trip from Doha cost?
A half-day private boat for a small group is typically QAR 700–900. By the hour, a private speed boat is QAR 450–600 with skipper. A private catamaran for a full day with twelve guests starts at QAR 6,000.
Are there facilities on the islands near Doha?
Only on Banana Island. Al Safliya and Al Aaliya have no shade, no water, no toilets and no bins — everything you need travels with you, and everything you bring leaves with you.