Doha, November 16 (QNA) - Located on the east coast of Qatar, Bin Ghannam Island is one of the worlds most important and most beautiful cultural and environmental tourism destinations awaiting fans of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The island sits in a sheltered location inside Khor Al Shaqiq Bay and is rich of natural heritage that attracts visitors. There is no evidence to suggest the island was ever permanently inhabited, but it was a production site for red-purple dye from shellfish during the Kassite Period, then it was a camp for pearling expeditions during the Sassanian Period and a fishing outpost in the Late Islamic Period.
Bin Ghannam is an important island highlighted by several missions in the middle of the last century, especially the Danish excavation mission followed by the French, then the British in cooperation with Qatar Museums (QM) team in 2000.
Excavations have revealed a midden (shell heap) containing the remains of around 2.9 million individual crushed shells of the sea snail, along with large ceramic vats that were probably used to macerate the crushed mollusks. This type of shellfish lives under rock in the intertidal basin and produces a red to dark-red dye.
The island is great to explore for its natural heritage, including mangroves in shallow lagoons, small fish, and several migratory birds like flamingos and herons that travel there during the winter months.
Bin Ghannam has been named one of the Best Islands in the world by the global travel site Big 7 Travel. The island is ranked No. 14 on the list.
"Everyone's talking about Qatar this year thanks to the FIFA World Cup, but if youre looking for some respite from the crowds, you might want to consider hopping across to one of the nations islands," the site said.
Big 7 Travel site also said that unlike many of Qatars islands, Bin Ghannam isnt manmade and instead boasts a fascinating history. It is used by fishermen and pearl divers, its home to some fascinating ruins, as well as a wide variety of birds and marine animals, it noted.
The island is a great place to enjoy water sport activities. Kayaking can also be enjoyed in the island to spot the exotic variety of flora and fauna through the mangroves plantation for which it is famous.
Bin Ghannam Island is characterized by unique plants, especially the mangrove trees, which made it a suitable location for various types of marine life, and it is also considered one of the most beautiful Qatari islands. (QNA)