Bahr al-Najaf — the Sea of Najaf — is a shallow seasonal lake and salt depression southwest of the city. In wet years water spreads across the basin and supports flocks of migrating birds; in dry years it shrinks to mudflats and saltpans. Local legend has it that the depression marks the spot where the floodwaters of Noah finally drained away.
It is not a beauty spot in any conventional sense, but for travellers who like landscape and emptiness it makes a worthwhile half-day trip from town. Take a four-wheel-drive, plenty of water, and a local driver who knows the tracks.