The Inland Sea is the primary reason to come to Khor. A broad arm of the Arabian Gulf pushes about 10 kilometres inland into Qatar's southeastern desert, surrounded on all sides by some of the tallest sand dunes in the peninsula. It is a UNESCO-recognised natural reserve and one of Qatar's most dramatic natural features.
The contrast is what makes it remarkable: the flat blue or turquoise water of the sea, the pale gold dunes rising steeply from the water's edge, and — in winter — the flamingos and other wading birds that congregate at the shoreline. At low tide, fossils of ancient marine life can sometimes be found embedded in the exposed rock at the water's edge, evidence that this was once open seabed.
The site sits right at the tripoint where Qatar's southern border meets Saudi Arabia; you can see across the water into both countries on a clear day. The scale is hard to convey from photographs — you need to stand at the top of a dune and look down to understand why this place matters.