Driving 117 kilometres out of Doha for almost one and half hours just for a few “Instagrammable pictures” was definitely not among my best ideas of spending a hard-earned weekend. But that’s exactly what my friends forced me to do. And am I happy about it? Arsan Cafe in Al Ruwais offers such a beautiful panoramic view of the Arabian Gulf that its worth’s the drive and the effort.
Located at the Northernmost tip of Qatar, Arsan Cafe is an old police station built in the 1950s converted to one of the latest attractions for the residents. The cafe facing Ruwais Beach is now a heritage structure listed under the Qatar Museums. According to history, the police station provided security around harbour and doubled as customs post monitoring the boats entering or leaving town.
Qatar Museums Architectural Conservation carried out conservation – fixing of damaged areas of walls, floors, plasters and reconstruction of ceiling (danshal) using historically correct East African mangrove beams and palm-leaf mats.
The café, which opened in 2019, has a mesmerizing and calming effect on all its visitors, and the pleasant weather makes now the perfect time to pay a visit.
There is a wide range of classic coffee, filter coffee, tea and different types of desserts, along with mocktails, cereal bowls, and sandwiches on offer. Arsan Café signature drinks include Tuffee Nut Latte in coffee, and Mango Pinacolada, a mocktail, which is a mix of coconut and mango pulp. But my personal favourite is the Mocha Frappe, which is a mix of coffee and chocolate with Oreo bits blended with ice priced at QR29. The drinks are a bit pricey in comparison with some other cafes, but the atmosphere more than compensates.
It’s a family-friendly place and the seating arrangements are done in a neat, spacious manner, with social distancing in place. The café also has adequate parking space right opposite the entrance of the café.
Arsan Café is open seven days a week from 10am to 10pm, except Fridays when the timing is 1pm to 11pm, for all with precautionary measures, such as Ehteraz and face mask.
Reaching Ruwais is quite easy since it’s a straight drive along Al Shamal Road but then once there you will need a navigator to reach the cafe as there’s lot of diversions and twists & turns.
We did get quite a few Instagram-worthy pictures at the cafe and the beach. When the tide is low, one can actually walk into the water over the rocks and click some amazing pictures for the social media.
The cafe is highly recommended for all those looking for a tranquil escape and a change of scene from the regular outing spots.
