Purple Island

I want to say a little bit about my absolute favourite spot in Qatar: Purple Island. It's about a 50 minute drive from where we live in Doha, but we do it so often now that the travel time seems to pass by really quickly. It's the sort of place that's so naturally beautiful you can put aside your worries for a while and just immerse yourself in the stunning aesthetics. In fact, I felt so inspired by the place a few weeks ago, I made this little video compilation of one of our family walks there:

We used to have to trudge through sludgy mangroves to cross the water and reach the island, but a gorgeous boardwalk has now been built that's really in keeping with the environment. Whenever we park the car and step foot on the wooden path, I can feel my body and mind relax as I start to savour the moment. Usually, the younger kids run ahead with enthusiasm and it's wonderful to see Hank, our dog, race along with excitement too. It gives us all a marvellous lift!

In the photo of Hank, above, you can see a little bird watching hut. The thatched roof really reminds me of a Fijian bure, which only adds to my sense of happiness whenever I see it! The island is a wonderful place for bird spotting, including herons, ospreys and turtle doves. One day in January, we even saw stunning pink flamingoes elegantly parading in the shallows, resting on their annual migration from Europe to Africa. They really took my breath away. There's nothing I love more than seeing beautiful animals in their natural habitats.

The kids love climbing the little rocky hills, called jebels, that cover the centre of the island. Arlo in particular is a real intrepid explorer and always beams a beautiful smile when he waves at me from a rocky height!

As well as appreciating the landscape, I regularly ask the kids to look out for beauty in the smaller details. This brings a mindfulness element to our visits, immersing us in the moment and allowing us to put aside our cares and focus on the beauty of our immediate reality. We take time to look out for the intricate patterns on crabs, the perfect swirl on shells and the delicacy of flowers.

We usually walk around the island in an anti-clockwise direction, kicking a football as we go and taking time for some rock climbing diversions, and then we reach one of my favourite parts: the small beach. Perfectly adorned by rocks and mangroves, it's breathtakingly pretty and has a charming, whimsical quality to it. We usually take time to sit down and relax or throw the ball into the turquoise sea for Hank to enthusiastically retrieve. It's always such a joy to see him bounding through the water.

It's also endlessly satisfying to see the kids enjoying their surroundings, with the sun on their skin and the wind in their hair, far away from allure of screens!

We then meander our way back towards the boardwalk, feeling sun kissed and invigorated. Yet my absolute favourite part of this magical place is still to come. There are some wooden steps leading off the main boardwalk down to a beautiful stream. Here, rays of sunshine reflect on the gently rippling water as it prepares to turn the corner past a small pebble beach. Tiny crabs dart under shoals of small fish and I find the whole scene perfectly enchanting. We always sit here and take a moment to enjoy the details.

I absolutely love how we really could be anywhere at this point. Similarly captivating, uplifting scenes play out in beautiful places all over the world, but we're lucky enough to lose ourselves in one just an hour or so from our home. It's the perfect escape and makes me feel very lucky.

We usually go once or twice a week, always on a week day morning to help avoid crowds. Often, we're the only ones there. On the way back, we put the windows down and enjoy the wind in our hair on the country roads before we join the main highway back to Doha.

We've got into a satisfying but very indulgent habit of stopping at Oakberry in Lagoona Mall on the way home for a round of delicious acai bowls, which we all love. It's an exquisite end to a wonderful experience!

So if you're in Qatar and have never been, I thoroughly recommend visiting this little gem of an island. And if you're elsewhere, I always think it's a good idea to seek out a beautiful spot of your own where you can lose yourself in nature and forget about your worries for a while. It's great tonic for the body, mind and soul!