Guests at the Banana Island resort, off the coast of Doha, can reach the island in a 25-minute catamaran ride from the Qatari capital’s Al Shyoukh terminal or by private boat. All hotel guests and day visitors must provide identification at the Doha pier to obtain a boarding pass. Built on a natural crescent-shaped island with a 2,624 feet (800 metres) long beach, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara is an alcohol-free hotel. It offers its wealthy guests 141 rooms and suites – some with views of the Persian Gulf – as well as villas with private pools built on the beach or on stilts above the water.