West Bay Lagoon, also known as Leqtaifiya (Arabic: لقطيفية; also spelled as Legtaifiyah or Al Qutaifiya) is a district of Doha, the capital city of Qatar. Spanning from the Doha Corniche to West Bay Lagoon, the area has villas on one side, and low rises on the other. The district is well known for its luxurious waterfront villas, which are some of the most expensive in the country. As one of the few freehold areas in Doha, properties are available for purchase by non-Qataris.[2]
West Bay Lagoon was built on land that was reclaimed in the 1970s and 1980s after extensive dredging. As part of a masterplan by the Qatari government, the entire area, which came to be known as West Bay, was to be developed as Qatar's new business center, with West Bay Lagoon containing a bulk of the housing.[4] At its greatest distance, the district extends 2 km away from the Persian Gulf. There are several artificial lagoons in the district.[5]
During the 2006 Asian Games, temporary seating for 500 spectators was provided for the water sports taking place in the lagoon, including kayaking, rowing and canoeing competitions.[6]
