Hawija river island draws youth and families during Eid with swimming and scenic respite from city life

ANBAR — Hawija Island, a small islet in the middle of the Euphrates River near Hit, has emerged as a popular holiday destination for young Iraqis, drawing visitors seeking nature, swimming, and evening gatherings far from city noise.

Accessible only by boat, the gravel-ringed island has attracted a surge of tourists during the Eid holiday, particularly youth who stay overnight and families who come during the day.

“During this Eid there is strong movement, and Hawija is a destination for tourists from Anbar or outside it,” said Saleh Kaen Ghafir, a boat operator who ferries passengers from Hit to the island.

“Young people usually come at sunset time with dinner, and Hawija Island is an ideal place for swimming surrounded by gravel and it is a ‘giyash’ area, meaning it is less deep than a person’s height,” Ghafir said. “Families have their share of it as they come only at noon times and afterwards for the youth, and some of them think about staying overnight.”

Ghafir said he prepares two boats in the afternoon to shuttle visitors, offering return rides when called by phone. He charges 200 dinars — about $0.14 — per passenger for a round trip.

“Hawija is an island in the middle of the river, it has an organized cliff, and this is what makes people think about going there for swimming,” he said.

For many tourists, especially those from Baghdad, the location offers a novel experience in Iraq’s western Anbar governorate.

“This is the first time we come here, we saw a very beautiful atmosphere, but the place needs attention,” said Shehab Ahmed, a visitor from Baghdad. “We saw something new, there is safety and the services are good, we will repeat this experience and convey what we saw to our people in Baghdad.”

Wael Riyad, also from Baghdad, praised the setting. “The atmosphere is beautiful and the place is quiet, so we preferred this place over others. The state should pay attention to such places as it is more beautiful than Habbaniya,” he said.

“Last time we were four, and this time we became nine people. This area is beautiful, no less than Erbil or Sulaymaniyah, but it just needs attention,” Riyad added.

Youssef Hammad Hamd, a tourist from Ramadi, said he was impressed by what he found in Hit. “I saw many tourists and this is a very good indicator, and advice for everyone to visit Hit, which includes many monuments that we overlook,” he said.