Doha
Overexposed yet underrated
Such a strange but at the same time exciting place.
What is new is very new and modern and what is old is probably new as well.
In one way, or many ways, nothing feels really genuine ni Qatar’s capital.
Is it worth a visit? Oh yes, and you will be amazed.
People from meny parts of the world come to Qatar for work, for good and bad. I only met one native Qatari on my three day visit a couple of years ago. I met a lot of people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Kenya etc. All extremely polite and did their best to make my visit pleasurable.
If you visit Doha I recommend that you spend two to three days and see if you like it. If so you can visit this desert city again.
What to see and do in Doha
Museum of Islamic Art - Amazing museum with art from a big part of the islamic world like Saudi Arabia, Irak, and Qatar. The most beautiful things in my opinion though was from Iran and Egypt. Fabric, Jewellery and extraordinary pots are just a few of the things you will see. Explore it by yourself or go with a guide.
Katara Cultural Village - Amazing village inside the city. Here is where most of the art and cultural establishments of Qatar is located. Film institute, museums and the philharmonic orchestra are just a few thing you will find. Don’t forget to check out the awesome amfie theatre.
Mosque in Katara Cultural Village
Souq Waqif - Buzzing with life this quarter is a must visit. Shop some spices, jewellery or carpets or eat in one of the many cozy restaurants.
The Pearl-Qatar - and Qanat Quartier. Imagine a “modern” Venice in at the Arab desert coastline and you are close. These manmade islinds and canals are an interesting sight.
Doha Quest - What if we put a 32.000 square meter theme park with over 30 rides and attractions inside of a shopping mall? That’s exactly what they did in Doha inside of the Oasis Mall.
Other places of interest
Desert safari - Go sand boarding, drive a four wheel or ride a camel.
Sightseeing cruise - Explore Doha from the water on an Arabic wooden dhow boat.
National museum of Qatar - Fascinating museum in a beautiful building.Some say that it shows the heart of the Qatari national identity
Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque - Also known as the Qatar State Grand Mosque. A place I missed on my visit but it will decently be on my list the next time I go to this desert capital.
Do’s and don’ts of Doha
This is a very safe city. In fact it is ranked high among the safest capitals in the world every year.
But to get the most out of your visit there are some written and unwritten rules you should follow.
Dress appropriately - There are no real laws how you should be dressed but the practice is to dress modest.
Show respect in mosques - Cover your shoulders and knees and women should wear a scarf on the head. In The blue mosque and Hagia Sophia you van borrow or rent a scarf but there is no problem to go and see other beautiful mosques in the city as long as you follow the dress code and behave respectfully. Don’t take photos with flash inside and avoid filming and taking photos during prayer. Also, take off your shoes.
Alcohol - It is against the law to bring alcohol, or any other drug, in to the country and so is drinking alcohol or being drunk in public. They will actually check your luggage at the airport to see if you have alcohol with you. And the punishment for breaking the law is severe. There are bars and restaurants where you can have a drink, often inside the hotels.
Photo and video - This is a little bit tricky and hard to explain but it is against the law to take photos or videos in some places in Qatar. Also taking picture of people without their consent is forbidden. If you have a professional setup and if you want to use a tripod you should apply for permission. I haven’t done that because I walked around with only my compact camera Sony rx100ii.
Language
You don’t have to know one single world of Arabic when visiting Qatar because the chance of meeting a native is minimal. You will probably ride in a taxi driven by a guy from Bangladesh, be greeted at your hotel by a Pakistani, Check in in front of girl from the Philippines and have your room cleaned by a lady from Sri Lanka and so on. And all will speak good English.
How to get to Doha
You will most certainly arrive in Qatar py plane.
Book your flight here:
If you need to rent a car I highly recommend Rentalcars.com to get the best deal.
Where to stay in Doha
Most hotels in Doha are on luxury side but they are still resonable priced.
You will need transport in this city but if you can try to find a hotel close to the metro station.
I usually book my hotels via Agoda or Booking and I often compare the sites to get the best deal and to read reviews.
Public transport in Doha
Doha have an excellent metro. Otherwise it is taxi that will be your transportation.
Don't expect to be able to walk between the areas you want to explore. Sometimes there won’t even be sidewalks on the roads.
Metro. The cleanest in the world? I have never experienced a more polished subway. And it’s quite cheap as well.
Taxi - Doha is big. Much larger than I thought before I visited the city. You will most certainly have a few taxi rides.
If you want to go from the airport to the city center take the metro. It’s cheap (about 0,5€) and also the fastest way to the city.
Many hotels also have free pickup from and to the airport.
What to eat in Doha
I ate some delicious food in the Qatari capital, except a horrible meeting with an “Italian” lasagna.
You will find wonderful Arabic meze, a lot of indian, Lebanese and Persian food.
Doha’s food scene is a mix of Middle Eastern and southern central asian flavours.
If you are a coffee lover like I am I urge you to take a break with some Arabic coffee, it will be worth it
Even though people come to work in Qatar because the salaries are higher than in their home country the wages are low compared to western standards.
I recommend tipping 10-15% in restaurants and taxis. Don’t forget to give the hotel piccolo some small cash also.
Thank you for reading my travel blog about Doha.
I hope you found it interesting and helpful.
Use the form, under contact, if there is something that you think should be added to this site.
Cheers
Roger