Discover What To Do In Doha

 

A Luxury Destination

This booming city, located on the Persian Gulf coast, has grown considerably in just a short number of years and is now one of the wealthiest places on earth, thanks to its rich reserves of gas and oil. Everything is shiny and new, ultra-modern, clean and well-planned out. Buildings are popping up like mushrooms everywhere. Doha appears to be in a mad rush to establish itself as the new luxury tourist destination, maybe in an effort to outdo its glitzy neighbour, Dubai.

 

Doha Skyline

The city skyline is definitely impressive, as the country is sparing no expense building its infrastructure to put the city on the world map in glamorous fashion.

I was blown away by the lovely view of the city buildings at night time. What a beautiful spectacle of colour, light and shapes. Every skyscraper is lit up and some even change colours. This certainly makes it easy to find your way back to your hotel late at night.

 

Where We Stayed In Doha

The Mövenpick Hotel West Bay was where I stayed with my family, and what a fabulous stay we had. Our room was upgraded to a huge, luxurious suite with a large lounge. Thank you very much Mövenpick. We had lovely views of the water and the city. 

A big plus for me was ‘chocolate hour’ every afternoon in the foyer, for free, with an array of bite sized desserts on offer to tempt you. Which it did. The buffet, available for all meals in the ForKnife Restaurant, is sensational and includes various types of cuisines, which our tastebuds thoroughly enjoyed.

 

Shopping In Doha

If you like a bit of retail therapy, there are plenty of shopping centres to discover in Doha, that will keep you busy.

One has a Venetian theme boasting canals with gondolas to ride in! My Dad is from Venice, so I’m not sure how I feel about this place. The whole indoors resembles the outdoors, with sky and clouds on the ceilings and fake balconies on the walls.

 

Corniche in Doha

Across the road from our hotel was the Corniche promenade overlooking Doha Bay which is seven kilometres long. A wonderful place for long strolls and enjoying the parks along the water.  There was a band playing and a big screen on the grass area in the evening when we were there, with lots of people having picnics and hanging out.

There are lots of interesting structures along here such as the pearl shell fountain and the coffee pot, both symbols of the country’s history and culture.

 

Souq in Doha

Naturally, I had to check out the Souq Waqif, a huge market selling all sorts of local wares like ornaments, artwork, spices, clothing, jewellery and swords! Yes, swords. Oh, and also falcons! They are a much revered bird here and sold for $3,000+ (in case you are interested in buying one). 

There are of course plenty of restaurants and cafes to feast at, including Italian and Thai restaurants. Lots of tourists flock here, as you can imagine. I loved just roaming around browsing at all the interesting items and buying the odd trinket, of course. What’s a holiday without shopping?!

 

Art Museum In Doha

We decided to visit the Museum of Islamic Art and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. 

Entry to this grand establishment is free.

It showcases art pieces from all around the world in a fabulous modern setting.

A very popular attraction in Doha and well worth a visit.

 

Lusail Crescent Tower Doha

The new Lusail Crescent shaped building is a fascinating addition to the Doha skyline. Completed in 2022, this architectural monument houses 2 luxury hotels and a function venue. A beautiful shape highlighting the cultural symbol of the crescent moon.

 

Traditional Dhow Qatari Boat

You’ll see numerous dhows moored in the waters. These traditional Qatari sailing boats were used as trading vessels, for fishing and pearling.

They are still used today for transportation and tours.

 

Camels in Doha

Camels are fascinating and beautiful animals and a huge part of Qatar’s heritage. They were always used for transport and travel through the desert.

You can see camels at Souq Waqif in Doha, and at the Camel race track, about an hour away by car.

 

Desert of Doha

Doha’s desert is called The Inland Sea (Khor Al Adaid), a UNESCO site, where the desert meets the sea, south of the city.

Visitors often embark on a safari in the desert, with local guides, for a little taste of the traditional Qatari desert culture. I have taken a desert safari elsewhere in the Middle East, and it is quite an exhilarating experience.

If you are interested in exploring the desert, then this is one of the best places to do it.

 

Tours You May Enjoy In Doha

 

Interesting Facts

Other interesting things that I discovered about the amazing city of Doha:

• less than 20% of the population are local Qataris, in other words, mainly foreigners live here.

• 3/4 of the population is male (where the heck are the women?).

• no alcohol is allowed to be consumed in public places, including restaurants (this could be a problem for some tourists).

• the pedestrian crossing symbol is a figure in arab dress.

• the national dish is machboos, made of rice, meat, onions and tomatoes, mixed with spices.

• arabic coffee is gahwa.

 

 

Doha Airport

The Hamad International Airport in Doha is also very impressive. My goodness, it sure is massive, with north and south nodes. There is an indoor garden to enjoy, an abundance of shopping, dining, lounges, art sculptures and a shuttle train.

But you can’t help notice ‘the elephant in the room’, or more accurately, the gigantic yellow teddy bear in the middle of the departures hall. I’m not sure why it’s there, but it definitely attracts a lot of attention, probably because it was purchased by a royal Qatari for a few million dollars! An eye-watering price tag for a stuffed toy.

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I hope I have enlightened you on what to do in Doha to help with your future travels there.

If you would like to leave me a comment, you can do so below.

Check out Abu Dhabi for another great Middle East travel destination.