• Do
• Eat
• Drink
• Get out

Modern buildings in Doha

Doha is the capital of Qatar. It is a modern and rapidly developing city and, considering the money being poured into construction, Doha looks set to become one of the premier cities in the Gulf within a few years.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Doha International Airport (Template:IATA) (Template:ICAO) is the biggest in the country and is becoming increasingly important in the Gulf Region. Local carrier Qatar Airways is building a worldwide network from there and already connects the city with destinations in Africa, Europe and Asia.

If you're already in or around the Gulf region, the cheapest way to fly to Doha is with Air Arabia, but you will almost certainly have to break your journey in Sharjah, the airline's hub in the United Arab Emirates.

[edit] By car

Saudi Arabia is the only country that borders Qatar and it can be difficult to obtain permits to drive through Saudi Arabia.

There are plans to build bridges linking Qatar with both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates in the future.

[edit] Get around

[edit] Bus

In late 2005, a public bus service, with two different routes, was introduced as the city's first mode of public transport. By March 2006, there were six routes running, but it is still a limited service. They are operated by Mowasalat [1].

[edit] Taxi

The only other way to get around without your own vehicle is by taxi. The air-conditioned green taxis are operated by the Mowasalat transport company known as "Karwa" taxis. The other kind of taxis are "limousine" taxis, which are unmarked - and thus almost impossible to stop - and may well be your only choice when staying at an international hotel. They are more expensive (can cost twice as much as the Karwas), and may not feature a meter. If you feel secure about the price, you may negotiate it up front. Otherwise, insist on a meter.

The demand for taxis exceeds the supply and waiting times can vary greatly. It may take up to 90 minutes or even more to get an on-call taxi, and stopping one may be impossible in many places. The only places where you are guaranteed to find a taxi (normal or limousine) is at major malls, the airport and international hotels.

Occasionally, a local driver will offer to give you a ride if he or she sees you on the side of the road. It is customary to offer some money at the end, though sometimes they will refuse to take it.

[edit] See

[edit] Museums

Museum of Islamic Arts - is located on Doha's port and to be opened officially on November 22, 2008. Housed in a building designed by I.M. Pei, the museum will house artifacts from the Al-Thani dynasty, as well as art from all parts of the Middle East.

Qatar National Museum [2]- housed in a former royal palace, visitors can see the former residence of the Sheikhs. In addition to this, the museum houses artifacts from traditional Qatar.

[edit] Cultural Heritage

Doha Heritage Village - located on the Corniche, is a skanzen based on a traditional Qatari village. Visitors can expect to see weaving, pearl trading, and a dhow (traditional boat). Also holds occasional festivals and activities.

Al Koot Fort - Built in 1880, during the Ottoman period, this big white fort is on the outskirts of Souq Waqif. The fort can be visited by appointment only.

Souq Waqif - Another place that is very worth going is the Souk, the renovated arabic market quarter. One can buy souvenirs from there, sit down to smoke a Sheesha, or enjoy food at one of the restaurants bordering it.

[edit] Other Attractions

Orry stands tall on Doha's Corniche

Corniche - The visual highlight of Doha is Al-Corniche, a long seaside promenade that curves around Doha Bay and affords pretty views of Palm Tree Island and the city's skyscrapers. In the afternoons you will see plenty of locals strolling along the Corniche, often trying to get out of the way of the odd crazy Western ex-pat on rollerblades. It's also a good place for jogging or cycling. There are several parks close to the Corniche which are ideal for families, and right on the Corniche there is a giant statue of Orry, the Oryx who is the mascot for the 15th Asian Games, which took place in Doha from December 1-15, 2006.

Doha Zoo - located near the Sports City complex, the Doha Zoo features a variety of animals, including the Oryx, Qatar's national animal.

Apart from these, do not expect too much from Doha, and do not plan to stay for longer than a day or so, unless on business.

[edit] Do

Doha has a reputation for not being the most exciting place on earth, however, there are a variety of activities, areas and events to take part in.

The thing to do, unless you have done it before, is to hire a jeep to drive you around the desert, riding the dunes. This will cost you several hundred Qatari rial, and may require a minimum of four persons to join in the fun. At international hotels, the receptionists will advise you, and hire a driver for you.

A popular excursion was to take the small boat ride from the Corniche (near the Sheraton) to Palm Tree Island in Doha Bay, although in July 2006 the island was closed for complete renovation. It has been left as a nature reserve and is completely bare except for 2 trees (not palms).

The Ras-Naswa sheesha cafe on the Corniche

A typical Middle Eastern activity in the afternoons is to find a sheesha cafe and smoke some fruit-flavoured tobacco. One of the best places in Doha is Ras-Naswa at the non-Sheraton end of the Corniche. Located in a picturesque old-style building reminiscient, in colour and texture if not grandeur, of the red Mughal structures in India, Ras-Naswa has a nice outdoor garden and serves decent Middle Eastern food.

Doha has several markets which are worth visiting as well. See the Buy section for more details.

If you want to people-watch afluent young Qataris who are inseparable from their mobile phones, the best places to head are the modern shopping malls, starting with City Centre, not far from the Sheraton.

[edit] Buy

You can buy pretty much anything you want in Doha, apart from pork products and alcohol (except with a license or in the major hotels). Shopping is a major leisure pursuit of many Qataris and expats, and you can expect cheaper prices than Dubai. As with most of the Middle East, be prepared to barter.

[edit] Malls

City Centre Shopping Mall stands out as the major shopping mall. Situated outside of the city center near the northern end of the corniche, it offers a fantastic shopping experience as well as an indoor ice skating rink.

Hyatt Plaza is located near Sports City.

Landmark Shopping Mall [3] focuses mostly on clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics. There is also a Carrefour market for groceries.

Lulu Hypermarket is a one stop shopping experience on D ring road. This has two huge floors and a massive selection of goods.

The Mall is Qatar's first shopping mall.

Villagio is one of Doha's newest malls, located near Sports City. Besides shopping and cinema, the mall is designed with Venetian-style canals running throughout and the ceiling is painted to resemble a semi-cloudy sky.

[Image:Souqs.JPG]

[edit] Souqs

The best shopping experiences, however, are to be had in the various souqs (markets). Not far from the Corniche near an HSBC branch and a landmark spiral tower is the Souq Waqif (also referred to as the Iranian Souq or Old Souq), a good place to pick up souvenirs and to see falcons for sale with a pleasant ambience. Another souq worth visiting is the Omani Souq on Haloul St, parallel to Salwa Road. There you can buy things like spices, incense and woven baskets. Next door is a vegetable market.

The Gold Souq, by the bus station, is the place to buy gold and jewelry. Image:Souqs.jpg

[edit] Eat

Template:Infobox

Doha Pearl fountain with Al-Bandar restaurant complex in the background [Photo: Rolf Palmberg]

Given the population diversity in Doha, there is a large variety of different types of cuisine, including Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Korean and, of course, typical Middle Eastern food.

Turkey Central, Al-Mirghab St. Offers good, cheap Middle Eastern fare. The portions are large (try the Mixed Grill) and the appetizers are recommended. It's on Al-Mirghab St; to get there, turn right off C Ring Road just after Hardee's if you're heading away from City Centre. Across the street from Turkey Central and a little further back towards Hardee's is a decent Thai restaurant.

Best Fish a little further down Al-Mirghab St. sells good local fish dishes at reasonable prices, and has just been redecorated inside. The Grilled Hammour with garlic butter is recommended.

Il Rustico, Rydges Hotel. Serves quality Italian food, as does one of the restaurants at the Ritz-Carlton.

Among the American fast food chains in Doha are McDonald's, KFC, Hardee's, Arby's, Burger King and Dairy Queen. Pizza places include Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's and Pizza Inn.

The intersection of C-Ring and Salwa Road is known as Ramada Junction, (due to the Ramada being there), or more jokingly as "Cholesterol Corner" due to the high number of fast food and other restaurants within a block or less of it.

More upscale American chains include TGI Fridays (in the Landmark shopping mall), Applebee's, Chili's, Fuddruckers, Bennigan's and Ponderosa Steakhouse.

Starbucks are very common in the malls around Doha

[edit] Drink

Alcohol is only available in bars attached to international hotels such as the Ramada, Rydges, the Ritz-Carlton etc. To purchase it outside these bars, you have to have a Residence Permit and apply for a liquor licence. When you have that, you can purchase a certain amount of alcohol each month (related to your salary) from one bottle shop on the outskirts of town know as Qatar Distribution Compay in short QDC.

It is not permitted to bring alcohol into the country and customs at Doha airport will confiscate any alcohol they find - all bags are x-rayed and a receipt is issued for you to reclaim your goods when you leave the country.

Soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages are readily available.

[edit] Sleep

There are quite a few four- and five-star international chain hotels in Doha and there are scores of new five-star hotels on the rise, such as the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and Intercontinental.

[edit] Mid-range

• Al Muntazah Plaza Hotel, [4]. Al Muntazah Plaza Hotel has fully furnished 2/3 bedrooms apartments as well as standard hotel rooms, situated on the prestigious. Al-Muntazah Road convenient for the corniche, city center, airport, supermarkets and the shopping centers.

• Shezan Hotel. Shezan Hotel is located in the center of Doham quite small with 60 rooms and a restaurant serving a range of Pakistani and international delicacies.

• InterContinental, [5]. The InterCon is five minutes up the coast from the town center and directly across the road from the seemingly never open Alladin's Kingdom amusement park. The pool and beach complex at are large, quiet and relaxing. The restaurants are nothing special, but the rooms are great and the nightlife decent.

• Marriott, [6]. The Marriott is in a slightly out of the way location, but since nowhere in Doha is really walkable, that's not a huge strike against it. It has two towers of excellent four-star rooms and a selection of restaurants few hotels can match: the Mexican is acceptable, the pan-Asian quite good, the buffet nothing special, and the Indian really great. Alcohol is available in the restaurants, but there is no cocktail lounge or bar. There is a disco attached to the hotel that has a door policy to match Studio 54 at its 1970s peak (again though, showing up in a Maserati will get you whisked inside).

• Mercure Doha, [7]. A four-star hotel belonging to the Accor group. Located pretty much in the town center, it has a sauna, a swimming pool and various restaurants. Shuttle buses go regularly from and to the airport. Its location means you can actually walk around and see things just outside the door (unlike most Doha hotels, which are someone isolated), but it is also a little less tranquil.

• Oasis. Run-down, but reliable, if a bit out of the way and home to smarmy types. It may be closed shortly.

• Ramada, [www.ramada.com/hotel/15334]. A comfortable four-star hotel with a few pleasant surprises. The Indian restaurant is one of the best in town (and, because it's in a hotel, it serves alcohol). The pub-turn-disco on the hotel's 1st floor is a large club that on weekends comes alive under the guidance of a Filipino cover band and hundreds of Asian workers letting lose after a hard 6-day work week. The Library Bar, on the hotels top floor, has a small, slightly worn clubby field populated by large-bellied ex-pats. But the beer is cold and the mural around the walls is something to behold. The Ramada will be opening a second tower in 2007 that promises more restaurants, bars and nightlife.

• Merweb Hotel, Al-Sadd Road. Newish, pleasant three-star hotel.

• Rydges Plaza Doha, Abu Firas Street Al Bidda ph 9744385444, [8]. Overlooks the Arabian Gulf and is 10 minutes from the center of Doha. It is one of the city’s newest four-star hotel. Rydges Hotels and Resorts is an Australian owned and operated company and its restaurants and bar attract homesick Ozzies.

[edit] Splurge

• Four Seasons, [9]. Located on the water near the City Center shopping mall, the Four Seasons is the first five-star hotel in town. It has a great but expensive Italian restaurant and a decent cigar/cocktail lounge just off the lobby. The pool and beach area are for hotel guests and spa members only.
• The Ritz-Carlton, [10]. The Ritz-Carlton is a 10-minute drive north of the heart of Doha, along the Gulf Coast. It has great service and luxury rooms, all for the price you'd expect to pay at a Ritz-Carlton. The pool complex is large and landscaped to look an oasis, complete with fake rocks and waterfall. There's also a swim-up bar in the pool. The cigar bar/cocktail lounge is small, but the balcony has great views of the marina and pool. Friday brunch at the Ritz is exeptionally good. There is a disco located on the grounds, but only hotel guests, club members, and people driving Italian supercars are allowed in.
• Sheraton, [11]. The Sheraton is an architectural and minor cultural landmark in Doha. It is situated at one end of the Corniche, making it visible from that long, waterfront road and walkway. It is also shaped like a pyramid with an Imperial Star Destroyer stuck on top. It has also been in town longer than any other international hotel. That doesn't mean it is at all shabby -- it just has more character than most modern hotel towers.

[edit] Get out

Al-Khor is about 50 km north of Doha. It also features a corniche, as well as a museum and several watchtowers.

Umm Salal Muhammad is about 15 km north of Doha. It features an old fort and mosque.