Doha, Qatar
Qatar connects more than 100 different destinations, so there is a big chance that you have a long stopover in Doha during your trip. But be happy about this. For a weekend or a long stopover, Doha in Qatar is the place to be (especially during milder months: November to April). Here you get a beautiful city with a lot of sunshine and a rich variety of tasty food! Moreover, Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world. And it offers true Arabian hospitality.
Actually, Qatar is encouraging people to stay for 1-2 days in their country and even (sometimes) offer you a free hotel if your stopover is too long. I could have flown directly from Zurich to Tanzania but I decided to stay 2 nights and 2 days in Doha – and it turned out to be one of the highlights on my Kilimanjaro, Tanzania trip.
Practical information:
In December, the weather is fantastic: 25 degrees Celsius and sun. All you need is a light jacket for evenings. Very comfortable.
There is no problem to walk around - especially next to Souq Waqif. It’s very safe (also for women) even at night. For women: there is no need to cover your head.
Doha has a very efficient airport. You can go through all the controls in 20 min. If you are flying with Qatar airways, use their dedicated self-check-in and the self-baggage-drop gate (used to be number 1) – the most efficient service that I have ever seen in the airport.
Qatar airlines are actually nice and comfortable – however, don’t get the special menu on the plane (like the low carb or vegetarian) as you will get it last and it is not any good.
Accommodation: Hotel Al Najada by Tivoli. I loved their excellent service, big clean modern rooms and a very good breakfast with lots of options even for the most picky eaters. At a 100 USD per night, with transfer from the airport included, centrally located (at the entry of Souk Waqif – that means you can walk everywhere in 5-15 min), it is certainly a great choice.
Taxi: Official taxis are blue. A taxi to the airport takes 15 min and costs 30 Qatari riyals (8 USD). Taxis are inexpensive; just always ask to have meter on.
Food and drinks:
My favorite restaurant was “Bandar Aden” in Souk Waqif. You get great (and a lot of) food and it’s inexpensive. Order the lamb with rice and their special bread. Try to go early (I went at 17:30) in order to get a table outside. I would not recommend “El Terasse” and “Damascus One” in souk (both have good reviews on TripAdvisor). They are much more expensive than “Bandar Aden” and the food is not as good. In “Bandar Aden” I had a huge serving of roasted lamb with rice for 50 Qatari riyals (14 USD). In “Damascus One”, just a serving of hummus with Shaurma of lamb set me back 120 Qatari riyals (33 USD).
I was told that there should be a good Moroccan restaurant, “Argan Moroccan”, next to the Souk. I did not have time to check.
It is not allowed to drink alcohol in public places (i.e. everywhere outside of hotels), but it’s not a problem for 2 days, right? You can still have a drink at your hotel if you can’t survive 2 days.
I loved Arabic coffee. It is made with cardamom and has a green color. You can get it everywhere. One place in Souk, which I can recommend, is a kiosk located next to the exit closest to the Museum of Islamic Art - nice Arabic coffee for 3 Qatari riyals along with tasty chocolate pistachio biscuits.
You can get very good dates in Qatar. So if you love them as I do, do not forget to buy some (you can buy them anywhere). I really enjoyed them during my Kilimanjaro hike later on.
What to do for 1-2 days:
Have a long nice breakfast on the terrace of your hotel. Later, walk to the Museum of Islamic Art (it is free; you would need 1.5-2 hours to see it. It opens from 10:30 until 17:30 and weekends until 20:00 (but check online before going). It has a very interesting collection of textiles, ceramics, jewelry, calligraphy and Islamic patterns from three continents).
Take a walk in the park next to the museum (MIA park), and perhaps grab a coffee in the MIA café. Sit in one of their lounge chairs for a chilled-out view of the city.
Water bottles costs 1 Qatari riyal, which is very cheap, and you can buy them everywhere so no need to bring any with you.
Take a boat (dhow) tour in the late afternoon to see the sunset. Bargain a bit: 2 people should be around 15-20 Qatari riyals each (they will first ask a much higher price, like 30 Qatari riyals but you can bargain): I took a boat at night and it’s a spectacular view from the water to see all the lights.
In the evening, walk next to the water on Corniche Street. This is a nice seven-kilometer promenade with a beautiful view, especially at sunset and after dark.
For dinner, eat in “Bandar Aden” (next to the entry to Souk from the waterside) or opt for a romantic dinner in an upscale hotel.
Afterwards, go to a Falcon Souk where falcons are sold (Falconry is 5000 year old sport which is famous particularly in Qatar). Souks are open until very late at night (but closed from midday to 4pm) and they are very safe to walk. There are entertaining shows all the time everywhere around the Souk Waqif. Don’t miss the part where they sell birds, cats and rabbits.
Shopping:
There are almost no handicrafts that are made in Qatar. Most of the things sold in Souks are from Turkey (the majority of things), Iran, Syria, etc.
I bought a very expensive jewellery box from Iran - wooden with a mosaic of shell and bone on both the in-and outside. I bought it from an Iranian guy for 520 Qatari Riyals (down from 750) together with a small box made of camel bone for 180 Qatari Riyals (down from 270). I paid USD 200 for both, which is expensive but the quality is incredible.
I was thinking to buy a traditional lamp of metal with dots from the store in souk that is next to the “Al Terrase” restaurant. It makes a nice dotted light. It was about 500 Qatari riyals (approx. USD 150). However, it was too big, so I wasn’t able to bring it with me in my luggage. Actually, you can find such lamps all over the Middle East and in many shops in Europe - sometimes even cheaper… Therefore, I am not sure whether it is a good buy in general…
You should absolutely buy dates (you can get them everywhere; just make sure they look fresh).
I was not sure about buying perfumes – they might have too many harmful metals and chemicals as nobody controls them... But it is a specialty in Doha.
Exchange rate: 1USD - 3.6 Qatari riyals
What to do next time:
Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani museum – should be one of the most surprising and interesting museums in the country (23km west of Doha)
East-West/West-East artwork by sculptor Richard Serra – Qatar is passionate about promoting art and culture of all forms and has commissioned world renowned artists to create truly unique pieces
Al Zubarah Fort and the abandoned village (Qatar’s first UNESCO World Heritage site)
The Pearl and its picturesque Qanat Quartier
Katara cultural village (located on the way to the Pearl)
Modern Art Museum (a bit off the center but you can take a taxi there)
Brunch in the W hotel, St Regis or La Veranda
There are many great places to visit and your time is precious – Doha, Qatar is certainly a gem that should be on anyone’s bucket list.
I really enjoyed my 2 days in Doha and I would definitely consider it again if my flight connection allows it.
See you there.
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12.11.2019
