Doha travel guide

Doha, Qatar

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Doha

Introduction

Doha is Qatar's capital and largest city, and its main financial hub. It sits on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor and Lusail. Most of the country's population lives here, and the city is still growing quickly — the surrounding suburbs, together with Doha itself, make up the Doha Metropolitan Area.

Before you go

Doha is a work-in-progress, with a skyline that keeps sprouting new buildings, so even if you have visited before, expect it to look different again. The city is far more diverse than its Qatari minority suggests, and English serves as the lingua franca, so you will manage easily without Arabic. It is fairly liberal by regional standards — alcohol and pork are legal for non-Muslim foreign residents, and non-Muslim women are not required to wear the hijab — but very skimpy outfits remain illegal, criticising the Emir is a crime, and homosexuality carries the death penalty, so gay visitors should be discreet. The weather is best described in the moment rather than by the calendar, but expect intense heat for much of the year. Crime is not a major concern, and you can call 999 for emergency police assistance. Be aware, however, of informal segregation aimed at migrant labourers: some malls and public spaces enforce "families-only" entry on weekends and public holidays, and in practice this is applied unevenly, with Asian and African men most likely to be turned away while white or Qatari men are usually admitted. Do not contest being banned from a public space, as you risk questioning or detention; joining a tour group can signal clearly that you are a tourist. Tourist attractions generally will not turn you away regardless of your background, provided you wear smart casual dress with bottoms covering your knees. If you want to understand the racialised experiences of Qatar's migrant worker majority, a visit to the Asian Town mall may be of interest.

Getting there

Most travellers reach Doha through Hamad International Airport, the city's primary point of entry and the hub for Qatar Airways. That airline's network stretches across Europe, South and East Asia, Australia, Africa and the Americas, and as a member of the Oneworld alliance it offers many connections as codeshare flights with partner carriers such as British Airways. Other carriers serving Doha are fewer than you might expect: major European airlines typically run a single connection from their main hubs, most Middle Eastern airlines connect, and there is a reasonable choice of flights to India and Pakistan, but relatively few other Asian airlines fly in. If you are coming from outside the Persian Gulf region, the most economical approach is often to use Qatar as an intermediate stopover on the way to another destination, since transit tickets are competitively priced while fares starting or ending in Doha are artificially high due to limited competition. Arriving by car is possible in principle, as highways throughout Qatar lead to the capital, but Qatar's only land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south and permits to drive through can be extremely difficult to obtain. Plans for bridges linking Qatar with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates remain early-stage.

Getting around

For most journeys, the Doha Metro is the simplest way to move around the city. Three lines cover the main areas: the Red Line runs from Lusail in the north to Al Wakra in the south, with some trains serving the airport; the Gold Line crosses east-west and stops at the National Museum; and the Green Line serves educational institutions, including a stop at the National Library. Msheireb is the transfer station between all lines. You pay by tapping a card on entry and exit, and cards are sold at any station. Fares are low, and premium cars with better seating cost more. You don't need to do anything special for a day pass — once you've paid for three rides, the system stops charging you for the rest of the day. Free "metrolink" feeder buses connect stations to areas the Metro doesn't reach, and a free ride-sharing service called "metroexpress" operates with a Metro trip, though only at West Bay and DICC and only after separate registration. Every station has restrooms with baby-changing tables and ablution rooms just past the turnstiles.

Buses, run by the government-owned Mowasalat, cover most of Doha and surrounding towns, but route maps are only available at the main bus station at Al Ghanim near the Gold Souq, service on some routes is infrequent, and buses often run behind schedule. Fares are payable with exact change or a Karwa Smartcard. Buses have dedicated sections at the front for women and families, though some routes, particularly to industrial areas, are used predominantly by male labourers and are best avoided by women travellers. A free Mowasalat shuttle runs two routes in the West Bay downtown area every 15 minutes; on Fridays it is family-only, and solo men are not permitted. Taxis are the main alternative to renting a car: Karwa and Al Million are government-operated, and Uber is also popular. Check the meter before you set off — tampered meters are increasingly reported, so look for black tape or paper — and set the tariff to '1' for journeys within Doha and '0' at night or outside the city. If a driver refuses to use the meter, the ride should be free, though you may need to call the police to enforce it. Demand far exceeds supply, waits can be long, and hailing a taxi is impossible in many places; you're only guaranteed to find one at major malls, the airport and international hotels. Unmarked "limousine" taxis are much more expensive and may not carry a meter, and TaxiF services are illegal. If you'd rather drive, rental agencies including Hertz, Avis and Budget operate at the airport, and driving is on the right, but expect frequent traffic jams, road construction and diversions, and don't rely on even recent maps or satellite imagery. Trams serve Lusail and Msheireb Downtown, the latter free to use.

Where to stay

Doha's accommodation leans heavily toward the top end: international five-star chains dominate, with properties clustered around West Bay, the Corniche and West Bay Lagoon, and more on the way. The Sheraton Grand, shaped like a pyramid with an Imperial Star Destroyer stuck on top, has been in town longer than any other international hotel and is visible from the Corniche. The Four Seasons was the first five-star in town, with a pool and beach area reserved for guests and spa members. The Ritz-Carlton sits a short drive north along the Gulf Coast, its landscaped pool complex built to look like an oasis, and its Friday brunch is exceptionally good. The Grand Hyatt and InterContinental both occupy West Bay Lagoon, the latter with a large, quiet pool and beach complex. In West Bay you'll also find the St Regis, the Kempinski Residences & Suites, the Mövenpick Tower & Suites and the W Doha. The Torch occupies the distinctive Aspire Tower in the Aspire Zone, with a rotating restaurant offering panoramic city views, while La Cigale sits in the heart of the city with a spa and hammam. Banana Island Resort lies offshore on the Arabian Gulf.

More modest choices come in shorter supply. In the budget bracket there's the Qatar Youth Hostels Association property behind Al-Ali market, plus La Villa Hotel and the Victoria Hotel, the latter with a pool and gym. Mid-range options include Al Madina Suites, with furnished suites and a gym, and Al Muntazah Plaza Hotel in Al Mansoora, offering two- to three-bedroom apartments convenient for the corniche, city centre and shopping centres. Hotel Crystal Palace, off Al Rayyan Road, has a health club and business centre. The Doha Marriott, on Ras Abu Aboud Street, has two towers of rooms and a strong spread of restaurants, with alcohol served in the restaurants but no cocktail lounge or bar. The Mercure is unusual in that you can walk out the door and see things, though it's correspondingly less tranquil, and it runs regular airport shuttles. The Mövenpick on the Corniche has an all-day dining restaurant and piano bar, while the Ramada Encore pairs a well-regarded Indian restaurant with a ground-floor pub that turns into a disco at weekends and a top-floor Library Bar. Somerset West Bay offers two- and three-bedroom apartments with a gym and indoor pool. Note that little of Doha is walkable, so location matters less than you might expect.

Food & drink

Because of its population diversity, Doha serves up a wide range of cuisines — Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Korean and, of course, Middle Eastern. All food in the city is certified halal, and pork is not served in restaurants. Zomato is a popular restaurant review site and Talabat a common delivery service. If you visit during Ramadan, note that eating and drinking in public during daylight hours is illegal, and restaurants — including those in hotels — cannot serve dine-in customers; some stay open to sell takeaway meals that non-Muslims can eat privately in their hotel room. Iftar, the breaking of the fast after sunset, is an elaborate communal affair, with many establishments setting up large tents that non-Muslim visitors are welcome to join — reserve well in advance.

For local street food, head to Souq Waqif in the evening, where the Pancake Ladies in the square by the car park dish out home-made crepe-like mankouche filled with labneh, za’atar or Nutella, along with meat, chicken and fish specialities and a few vegetarian options. Souq Waqif also holds several good restaurants, including Tagine for Moroccan food and Le Gourmet, a fine spot for sheesha and a cup of tea. Shay Al Shoomos, in the same souq, is a popular breakfast stop and one of the few places serving traditional Qatari cuisine. Among Middle Eastern options, Al Shami Home Restaurant is a Doha institution for Syrian and Lebanese dishes and sheesha, Al Mourjan offers Lebanese food with some of the best views in the city, and Turkey Central serves generous, cheap mixed grill and shish tawooq. Indian food is plentiful: Bukhara is known for northern Indian cooking, Anjappar Chettinad for good-value vegetarian thalis, and Chingari for northern Indian dishes with live music. For Asian food, try the southeast Asian-style cooking at Noodle House, the Cantonese fare at Royal Bafilyon, or the Thai street food at Thai Snack and Thai Smile. European choices include Ciao for thin-crust pizza and Lo Spaghetto for classic Italian, while American fast-food chains and upscale chains such as TGI Fridays and Chili's have branches around the city, many in the major shopping centres and at Ramada Junction.

What to see and do

Doha's flagship museum is the Museum of Islamic Art, a building designed by I.M. Pei on the Corniche next to Doha Port. Its collection covers artefacts from Muslim dynasties across Asia, Africa and Europe, along with items from the Al-Thani dynasty and art from around the Middle East. The permanent exhibition occupies the upper floors, temporary exhibitions are on the ground floor, and there is a cafe and gift shop on site. A single ticket also covers the National Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, or you can visit just one. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art sits in Education City and holds a collection of modern art from the Arab world, with occasional exhibitions by contemporary artists; a free shuttle connects it with the Museum of Islamic Art.

For cultural heritage, start at Souq Waqif, the rebuilt Arabic market quarter where you can wander maze-like corridors organised by trade - sections for spices and textiles, a quarter selling falcons, stables with Arabian horses nearby, and camels kept near Al Koot Fort. You will find souvenirs, places to smoke a sheesha, and restaurants along its edges, and traditionally-dressed Qatari police patrol the area, mounted on camels in the morning and on horseback in the evening. Al Koot Fort, a large white Ottoman-era fort, stands in what is now the souq's parking lot and remains a popular spot for photos even though it is closed for renovation. Nearby, the Fanar Qatar Islamic Cultural Center is recognisable by its spiral minaret and offers Arabic classes, art and calligraphy exhibits, mosque tours with a traditional dinner, and coffee mornings on Qatari culture, all requiring registration. The Clock Tower next to the Grand Mosque has Arabic numerals on its face and, being on a hill, gives good views of the Corniche. In the Msheireb district, four historic houses - Mohammed bin Jassim House, Company House, Bin Jelmood House and Radwani House - form the Msheireb Museums, with exhibits on the Msheireb community, traditional Qatari family life, the oil industry, and slavery and exploitation. You can also see one of Qatar's last traditional windtowers, enclosed within Souq Najada, from the outside, and wander the older neighbourhood of Al Najada south of Souq Waqif for a glimpse of older Qatari architecture.

When to go

Doha has a hot desert climate, which means your trip will be shaped mostly by heat. Summers are long and extremely hot, with average highs that climb very high and humidity that stays low in May and June before dewpoints rise later in the season. Rain is almost unheard of during this stretch, so the heat itself is the defining feature of any summer visit.

Outside the summer months, conditions are far more comfortable. This is the milder stretch of the year, when the limited annual rain falls and daytime temperatures stay relatively warm while the sun is up, turning cool at night. Temperatures rarely drop below freezing, so you can plan most of your days outdoors without contending with the intense heat that dominates the rest of the year.

Festivals & events

Doha's calendar includes a few standout events worth planning around. In February, the HH The Amir Sword takes place, while March brings an Arabian horse show.

Three days in Doha

Day one: Start in Doha itself, the capital of Qatar, set on the Persian Gulf. English and Arabic are both widely spoken, and the city is predominantly Muslim, so dress modestly in public areas. Begin with the waterfront and the traditional market area, then move on to the Museum of Islamic Art, which sits on its own island just off the corniche. In the afternoon, head north to Lusail, the newer planned city, to see how the country is building for the future. For dinner, try Qatari specialties such as machboos or harees.

Day two: Head south of Doha to Al Wakrah, a coastal town with a traditional feel, and then continue north to Al Khor, a fishing town known for its harbour and mangroves. Both are within easy reach of the Doha Metropolitan Area. If you have time, visit Asian Town, a neighbourhood south of the city centre where many South Asian residents live and eat, with restaurants serving food from India and Pakistan. In the evening, return to Doha for a meal in one of the city's many Middle Eastern or European restaurants.

Day three: Use your last day to explore more of Doha's neighbourhoods and museums, or take a day trip if you have a late flight. Most visitors arrive at Hamad International Airport, served by Qatar Airways and other carriers including British Airways and Oneworld partners, with connections to Europe, South and East Asia, Australia, Africa and the Americas. Crime is low, so getting around is straightforward. If you are departing, allow time to return to the airport, which lies just east of the city centre.

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