Once little more than a minuscule pearl fishing village, Doha (Arabic: الدوحة ad-Dawḥa), Qatar's capital, with more people than the rest of Qatar combined, has emerged to become one of the pearls of the Middle East. It is one of the most rapidly-developing cities on the Persian Gulf, akin to the development seen in nearby Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and is aiming to become a centre of international trade and travel. We also cover the neighbouring cities of Al Rayyan and Lusail in this article, as they are effectively part of the Doha urban area.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
For most of its history, Doha was a poor fishing village dependent on pearl diving, and was regarded as a sleepy backwater until the early 1990s. Following the accession of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani as Emir in 1995, however, Qatar quickly began to modernize, and Doha is now taking huge strides to catch up with other nearby Gulf cities. Development was accelerated by hosting the Asian Games in 2006 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022. The city is very much a work-in-progress, with a rapidly growing skyline and new buildings sprouting up almost like mushrooms. For most visitors, Doha is synonymous with Qatar, as the vast majority of the country's population resides in the capital city.
The Doha Metro, which opened in May 2019, is the third rapid transit system in the Gulf, representing a new wave of transit projects in the region. It has three lines: the Red Line from Lusail in the north to Al Wakra in the south or the airport depending on the train, the east-west Gold Line that features a stop at the National Museum, and the Green Line, which focuses on educational institutions in particular and has a stop at the National Library. Msheireb serves as the transfer station between every line. Like the Dubai Metro, there are premium cars with better seating and higher prices. A one-way trip costs QR 2 (QR 10 for VIP) and a day pass costs QR 6 (QR 30 for VIP).
The National Museum, Museum of Islamic Art, and Museum of Modern Art have a single three-day ticket for QR 85. Alternatively you can visit just one of them for QR 50. 1 Museum of Islamic Arts, Next to Doha Port, on the Corniche (Route 76 bus; shuttle bus), ☏ +974 4422 4444. S M W 10:30-17:30; Th Sa 12:00-20:00; F 14:00-20:00. Doha's flagship museum. Housed in a building designed by I.M. Pei, the museum hosts artefacts from Muslim dynasties all over Asia, Africa and Europe. Also present are items from the Al-Thani dynasty, as well as art from all parts of the Middle East. Gloriously air conditioned, there is also a cafe and gift shop.
Doha has a reputation for not being the most exciting place on earth; however, should you find yourself here for a longer visit, there is a variety of activities and events. Start off with a tour of the city, which should take you about 2 hours and from there you will have a good idea of what you would like to see. Beaches. There are well-maintained private beaches in Doha owned by hotels, which permit public access for a fee. Hotels with beaches include the Grand Hyatt, Diplomatic Club, InterContinental, Sheraton, Sharq Village, and the Four Seasons, with fees ranging from QR 180 for weekday passes to annual family memberships.
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. Since Qatar is a Muslim country, all food is certified halal. Zomato is a popular restaurant review site and Talabat is a common delivery site. If you are visiting during Ramadan, keep in mind that it is illegal to eat and drink in public during daylight hours, and all restaurants, including those in hotels, are not permitted to serve dine-in customers during this period.
Alcohol is strictly regulated in Qatar, as it is a Muslim country, and for visitors is only available in bars attached to large 5-star international hotels. Bars are required to see identification (i.e. a passport) at the door, although this is rarely enforced. Residents with a special liquor license may purchase alcohol at the QDC (Qatar Distribution Company) on the outskirts of town. The importation of alcohol is strictly disallowed – all bags are scanned by x-ray upon arrival at Hamad International Airport and customs will confiscate any bottles of alcohol they find.
Doha is a very safe city as far as crime goes, but exercise the usual precautions. You can call 999 if you need emergency police assistance. There is informal segregation in place to prevent migrant labourers, who are overwhelmingly male and in Qatar without their families, from mingling with Qataris. For example, some shopping malls and public spaces enforce a "Families-only entry policy" (which includes single women) on weekends and public holidays. In theory, the prohibition should apply to all single men (Qatari or otherwise), but in practice the level of enforcement will vary based on your ethnicity.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Doha typically sees ~43°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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