Posted 14 September 2023 in Travel wanderlust

10 things you should definitely do in Doha

Doha, the capital of Qatar in the Arabian Peninsula, is a modern city that is developing into a tourist hub. The entire city is being spruced up to host the 2022 FIFA football world cup. There are plenty of places to visit and lots of exciting things to do in Doha.

The best time to visit Doha is during the winter months from November to January when the climate is pleasant as Qatar has a summer-like climate all through the year. There are a lot of things to do that include camel rides, buggy rides on the dunes, visits to art galleries, exotic shopping in diverse markets ranging from open markets or souks to the most modern shopping malls and even night clubs.

Doha has an international airport and can be reached by Indigo flights from Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad and Kochi.

Here’s the list of All the unforgettable things to do in Doha

1. Going on a desert safari

A desert safari is one of the most exciting features of Doha. Tourists can choose between a camel ride or a bumpy buggy ride which can be a fun day out. Enterprising tourists look for and participate in desert races and rallies with skilled drivers. There are even car rallies organised in the desert. Tourists can inform their tour agent about the kind of desert adventure they are looking for and it will be arranged.

Best time to visit: The best time to go on a desert safari is during winter from November to January. Summer months can be excruciatingly hot in the desert and is best avoided. The desert is found from the outskirts of Doha and tour agents will pick tourists from their hotels and resorts and arrange this desert safari.

2. Visit the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qasim Al Thani Museum

A visit to a museum may seem mundane but tourists become interested in the prospect of visiting a museum that houses and displays all 600 of the Sheikh’s cars and all in working condition. The collection even includes steam cars. Many of them are rare ancient vintage cars and automobile enthusiasts will have a field day here. The best part is that this museum is not just about automobiles. There are separate sections for coins and currency, Qatar heritage and Islamic art. This is a museum like no other and worth spending a day on.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit the museum is during winter from November to January and the climate is comfortable for exploring this museum from end to end. The museum is located at Al Samriya which is 22 km west of Doha and tourists can also visit the mall of Doha as an added attraction. Taxis and cars can be hired to visit the museum. There are also luxury buses to the museum.

3. Visit the Katara Cultural Village

A new trend in tourism worldwide is to identify and create a cultural village where tourists can stay, understand the local culture, food and life in general. The Katara cultural village in Doha takes the concept of experiencing local culture to an entirely new level. This cultural village has an opera house, an amphitheatre, heritage centres, art galleries and academic facilities. Tourists can have a run of all these amazing places and locals will be happy to share their art and culture with visiting tourists. The Katara cultural village also has green areas, cafes and restaurants. There is even a museum and an information centre. Concerts, exhibitions and cultural activities are active most of the time and tourists can do well to check the itineraries of the events and visit the Katara cultural village during special exhibitions and shows. The entire cultural village is worth a visit and there are several activities to be done.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit the village is during winter from November to January and the climate is perfect for outings. The Katara cultural village can easily be reached by taxis and cars.

4. Skydiving

One of the best things to do in Qatar is skydiving. This is a real surprise and recommended for those not afraid of heights and with little experience of skydiving. Some professional guides and trainers guide interested tourists and prepare them to jump off planes and parachute safely back to earth. Very few tourist centres offer this unique thrilling sport and this is one of the most exciting things to do in Doha.

5. Visit the Doha Corniche

Another great thing to do in Doha is to visit the Doha Corniche and take a leisurely relaxing stroll along the corniche. There is a beautiful promenade for strolling with the backdrop of the west bay on one side and the glitzy skyline of Doha on the other. There are several beautiful buildings such as the museum of Islamic art interspersed with cafes and restaurants. Many of them are simply known as Buffiahs and the word means self-service in Arabic. Tourists can order over the counter and collect their ordered food. A walk along the cornice can culminate with a visit to the SouqWaqif which means standing market in Arabic. A stroll through this traditional Arabian market with its spices, cloth and amazing souvenir items is like going through a time portal. Tourists can pick up amazing works of Arab art, spices, aromatic coffee, rugs and a world of silverware, pottery and many other interesting items. Going through the Souq Waqif is like a treasure hunt and tourists will be lucky to get small treasures at affordable prices. There is even an element of interest in this market for children who are likely to find amazing toys to play with and treasure. This unique market has small coffee shops and buffiyas and tourists can take a small snack and coffee breaks as they stroll through this amazing market.

Best time to visit: The best time to explore the Doha Corniche and the Souq Waqif is during winter from November to January when the climate is pleasant enough for this long stroll through the cornice and then continuing into the Souq Waqif. The corniche and the Souq Waqif are within the city limits and tourists can easily get taxis and cars to drop them at the Corniche and leave them there for a day of unusual fun, food and frolic.

6. Explore the Al Zubarah Fort

Next on the agenda of great things to do in Doha is to explore the Al Zubarah fort. Tourists may not be expecting to visit an old fort in a modern city like Doha and this visit comes as a pleasant surprise. Tourists can explore the fort and catch glimpses of the old trading post that was slowly fortified. The fort houses a museum and there is an exhibition that is great to see and indulge in.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit the Al Zubara Fort is during the winter months from November to January when the climate is perfect for plenty of outdoor activity. The fort is an hour’s drive out of the fascinating city of Doha and can easily be reached by cabs and even by luxury buses operated by tour agents.

7. Visit Pearl – The Artificial Island

One of the best things to do in Doha is to visit and indulge in the fun at the Pearl. This is an artificially made island connected to the mainland and has luxurious homes and villages of the elite and the super-rich residents of Doha. Tourists enjoy going to Pearl and enjoying the water and the great food on this posh island. Once a site for diving for pearls, this island has several surprises for tourists. The Megapolis is a fun indoor park with escape rooms and gaming arcades that are loved by children. The Yasmine palace has eateries serving unusual Andalusian cuisine which tourists can relish.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Pearl Island is during the winter months from November to January when the climate is great for visiting beaches and going for long walks. The pearl is a popular tourist site and is easily accessible by cabs and buses.

8. Take a Luxury Ferry

One of the best fun things to do in Doha is to take a luxury ferry from the Doha Corniche and head out to Banana Island for a day of fun and relaxation. An entire family can enjoy the island lounging by the pools, splashing about in the waterslides, enjoying great food and indulging in water sports such as kayaking.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Banana Island is during the winter months from November to January. This island can be reached with a fee that includes boat transfer, access to the rides and pools.

9. One of the unusual structures to see in the desert are four grey steel monoliths which are an unusual sight and these were sculpted in Germany.

10. An unusual feature of a desert is a mangrove forest. Doha has this surprise and the Al Thakira mangrove forest with its ecosystem and a large congregation of birds is worth a day out in the forest on the edge of the desert.

With so many things to do, all that needs to be done is to book an Indigo flight to Dohs for an enchanting vacation.