The Best Places to Visit in Qatar
Qatar is a small, wealthy peninsula nation in the Middle East with around 3 million residents. It is known to be similar to the UAE, in the fact that it is a bit of a ‘hub’ for Arab and Asian foreigners to migrate here for work and opportunities. Because of this, only about 12% of the countries residents are local Qatari, and Arabic and English are the two most commonly spoken languages. The capital of Doha is the only major city in this flat, desert nation, and modern skyscrapers have taken over the skyline as Qatar’s economy continues to boom.
Capital: Doha
Currency: Qatari Riyal
Language: Arabic
When to visit: November to April
1) Doha
As mentioned, Doha is Qatar’s busy, modern and efficient megacity. Chances are, if you travel long haul a lot you’ve probably ended up in Doha’s world class airport for layover. However, there is a lot to unpack in the city itself. Since the 1990’s, the city has evolved from a small little city to a massive metropolis - all thanks to Qatar’s massive natural gas reserves funding the growth. Doha has an iconic skyline and clean streets, plus all the catering towards luxury tourism.
Things to do:
Despite all the skyscrapers, Doha’s most interesting architectural piece is the National Museum of Qatar, a visually impressive building with a lot of information on the country inside. You should walk from there to Souq Waqif, the best busy traditional market of Doha. You can walk through the narrow alleys and check out all the local stalls. To see everything there is to see in Qatar at once, walk or cycle The Corniche, the watefront promenade, and then just step into the megacity and take in whats around you. There is endless spots to visit in Doha, to be honest, so some final recommendations are: The Pearl, Villaggio Mall, Aspire Park and the Mina District.
How to get there:
Hamad International Airport (DOH) is one of the world's biggest and busiest airports, with flights from everywhere.
2) Lusail
Lusail is Qatar's futuristic planned city, located about 23 km north of Doha on the Persian Gulf coast. It's being developed as a brand-new satellite city and is one of the most ambitious urban projects in the world, designed from scratch to house up to 450,000 residents and 170,000 workers when fully completed. The plan is for it to be ultra-modern settlement for all.
Things to do:
The iconic landmark of Lusail which many come to see is the Katara Towers, the crazy crescent shaped skyscraper home to Raffles Doha (the luxury hotel). Other then that, Place Vendôme Mall has a pretty impressive grand design, and is a good place to stop and visit. You can also tour the Lusail Iconic Stadium, where the 2022 World Cup Final was held. All around Lusail you’ll see crazy surreal buildings and districts. It feels like a fake world.
How to get there:
Take the Red Line extension on the Doha Metro to Lusail.
3) Inland Sea
The Inland Sea (also known as Khor Al Adaid or Khawr al Udayd) is a unique attraction in Qatar where massive sand dunes meet the sea, making this crazy rare landscape. The spot is a designated nature reserve spot in Qatar, and is literally just a location where pristine, golden sand dunes connect with the turquoise water.
Where is it:
The Inland Sea is located all the way down in southwestern Qatar, right by the border with Saudi Arabia. It’s about ~80km south of Doha.
How to get there:
Find a company providing Organized Desert Safari tours.