“ Vui thay chúng ta sống, không tham giữa cuộc đời đầy tham

“ Vui thay chúng ta sống, không tham giữa cuộc đời đầy tham;
Vui thay chúng ta sống, không sân giữa cuộc đời đầy sân;
Vui thay chúng ta sống, không mê lầm giữa cuộc đời mê lầm.”

Tipping at restaurants

Tipping at restaurants is not compulsory, although it has become fairly standard to tip about 10% to the waitstaff. Despite being banned, some restaurants still include a 10% service charge in the bill. Should your bill include a service charge, feel free to strike it from the total and leave a tip on the table instead.
Arabic coffee in Souq Waqif
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 Distri-bution Company) on the outskirts of town. Importing al-cohol is not permitted – all bags are x-rayed upon arrival and any alcohol will be confiscated and held for you. With a claims receipt you can pick up your bottle again when you leave.
Some of the places favoured by local expats are the
Crystal Lounge and Waham Poolside Lounge (W Doha Hotel), Sky View Bar (La Cigale Hotel), the Belgian Café (InterContinental at West Bay Lagoon), and Trader Vic’s (Hilton). The Irish Harp (in the base-ment of the Sheraton near City Center Mall) has frequent live music.
 Tea and coffee

Karak is the local specialty, a very sweet concoction made from tea and evaporated milk available from stalls every-where, some of them drive-through (just park your car outside and honk). A particularly popular place is Cha-pati & Karak (tel. +974 4408 1408) at Katara Cultural Village.

Most international coffee chains (including the ubiqui-tous Starbucks) are well-represented here, especially in shopping malls.

PappaRoti, C Ring Rd, ☎ +974 4421 2001, e-mail: info@papparoti.ae. Daily 12PM-12AM. This branch of the popular Malaysian café chain offers a good selection of coffee and teas, along with special roti buns.

Seafood

Best Fish, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed St, ☎ +974 4443 8507. 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5:30PM-12AM daily. Popular with Qataris. Cheap local fish dishes - the grilled hammour with garlic butter is recommended. Take away and home delivery available.

Fish Market, Al Isteqlal Rd, West Bay (InterCon-tinental Hotel), ☎ +974 4484 4444. Sa-Th 6PM-12AM, Fr 12:30PM-3:30PM. The best fish in town at upscale prices, much of it local. Reservations rec-ommended, particularly for the Friday brunch.


L'wzaar Seafood Market, Katara Cultural Vil-lage, Bldg 27, ☎ +974 4408 0710/11, fax: +974 4408 0722, e-mail: info@lwzaar.com. S-W 12PM-2:30PM, 7PM-10:30PM; Th-Sa 12:30PM-3:30PM, 7PM-11:30PM. A good selection of seafood, with good views. Reservations recommended.

6.7.7  Grocery stores

For self-catering options there are a few hypermarkets as well as a number of smaller neighborhood grocery stores distributed throughout the city.

Carrefour. 8AM-midnight daily, closed Fri 11:30AM-12:30PM. This French-based chain has three hypermarkets in Doha: in Landmark Mall, Villaggio Mall, and City Center Mall. They also have a smaller grocery store in Lagoona Plaza.

Family Food Centre. 7:30AM-midnight daily, closed Fri for midday prayer. Three branches on Al Matar St, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed St, and Al Rayyan.

LuLu. 8AM-midnight daily, closed Fri for midday prayer. This UAE-based chain operates two full hy-permarkets: on D-Ring Rd (near the airport) and in Al Gharrafa (across from Landmark Mall). There is also a smaller express store near Education City.

Mega Mart, The Centre, Salwa Rd (not far from the Ramada and Radisson Blu hotels). 8AM-11PM, closed Fri 11:30AM-12:30PM.

Quality Hypermarket, Salwa Rd, ☎ +974 4460 4242. 7AM-1PM daily, closed Fr 11AM-noon.

Spinney’s. This Lebanese chain operates two stan-dard grocery stores: one at the Pearl-Qatar (in Porto Arabia), and one at The Mall (D-Ring Rd).

Middle Eastern

  Middle Eastern

Al Shami Home Restaurant, C-Ring Rd (oppo-site from McDonald’s), ☎ +974 4443 3666. 8AM-12AM daily. A Doha institution, featuring tradi-tional Syrian and Lebanese dishes, as well as shee-sha.

Al Hamra, Al Rayan Rd (opposite from McDon-ald’s), ☎ +974 4443 3297. 6AM-1AM daily. A family restaurant offering Lebanese dishes. Service is a bit slow, good for large groups.

Al Mourjan, Al Corniche (white building behind the giant Orry statue). An upscale place with tasty Lebanese dishes and some of the best views in Doha.

Ankara Pastry Restaurant, Ahmed Bin Ali St (across from Al-Ahli Hospital), ☎ +974 4487 1861. Good pastries and shwarmas, popular with Turkish expats.

Istanbul Sultan, Mesaimeer Rd (near the left cor-ner of the strip mall behind Abu Hamour Petrol Sta-tion). Very small place with great schwarmas.

Layali, Salwa, ☎ +974 4431 0005 /06 /07. One of the more expensive Lebanese restaurants. It is rumored that the former Emir himself has eaten here on occasion.

Shebestan Palace Restaurant, Al-Sadd St (east of C-Ring Rd), ☎ +974 4432 1555. 12PM-12AM daily. Good Persian food.

Turkey Central, Al Mirqhab Al Jadeed St (off of C-Ring Rd, near the Doha Clinic), ☎ +974 4443 2927, +974 4442 3423. 8AM-12:30AM daily. Of-fers good, cheap Middle Eastern fare. The portions are large (try the mixed grill or shish tawooq) and the appetizers are excellent, particularly the chili lab-neh. Delivery and take-out available.

For local street food, nothing beats the home-made good-ness dished out by the Pancake Ladies in Souq Waqif ev-ery evening in the square by the car park. The crepe-like mankouche is particularly tasty, filled with your choice of labneh (cheese), za’atar, or the less-traditional Nutella for QR5. Other local specialties feature meat, chicken, and fish, and there are even a couple of vegetarian options.

There are also many good restaurants in Souq Waqif worth trying. Perhaps the best include Tagine (Moroc-can) and Le Gourmet, particularly good for sheesha and a cup of tea. These are not as inexpensive as the Pancake Ladies but are good for ambiance and people watching.

European

European
Ciao, Salwa Rd (near Decoration Roundabout), ☎ +974 4468 9100. 12:30PM-12AM. Offers thin-crust pizza baked in a traditional oven, along with a good selection of pastas and risottos.

J&G Sandwich Cellar, Ras Abu Aboud St (near the C-Ring flyover), ☎ +974 4435 7559, fax: +974 4435 7936, e-mail: Sandwich.cellar@gmail.com. S-Th 7AM-10PM, Fr-Sa 8AM-10PM. Doha’s only British café, with full English breakfasts as well as Yorkshire pudding. Free wi-fi; delivery and takeout available.

Lo Spaghetto, corner of Al Difaaf and Al Ham-dani St (behind Royal Plaza Mall, Al Sadd), ☎ +974 4434 1601. 6:30PM-11PM. Classic Italian food, prepared by Italian chefs.

Mykonos, Al Isteqlal Rd, West Bay (InterConti-nental Hotel), ☎ +974 4484 4444. Daily 12PM-11:30PM. Solid Greek food, outdoor pool-side seat-ing available.
 Indian

Doha is home to a large Indian population. As such, the city centre is full of small Indian restaurants, with many other excellent Indian restaurants scattered throughout the city.

Aalishan, Ibn Seena St (near the Ramada), ☎ +974 4431 5999. Sa-W 12PM-11PM, Th-Fr 12PM-11:30PM. Recommended for the Friday afternoon buffet.

Al Zarka, Al Mahtuf St (near Qatar National Mu-seum, Al Salata), ☎ +974 4432 0655, +974 5552 7338. 6AM-1AM. Very popular with South Asian workers as well as Qataris. Menu features primarily Indian as well as Arabian dishes.

Anjappar Chettinad, Al Khaleej St, ☎ +974 4427 9833. Sa-Th 11:30AM-11:30PM, Fr 7AM-11AM, 12:30AM-11:30PM. Vegetarian, good value for the thali set menu.

Bukhara, Khalifa St (opposite Bennigan’s and Fud-druckers, by Khalifa Tennis Centre), ☎ +974 4483 3345. Daily 12PM-3.30pm, 6PM-1.30am. Deli-cious northern Indian cuisine, with especially good fish tandoori and chicken vindaloo.

Chingari, Ramada Hotel (corner of C-Ring and Salwa Rds), ☎ +974 4428 1555. Daily 6PM-11PM. Expensive and good northern Indian food, with live Indian music on a small stage.

Garden Annapoorna, Najma St, ☎ +974 6668 3856. Formerly located in Musheireb, serves great south Indian dishes.

The Garden Village Restaurant Doha, Fereej Kulaib St (opposite Yaarmuk Petrol Station & Nis-san showroom, ahead of Al Ahli Hospital while go-ing from Ramada signal), ☎ +974 4488 5115. Rec-ommended for its good ambience and nice Indian village model interior.

Taj Palace, Al Faisal St (near the corner of Al-Khaleej and Al Rayyan Rds), ☎ +974 4431 9200. Reasonable northern Indian food, worth trying if you're in the area.

Taj Rasoi, Marriott Hotel (near the airport), ☎ +974 4429 8888. Daily 6:30PM-11:30PM. One of the most expensive (and excellent) Indian restau-rants in Doha, and the place to go for Indian seafood.

Qatari sweets at Souq Waqif

American Informal fish market along the Corniche


Most major American fast food chains have multiple branches here, including McDonald’s, KFC, Hardee’s,

Arby’s, Burger King, Subway, and Dairy Queen.


Pizza places include Pizza Hut, Little Caesar’s, Pizza Inn, and Papa John’s. Many of these are located in the


 EAT
major shopping centres, and at Ramada Junction (the in-tersection of C-Ring and Salwa Rds).

There are also a number of more upscale American chains, including TGI Fridays (in the Landmark, Vil-laggio shopping malls, Bin Omran Opposite the Civil Defense and Suheem Bin Hamad Street, Al-Sadd), Ap-plebee’s, Chili’s, Fuddruckers, Bennigan’s, and Pon-derosa Steakhouse.

Ric’s Kountry Kitchen, Sana Complex, Ras Abu Abboud St (southeast corner of Ras Abu Abboud St and D Ring Rd), ☎ +974 4443 7846. Serves up large classic American breakfasts, and one of the few places in Doha with real bacon and pork sausages.

Yellow Cab Pizza, several branches, ☎ +974 4488 8310. 11AM-1AM daily. This is undisputedly the most popular pizza in Doha, surprisingly offered by a well-established and efficient Filipino operation. The barbequed chicken pizza is particularly tasty. Delivery and pick-up available.
  Asian

Noodle House, three locations, ☎ +974 4411 5063 (City Center Mall), +974 4417 5682 (Landmark Mall), +974 4495 3876 x2531 (The Pearl-Qatar, Porto Arabia), e-mail: info@thenoodlehouse.com. noon-11PM. Offers a number of southeast Asian-style dishes. Their portions are not very large, but the taste makes up for that. Their prawn crackers are particularly good. Delivery available.

Oishi Sushi, Al Sadd St (Royal Plaza Mall), ☎ +974 442 8989. Decent sushi, with sushi train. On Monday and Tuesday evenings they offer an all-you-can-eat for QR 135 (reservations recommended).

Royal Bafilyon, Salwa Rd (behind the Al Jazeera petrol station, across from Quality Hypermarket), ☎ +974 7721 9865. This Cantonese restaurant is a fa-vorite of the Chinese and Singaporean expat com-munities.

Shanghai Garden, City Centre Mall (West Bay), ☎ +974 4493 3188. 11AM-11:30PM. Favored by local Chinese expats.

Sri Kebaya, Souq Waqif, ☎ +974 4434 0838. 11AM-11:30PM daily. Good Malaysian food.

Thai Corner, The Centre, Salwa Rd (adjacent to MegaMart), ☎ +974 6640 7858. Sa-Th 10:30AM-10PM, F 1:30PM-10PM. Tiny place with two ta-bles, with fantastic Thai food. In nice weather you can eat in the courtyard.


Thai Smile, Al Corniche (Rumaila Park), ☎ +976 4431 6466. Su-Th 11.30am-10.30pm, F-Sa noon-10.30pm. Casual and delicious Thai street food, with outdoor seating.

Thai Snack, Al-Mirqab St (near Doha Clinic, adja-cent to a Thai massage parlor), ☎ +974 4432 9704. Daily 10AM-2:30PM, 5PM-10:30PM. A Doha in-stitution, offers authentic Thai street food for very reasonable prices.

Yee Hwa Restaurant, Al-Kinana St (in the Doha Downtown Hotel), ☎ +974 4441 9898, e-mail: YeeHwaDoha@gmail.com. Daily 12PM-11PM. This restaurant specialises in both Korean barbecue and Japanese cuisine, and is one of the better places in Doha for sushi.

The availability of English-language

The availability of English-language books in Doha is fairly limited but improving, and there are several shops which offer some current titles as well as regional travel guides. Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarket, and Megamart all sell international magazines and newspapers along with local maps.

ISpy Book Shop, City Center Mall, Level 3 (West Bay), ☎ +974 4493 4482, fax: +974 4493 4253, e-mail: info@ispybookshop.net. Stocks a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books in English, as well as a small selection in French and German. Has a decent selection of travel guides and maps.

Jarir Bookstore (Salwa),  Salwa Rd (near
the  junction with C-Ring  Rd, not far from
the  Ramada),  ☎  +974  4444  0212,  e-mail:
jarir@jarirbookstore.com. Sa-Th 9AM-10PM; F
4PM-10PM. Sells Arabic and English language
books, and a good selection of international maga-
zines and newspapers. Also has a Costa coffee bar.
There is a second branch near Education City, on
Al Rayyan Al Jadeed Rd.
Tribe Bookstore,  Student Center, Edu-
cation  City, ☎ +974 4481 7196,  e-mail:
info@tribebookstore.com. Sa-Th 8AM-9PM.
Carries fiction and non-fiction, as well as magazines
and stationery. Special orders are welcome.

Virgin Megastore, Villaggio Mall, ☎ +974 4413 5823. Stocks books and magazines in Arabic, En-glish, and French. A second branch in Landmark Mall has a much smaller selection.

WH Smith, Ezdan Mall. Doha’s newest and largest bookstore is currently in a soft-opening phase, and expected to be fully open in November 2013.

The Gate Shopping Center

  Malls
Typically most malls in Doha are open from 10AM to 10PM Saturday to Thursday. Most will be closed on Friday mornings but will open up during the evening, when they'll be the most crowded. Also, be aware that some malls schedule “Family Days”, where single men will be turned away at the door. In practice, however, most Westerners will be allowed in, but brown-skinned persons (particularly South Asians in their native dress-ing) will be turned away.

City Center Doha, Conference Centre St (West Bay). Opened in April 2001 and is the largest shop-ping centre in Qatar. Located in West Bay, the modern part of the city on the northern end of the

Corniche, it offers a large and diverse shopping ex-perience, including several jewellery and perfume stores. For entertainment there is a large multiplex cinema, a bowling alley, a children’s arcade, as well as an indoor ice skating rink. There are several eat-ing options including two food courts as well as sev-eral sit-down restaurants. By western standards, this mall is quite dated for its age, but remains popular due to its large size and ideal location. Finally, the mall is home to a large Carrefour hypermarket.

Ezdan Mall, Al Markhiya St (Gharafa, across the expressway from Landmark Shopping Mall). Doha’s newest mall, with 200 tenants and a Carrefour su-permarket. Not all shops are open yet.

The Gate Shopping Center, Omar AlMukhtar St (West Bay, near City Center Doha), ☎ +974 4407 7201. Has 280 shops with mostly luxury goods. The popular bistro 'Jones the Grocer' is also located here.

Hyatt Plaza, Hyatt Plaza Rd (Al Aziziyah, near Sports City and Villaggio Mall). This shopping mall is comparatively smaller than others, but as a plus it is always less crowded. There is a good sized food court and a large children’s playland called “Jungle Zone.”

Lagoona Plaza, West Bay, Zone 66 (distinctive zigzag towers, near the Pearl-Qatar), ☎ +974 4433 5555. closed Sunday. Mostly high-end luxury goods, with a Carrefour grocery store.

Landmark Shopping Mall, Al Markhiya St (Gharafa, across the expressway from Ezdan Mall). Focuses mostly on clothing, jewellery, and cosmet-ics. There is also a Carrefour hypermarket for gro-ceries.

The Mall, Najma St and D Ring Rd. Qatar’s first shopping mall, opened in October 1997. Tourists are better off going to any of the aforementioned lo-cations if they wish to purchase store goods.

Villaggio Shopping Mall, Al Aziziyah. One of Doha’s newest malls, located near the Aspire Cen-tre. The mall is designed to look like Venice in terms of architecture, and is home to many western stores, as well as a large Carrefour. The food court is home to several Western-style fast food restaurants, as well as several sit-down options. For entertain-ment, there is currently a long canal offering gondola rides (15 QR), an ice-skating rink (30 QR), and a cinema with 13 screens and one IMAX screen. On May 28, 2012, a major fire broke out in the mall trapping and killing 19 people; the trial assessing culpability is still ongoing. The mall reopened in September 20, 2012.

You can buy pretty much anything you

Buy
You can buy pretty much anything you want in Doha, apart from pork products and alcohol (except with a li-cence or in the major hotels). Shopping is a major leisure pursuit of many Qataris and expats; prices however are somewhat higher than in Dubai. As with in most of the Middle East, be prepared to bargain.

 Souqs

The best shopping experiences are undoubtedly to be had in the various souqs (markets).

Souq Waqif, Al Jasra (near the Emiri Diwan and Al Koot Fort). 10AM-12AM, 4PM-10PM daily. Also
referred to as the Old Souq, this is the best place to pick up souvenirs and rub shoulder with locals. There are a number of good restaurants and sheesha cafes located here. There are also a number of falcon shops, and some dealers will allow you to handle and photograph them. Also worth visiting are the horse stables (near the falcon shops) and the camels (near Al Koot Fort).

Gold Souq, Ali Bin Abdullah St (Old Al Ghanim, near HSBC by the bus station). The place to buy gold and jewellery. The purity of gold is strictly regu-lated, so you can be sure of the quality.

Fabric Souq, Al Ahmed St (near Fanar Mosque, with the distinctive spiral minaret). This actually comprises three different neighboring souqs (Al Ahmed, Al Asiery, and Al Dira). Here you can choose from a selection of exotic fabrics and have clothing designed and tailored to your specifications. For a complete outfit, allow about a week or two for completion.

Omani Souq, Bu Hamour (near the Wholesale Market, parallel to Salwa Rd). Here you can buy things like spices, incense and woven baskets. Next door is a vegetable market.

Qatar Racing and Equestrian

Kayaking, ☎ +974 3311 6249, e-mail: entalek.org@gmail.com. Entalek Adventures offers guided sea kayaking trips within Doha, or further afield along coastal mangroves and secluded beaches, with opportunites for birdwatching and camping. They also conduct guided snorkeling trips, and can rent out fully-outfitted kayaks (QR 200/day). Trip descriptions and schedules can be found here, and bookings can be made directly online.

Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, Al Rayyan, ☎ +974 4480 8122. Horse racing takes place dur-ing the winter months, with races scheduled every Thursday beginning at 4PM and lasting until about 9PM. Gambling is prohibited, but attendees can en-ter free raffles to guess the winning horses, with sub-stantial prizes (including cars). These races are very popular. The Club also hosts an Arabian horse show every March; details are published in the local press. Free.

Sailing, Al Isteqlal Rd (West Bay Lagoon, near the InterContinental Hotel), ☎ +974 4442 4577, e-mail: regatta@qatar.net.qa. Regatta Sailing Academy of-fers sailing courses as well as a range of boats for hire, including funboats, dinghies, and even two 30-foot yachts.

Sheesha. A typical Middle Eastern activity in the afternoons is to find a sheesha cafe and smoke some fruit-flavoured tobacco. One of the best places in Doha is Ras-Naswa at the non-Sheraton end of the Corniche. Located in a picturesque old-style building reminiscient, in colour and texture if not grandeur, of the red Mughal structures in India, Ras-Naswa has a nice outdoor garden and serves decent Middle Eastern food.

on public beaches women should dress more mod-

on public beaches women should dress more mod-estly (i.e. with long water shorts and t-shirts).

Dhow tour. Day or evening dhow cruises can be arranged with any of the dhows docked along the Corniche. Many cruises offer meals as well as en-tertainment, and can be booked for large tours or for more informal arrangements.

Doha Debates. The Qatari government has worked hard to make Doha an educational centre in the Mid-dle East. One of the benefits of this is the Doha Debates, where top political and academic minds in the Arab world come together to discuss difficult is-sues in the Arab World. Past debates have discussed whether Palestinians risk becoming their own worst enemy, whether the Sunni-Shia conflict damages Is-lam’s reputation as a religion of peace, or if Muslims are failing to combat extremism.

The debates are always very thought-provoking and a good window to understanding the cur-rent state of the Arab world. Tickets are ex-tremely limited but can be obtained from the website above.

Update: The debates have been suspended, and it has not been announced if/when they will re-sume in the future.

Doha Film Institute. Showcasing a wide range of international and art films, DFI also hosts two inter-national film festivals, in November and in March. Films are screened at the Museum of Islamic Art and at Katara Cultural Village; tickets can be booked online.

Doha  Golf  Club, West  Bay,  ☎ +974
4496 0777,  fax:  +974 4483 4790, e-mail:
info@dohagolfclub.com. 6:30AM-11PM daily.
The only golf club currently open to the general public. QR 590 weekdays, QR 795 weekends (nonmembers).

Drag racing, 52nd St (near the intersection with E Industrial St in the Industrial Area, Al Rayyan), ☎ +974 4450 9357/9114/9358/9113, fax: +974 4469 3938/2192. Drag racing is promoted by the Qatari government on an organized racetrack so young drivers do not feel the need for crazy driving on the streets of Doha. For a fee you can race your own car, or you can watch one of the regularly-scheduled professional races.

Jungle Zone, Hyatt Plaza (near Khalifa Stadium). 3500 sq m of animal-themed children’s attractions, Qatar’s most popular indoor theme park.

Calligraffiti Murals

 Calligraffiti Murals, four underground tunnels on Salwa Rd. In 2013 the French-Tunisian graffiti artist eL Seed was commissioned by the Qatar Museum Authority and the Public Works Authority to paint a series of 52 large-scale murals inspired by Qatari culture. The project required four months to com-plete and showcases eL Seed’s signature style fusing Arabic calligraphy with street art. The murals can be best seen by simply driving through the tunnels.

The Miraculous Journey, Sidra Medical and Re-search Center (near Education City). A series of 14 monumental bronze sculptures depicting the stages of development of a fetus from gestation to new-born, by British artist Damien Hirst. The sculptures were commissioned by the Qatar Museum Author-ity, which reportedly paid US$20 million for them. The medical center is a woman’s hospital still under construction and not due to open until 2015, but the sculptures can be viewed from the side of the road. Free.



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 city 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 a number of well-maintained private beaches in Doha owned by hotels, which per-mit public access for a fee. Hotels with beaches in-clude the Grand Hyatt, Diplomatic Club, InterCon-tinental, Sheraton, Sharq Village, and the Four Sea-sons, with fees ranging from QR 180 for weekday passes to annual family memberships. Additionally, the Katara Cultural Village operates Doha’s only public beach, with an entry fee of QR 100. On pri-vate beaches western swim wear is acceptable, but

the MIA (Museum of Islamic Art)

the MIA (Museum of Islamic Art), the 'Wa-ter Pots’ fountain, the giant Oyster and Pearl sculpture, the Dhow Harbour (with traditional wooden dhows), and a giant 'Orry' statue (the mascot for the 2006 Asian Games).

Rumeila Park, The Corniche. Formerly known as Al-Bidda Park, this is opposite the Corniche with an outdoor theatre, art gallery, water features, chil-dren’s play area and skateboard/rollerblading half-pipe. There are several shops, a cafeteria and public toilets.

Katara Cultural Village, off of Lusail St, ☎ +974 4408 0000, fax: +974 4408 1000, e-mail: info@katara.net. This building complex is designed to resemble a traditional Qatari village, and includes a large open-air amphitheater, opera house, drama theater, galleries, as well as a number of (expensive) restaurants featuring international cuisine. The gal-leries host changing art and photography exhibits, and various festivals are held here throughout the year.

There is also a public beach here (entry fee QR 100) which offers watersport activities. Modest beach attire is required, i.e. for women a one-piece suit.

Al Jazeera Studios, Wadi Al Sail West (near TV Roundabout), ☎ +974 4489 7446 / 4489 7451 / 4489 7449, fax: +974 4489 7472, e-mail: press.int@aljazeera.net. One of Qatar’s claims to fame is the Al Jazeera news network, which broad-casts to hundreds of millions around the world. The studios are not made to be a tourist attraction, al-though you may be able to contact the office and ask for a tour. A small museum is located on-site, dedi-cated to journalists who have died in the field, along with various timelines and displays about the net-work’s history.

Doha Zoo, Al Rayyan. The zoo is undergoing ma-jor renovation and refurbishment, and is currently closed.

MIA Park, Corniche (adjacent to the Museum of Islamic Art). Oct-May W-M 10:30AM-11:30PM, Jun-Sep W-M 6PM-12AM, closed 1 Jul - 2nd day of Eid. This modern park was built on reclaimed land and affords great views of the West Bay skyline. Visitors can rent bicycles or paddleboats, and enjoy coffee or ice cream at a small café. At the end of the promenade is the monumental sculpture '7' by American sculptor Richard Serra. During the winter the MIA Park Bazaar is held on the first Saturday of every month, offering an eclectic mix of food, arts, crafts, books, and souvenirs. Free.

House of Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani Al-Thani

House of Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani Al-Thani, Al Luqta St (near the Education City Roundabout ). A traditional Qatari home, remarkable because it has two instead of one 'majlis’ (guest reception area). Built in 1935 using traditional materials and techniques, it has been fully restored. The building is not currently open to the public, but can be viewed from the outside.

Mosque at Katara Cultural Village

Corniche. The visual highlight of Doha is Al-Corniche, a long seaside promenade that curves around Doha Bay and affords pretty views of Palm Tree Island and the city’s skyscrapers. In the after-noons you will see plenty of locals strolling, often trying to get out of the way of the odd crazy West-ern ex-pat on rollerblades. It’s also a good place for jogging. Cycling is prohibited. If you're looking to have the scenery all to yourself, go on a Friday morning.

Highlights along the Corniche (from east to west) include an informal morning fish market,

Luqta St, Education City

Heritage Library (near Education City). Over 51,000 books in Arabic and other languages on Qatar and the Middle East, together with 600 an-tique maps, 2,000 manuscripts and 6,000 original photographs, form The Arabian and Islamic Her-itage Library in Qatar, another initiative of HH Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned through Qatar Foundation. It is one of the largest research centres in the Middle East, and is based on a col-lection started by Sheikh Hassan Bin Mohamed Al Thani in 1979. Tours of the collections are of-fered twice on Sunday and Tuesdays, at 10AM and 11:30AM, no appointments required. Free.

Qatar National Library (Education City). Due to open in late 2014, the building has been designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

Virginia Commonwealth University Gallery, Al

Luqta St, Education City (entrance at Gate 2), ☎ +974 4402 0555, e-mail: info@qatar.vcu.edu. M,W,Sa,Su 10AM-5PM, T 10AM-5:30PM,. The gallery at the VCU-Q campus in Education City reg-ularly hosts visiting exhibitions as well as the work of faculty members and students. On those occa-sions, the gallery is open to the general public. Lo-cated in the heart of a city and region with an ex-traordinarily vibrant and diverse cultural heritage, VCUQatar plays a central role in the modern cul-tural life of Qataris and Middle Easterners. Whether in the studio, the library, the computer laboratory, or the lecture halls, students can expand their cul-tural perspectives as well as acquire expertise for the workplace within an energetic and compassion-ate learning environment. It has grown steadily since then through planned acquisition and purchase. The collection includes Arab manuscripts, a foreign lan-guage section dating back to the 15th century, and 20th century books about art and politics. Free.

Heritage Village. Located along the Corniche ad-jacent to Al Rumeilia Park, with buildings modeled on a traditional Qatari village. Visitors can expect to see weaving, pearl trading, and a dhow (traditional boat). The village is open only for Ramadan, Eid, and special cultural festivals.

Al Najada (south of Souq Waqif). For a glimpse of some older Qatari architecture, it can be worth-while to wander around some of the older neigh-borhoods surrounding Souq Waqif, particularly the small neighborhood to the immediate south of the souq. There are still a few notable old villas and mosques which predate the mostly 1970s-era build-ings; given the pace of redevelopment in Doha it is unclear how much longer they will survive. Best ex-plored on foot. (Note: as the current inhabitants are exclusively male immigrants, women will feel un-comfortable without a male companion.)

Old door in Al Najada

Al Koot Fort (Doha Fort), Jassim Bin Mohammed St (parking lot near Souq Waqif). Built in 1880 dur-ing the Ottoman period, this big white fort is located

in what is now the parking lot of Souq Waqif. At the time it was built, however, the fort was located on the outskirts of the city. Formerly used as an ethnographic museum, the building is now under-going renovations and currently closed, although it

is still a popular place to take photos.

Fanar Qatar Islamic Cultural Center, Abdullah Bin Jassim St (near the Corniche and Souq Waqif),
☎ +974 4425 0169, e-mail: info@fanar.qa. Daily 8AM-12PM, 4PM-8PM. Easily spotted from the Corniche with its distinctive spiral minaret, the cen-ter aims to educate non-Muslims about Islam by of-fering free Arabic classes as well as art and calligra-phy exhibits. The center conducts bi-weekly tours of local mosques followed by a traditional dinner (abayas provided for women, registration required), and also hosts weekly coffee mornings with presen-tations on Qatari culture and lifestyle (registration required). Free.

Clock Tower. Located next to the Grand Mosque, this old clock tower features Arabic numerals on its face. The tower is also located on a hill, and as such offers some wonderful views of the Corniche.

Windtower House, Grand Hamad St & Ali bin Abdulla St (enclosed within Souq Najada). One of the last traditional windtowers in Qatar. Windtow-ers were used in the days before air conditioning, functioning by sucking cool air into a house. The house is currently not open to the public, but can be viewed from the outside.

Souq Waqif. Souq Waqif is the renovated Arabic market quarter, where one can easily wander around the maze-like corridors for hours. The souq is or-ganized more or less by what is sold. There is a section of spice shops, another of textiles, and even a quarter with falcons for sale. Stables with Ara-bian horses are located not far from the falcons, and camels are kept near Al Koot Fort and the parking lot. Also look for places to buy souvenirs, sit down to smoke a Sheesha, or enjoy food at one of the restau-rants bordering it. Traditionally-dressed Qatari po-lice occasionally patrol the souq area, in the morn-ing mounted on camels and in the evening on horse-back. The souq was completely rebuilt several years ago on the site of an older souq, and therefore can feel somewhat artificial; however it is a very popular place for locals, particularly on weekends.

Msheireb Enrichment Centre, barge docked

off the Corniche, next to the Sheraton, ☎ +974 33197482, +974 33192305, e-mail: mec@msheireb.com. M-Th 9AM-8:30PM; 12-8PM Th, Sa 3:30PM-6PM. A small museum with photographs and artifacts illustrating the historic development of Doha from small fishing town to modern city. The exhibit is sponsored by developer of the Msheireb project near Souq Waqif. Free.

Qatar is one of the most significant

☎ +974 4436 7711. Su-Th 7:30AM-2:30PM by ap-pointment. The Orientalist Collection of the State of Qatar is one of the most significant collections ever assembled in the world. The approximate 700 hundred paintings, water colours, drawings and prints, acquired over the last twenty years, trace Ori-entalism back to the early 18th century. The mu-seum closes sporadically and it may be difficult to get an appointment.

Photography Museum. This building designed by Santiago Calatrava houses the government’s col-lection of photography, composed of some 15,000 items including historic cameras and accessories, prominent photographs, 1960s albums and historic documents. There are occasionally some temporary exhibitions. The museum often closes to the public at short notice for long periods of time.

Arab Postal Stamp Museum, off of Lusail St (Katara Cultural Village, Bldg 22A), ☎ +974 4409 1077. Daily 7AM-1:30PM, 4PM-9PM. Established in 2010, this small museum exhibits stamps from 22 Arab countries.

Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Museum: West Bay Branch, City Tower, 6th Floor, Omar Al Mukhtar St (Renaissance Doha City Center Hotel, near City Center Mall), ☎ +974 4422-3899, e-mail: visitors@fbqmuseum.org. 9AM-5PM by appt only (specify 'West Bay Branch'). A new extension of the
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Museum in Al Shahaniyah, this branch currently displays a number of carpets from various Middle Eastern countries, as well as furniture and domestic objects from Qatar and the Gulf region. It is eventually planned to make the collection accessible without appointment.

Mathaf: Arab Museum Of Modern Art

 Museums

Considering Doha is attempting to become something of a regional cultural hub, the current state of its museums is somewhat shambolic. Many museums are under seem-ingly never-ending refurbishment, the opening hours are not particularly tourist friendly, websites lack practical in-formation such as opening times and location, and many museums require you to phone in advance for a special appointment (which can make the solo visitor feel some-what uncomfortable as the curator opens up just for one person).Museum of Islamic Arts, Next to Doha Port, on the Corniche (Route 76 bus; shuttle bus), ☎ +974 4422 4444. S M W 10:30AM-5:30PM; Th Sa 12-8PM; F 2-8PM; Tu closed. Doha’s flagship mu-seum. 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 condi-tioned, there is also a cafe and gift shop. The per-manent exhibition is on the 2nd and 3rd floors, with temporary exhibitions on the ground floor. Free wi-fi in the museum building, dress appropriately. An hourly shuttle service provides free transportation between MIA and Mathaf W-Su 11AM-5PM; driv-ing time between the two museums is 25-35 min-utes. Free.


Mathaf: Arab Museum Of Modern Art, Al Luqta St, Education City (shuttle bus), ☎ +974 4402 8855, e-mail: mathaf_info@qma.org.qa. Sa-Th 11AM-6PM, F 3-9PM, M closed. A specially de-signed building housing a collection of modern art from the Arab world, based on a personal collection amassed by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The museum also hosts occasional exhibits featur-ing internationally-recognized contemporary artists. An hourly shuttle service provides free transporta-tion between MIA and Mathaf W-Su 11AM-5PM; driving time between the two museums is 25-35 minutes. Free.

National Museum of Qatar, End of Al Muthaf St. Currently closed and due to open December 2014. The original museum was housed in an early 20th-century palace; its extension, now under construc-tion, was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and inspired by the desert sand rose. The extension and original palace can both still be viewed from the outside.

Weaponry Museum, Al Luqta area, ☎ +974 486 7473. The museum houses a spectacular display of weapons and artifacts dating back to the 16th century. The collection has magnificent ceremo-nial swords that belonged to members of the Gulf’s ruling families: an 18th-century gold-encased dag-ger owned by Sheikh Ali Bin Abdullah Al Thani; a sword belonging to King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia; and a khanjar (traditional curved dagger) carried by the famed Lawrence of Arabia. The beauty and rarity of this collection bears witness to craftsmanship that has been lost for generations. Open mornings, Sunday to Thursday, by appointment only, after obtaining a letter of au-thorisation from the Museums Authority. Free.

Orientalist Museum, Off Al Muthaf St (Mirqab),

Several car rental agencies

Several car rental agencies are located in and around Doha International Airport. The rental desks are not that easy to find and the signs to them are poor. They are located on the lower floor in the car park area. The popu-lar agencies include Hertz, Avis and Budget. These rental agencies offer seasonal discounts and it is advisable to check their websites before booking. If you're looking to rent a car, it is best to reserve in advance, to ensure a good price and minimise wait times. As of late 2013, visitors can drive a rental car for six months with an in-ternational driving licence. However, do note, the laws regarding driving licences change almost yearly; visitors are advised to verify this information before arrival.

Driving in Qatar is on the right hand side of the road, with similar traffic rules to elsewhere in the world. How-ever, because Doha residents come from all corners of the globe, driving styles vary wildly. Also, road rage is becoming more of a problem.

Expansion of the road network has not kept up with the explosive population growth of recent years, so drivers will encounter frequent traffic jams as well as numerous diversions due to road construction. With the addition of new roads, as well as renaming of old roads, even the latest available road maps may be out-of-date. This also applies to satellite imagery, which can be outdated, even when it is only a few months old. So do not rely on Google Earth, Openstreetmap or your TomTom.

Other than buses

 By taxi

Other than buses, the only alternative to not renting a vehicle is taxis. There are two taxi services, also op-erated by Mowasalat : Karwa and Al Million. Alter-natively, “limousine” taxis are available, which are un-marked, much more expensive (sometimes twice the cost of Karwas) and may not carry a meter. If you feel sure about the fare, you can negotiate it up front, but it is ad-visable to insist on a meter.

Because of increasing complaints regarding taxis, some precautions should be noted. For nearly all journeys within Doha the tariff should be set to '1', and for journeys at night or outside of Doha it should be set to '0'. Airport taxis have a single tariff, which begins at QR 25. Re-ports of tampered meters are on the rise (look for black tape or paper), as well as reports of drivers locking the doors or refusing to open the trunk without extra pay-ment. Technically if the driver refuses to use the meter, the ride should be free. If you have problems, you can call the police at 999, at which point the driver will suddenly be very cooperative.

The demand for taxis far exceeds the supply and waiting times may vary greatly. During morning business hours, companies usually require 24 hours notice if you need a taxi; however in practice, even this is unreliable as the

scheduled taxi often doesn't show up. At other times, it may take upwards of 90 minutes for an on-call taxi to ar-rive, and hailing one may be impossible in many places. The only places where you are guaranteed to find a taxi (normal or limousine) are at major malls, the airport and international hotels. The acute shortage has led to a thriv-ing market for unlicensed, or unofficial, taxi services, most with a steady clientele. For visitors, the best way to find a reliable driver is to ask around – many residents, particularly expats, hire such drivers regularly and will happily share contact information.

Occasionally, you may find a local driver will stop and offer to give you a ride if he or she sees you looking lost on the side of the road. It is customary to offer some money at the end, though sometimes they will refuse to take it. If a driver slows down and flashes their headlights, they are usually signalling they're willing to give you a lift; beckon them over with a wave in response. However, hitchhiking always has its risks, and it is not an advisable practice for solo women.

By tour bus

By tour bus

Doha Bus offers a hop-on, hop-off tourist bus service, with stops at various locations between the Marriott Ho-tel and the Pearl-Qatar. Buses arrive at each stop every 20 minutes. Tickets are QR 180 (adult), QR 90 (children) and valid for 24 hours; bookings can be made on-line at http://www.dohabus.com, also via telephone (+974 4442 2444) and email (admin@dohabus.com). Alternatively, the manager/dispatcher is happy to take your call on her mobile (+974 5534 2964) and this will prevent you wait-ing on hold or even getting a busy signal. The energetic young crew of Pinoy, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan expats might not seem like the most organized bunch, but they try really hard to make things right, and they never stop smiling. There is shuttle service available from the airport to the first stop of the tour, which requires 30 minutes ad-vance notice to arrange. If you're doing this on your last day in Doha, they will even arrange to pick you up at one of the main stops along the route and transfer you back to the airport for a not-unreasonable QAR 50 (US$14).

Public bus, Al Ghanim

Public bus, Al Ghanim (main bus station) (near the Gold Souq), e-mail: info@mowasalat.com. The public bus system is operated by the government-owned Mowasalat, which runs a wide network of routes catering for most of Doha, along with adja-cent and surrounding towns. Fares within the city cost between QR 3-9 and are payable with exact change, or with a Karwa Smartcard, available for purchase at the bus station. For visitors, the route maps can be cryptic, with fairly infrequent service on some routes; additionally buses are frequently behind schedule. There are dedicated sections at the front of buses for women and families; how-ever, in practice, some routes, particularly those to and from industrial areas, are used predominantly by male labourers and best avoided by women travelers. Timetables are online, some available to download; route maps are currently available only at the main bus station.

Shuttle bus, ☎ +974 4458 8888 (Mowasalat), e-mail: info@mowasalat.com. Daily 6AM-12AM ev-ery 15min. In order to ease ever-increasing traffic
congestion, Mowasalat has begun operating a new free shuttle bus service, servicing passengers with two routes in the West Bay (downtown) area; plans are underway to offer more routes in the future. A route map (Arabic and English) is available for download. Friday service is 'family only', i.e. solo men are not permitted. Free.

Contrary to Dubai

 By plane

Hamad International Airport (IATA: DOH) is the pri-mary point of entry for most travellers, and is the hub and base for Qatar Airways, which has positioned itself as one of the “Big Three” Middle Eastern airlines. It has built
a far-reaching network, flying to destinations in Europe, South and East Asia, Australia, Africa and the Americas.

Contrary to Dubai, the home of Qatar Airways’ archri-val Emirates, Doha is served by much fewer other carri-ers. The major European airlines usually provide a single connection to Doha from their main hubs (e.g. Lufthansa from Frankfurt, KLM from Amsterdam), but minor ones do not. Pretty much all airlines of the Middle East, Turkey included (but not Israel), provide connections to Doha. Relatively few Asian airlines do so, however, with the exception of a relatively good choice of connections to India and Pakistan. The only American carrier to fly directly from America to Doha is United Airlines (from Washington Dulles).

Qatar Airways has also become a member of the oneworld alliance (which includes e.g. British Airways), and an increasing number of their connections are also on offer as codeshare flights by oneworld members.

Hamad International Airport became fully operational on 27 May 2014, replacing the overcrowded Doha Interna-tional Airport.

If you're arriving from outside of the Persian Gulf re-gion, probably the most economical way to visit is to use Qatar as an intermediate stopover en route to another des-tination. Prices of tickets originating in or terminating in Doha are artificially high because of limited competi-tion, while prices for transit tickets are very competitive, as Qatar Airways continues working to build Doha as a global transit hub.

The cheapest method to reach Doha from within the Per-sian Gulf region is with local budget carriers, such as FlyDubai and Air Arabia, which provide cheap flights with a stopover in Dubai and Sharjah respectively.
Public Wi-Fi is provided free of charge throughout the airport.

Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

Sleep

Addar Hotel, Al Wakra Main St, ☎ +974 4464 7775, fax: +974 4464 1119, e-mail: reservation@addarhotel.com.qa. Serviced apart-ments with free wi-fi and breakfast, 24-hr coffee shop, onsite restaurant and gym, rental cars avail-able. QR 450-700/day.

Al Siraaj Wakra Inn Apartments, Mesaieed Rd, ☎ +974 4463 3737, fax: +974 4463 3802, e-mail: wakrainn@alsiraaj-group.com. Serviced apartments with free wi-fi and breakfast and onsite coffee shop.
Once little more than a minuscule pearl fishing village, Doha, Qatar’s capital and largest city, has emerged to be-come one of the pearls of the Middle East. It is one of the most rapidly-developing cities in the Persian Gulf, akin to the development seen in nearby Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and is destined to become a centre of international trade and travel.

Understand

the same as it was just a couple of years ago, and will be very different again in a few years time.

 Read
Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, From Dunes to Dior. Written by a resident Indian-American, this is a collection of insightful essays about life as an expatriate in Doha.

Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, Love Comes Later. Set in Doha and London, this novel examines Qatari culture and how young Qataris are now challenging the status quo. The book is not available in Qatar as it has been banned by the Qatari

Dhows on the Doha Bay

For most of its history Doha was a poor fishing village dependent on pearl diving, and was regarded as a sleepy backwater until as recently as the early 1990s. Following the accession of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani as Emir in 1995, however, Qatar quickly began to modern-ize, and Doha is now taking huge strides to catch up with other nearby Gulf cities, especially in preparation for its hosting of 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. Doha has an astonishingly diverse popula-tion – just 13% of residents are native Qataris. Although Arabic is Qatar’s official language, English is by default the lingua franca, as the majority of the city’s expats do not speak Arabic, including most shopkeepers and service providers. Doha is also now one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, as workers continue to pour in to help build the developing economy.

If you've visited before, be assured that Doha today is not

Al Wakrah Museum

Al Wakrah Museum (Abdulrahman bin Jassim Fort), Al Wakair Rd, ☎ +974 4464 3201. Housed in an old fort built in the early 20th century, this small museum displays artifacts of marine life and local history. The museum is currently closed for refur-bishment.

House of Sheikh Ghanim Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (along the beach road 500m north of Man-aratain Mosque), ☎ +974 4429 1711 (Restoration Dept). Daily 24 hrs. Originally built by a promi-nent local pearl trader in the early 20th century, the
house was fully restored in 2004. Open to visitors, just ask the security who will allow you to explore on your own. Free.

Manaratain Mosque (next to the fish market). The mosque was built in the 1940s on the site of ear-lier mosques, and while not particularly old was built with traditional construction of coral and rock with a baked mud roof. Non-Muslim visitors should re-frain from entering, but can appreciate the building from the outside.

Dhow harbor. Much of Qatar’s fishing fleet is based here, and the harbor makes for a pleasant backdrop for walking.

Al-Wakrah is a city in eastern Qatar, just south of Doha

Al-Wakrah is a city in eastern Qatar, just south of Doha. The town has a history independent from that of the cap-ital, but in recent times has developed into a bedroom community of Doha.


Understand

Get in

The Route 109 and 119 buses (timetable) pass through the Al Wakrah. Both leave from Al Ghanim Bus Sta-tion in Doha, with the 109 heading towards Mesaieed or Al-Wukair, and the 119 terminating in Al-Wakra. The frequency of both routes combined is about 5-20 min-utes, with the journey time to the town centre being half an hour. There are different timetables for Saturday-Thursday and Fridays. Be warned that buses can be af-fected by service changes and disruptions, so it is recom-mended you call Mowasalat to confirm first on +974 4458 8888.

By private car, you should follow the Al-Wakrah highway signs out of Doha to the south-east, past the airport. The journey is just under 20km, equating to 25 minutes in good traffic

Camel Races,

Camel Races, ☎ +974 5546 4783. Saturdays, Oc-tober - May. Races are held on a 10-km race track, and there are nearby camel stables which can also be visited. There is plenty of seating in the grand-stand, although for the best view you can follow the race in your car along pavement which runs parallel to the track. Most jockeys are now radio-controlled robots, which are controlled by the owners who fol-low along in their SUVs. Several prestigious races are held in March and April; during these events he-licopters circle overhead for live television coverage. Times of races can vary, so it’s best to phone ahead. Free.

Al Samariyah Equestrian Centre, Dukhan Hwy (next to the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum), ☎ +974 5525 7203, e-mail: equestrianqatar@hotmail.com. M-Su 6:30am-7pm. This is a centre for rehabilitated horses located on the Sheikh’s working farm. Visitors can lease a horse, sign up for riding lessons, or simply wander around the grounds and mingle with the peacocks in the shade.

petrol station, and drive back towards Doha

petrol station, and drive back towards Doha about 7 km until you see a palm tree plantation on the right; turn right and drive about 1 km up a tree-lined road.

The magnificent private collection was ac-ceded to Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani by his father, Sheikh Qassim bin Faisal. The 5,000-sqm building contains more than 3,000 unique pieces, including ancient Islamic manuscripts, major archaeological findings, metal objects, textiles, carpets, embroidery and antique furniture. There is also a compre-hensive and fascinating collection of historic cars, including a 19th century steam vehicle. Plan on spending about 2.5-3 hours, and bring snacks and water as there is no café. Free.

Al Dosari Zoo and Game Reserve, e-mail: aldosarizoo@hotmail.com. S-Th 8am-11am, 3pm-6pm; F 8am-6pm. A private zoo now opened to the public. Supports a number of oryx, as well as more exotic animals.

Arabian Oryx Breeding Centre (Al Maha Sanc-tuary). A sanctuary for breeding oryx, which were once hunted almost to extinction. Visitors are wel-come at the center, but must make arrangements to visit through a Doha-based tour company.

Shahaniyah

Al Shahaniyah (alternatively Al Sheehaniya) is a town in central Qatar, out to the west of Doha.

Understand 

Get in 

  By bus

The Route 104 and 104A bus (timetable) towards Dukhan passes through the town. There are departures approximately every hour from the Doha Al Ghanim Bus Station, with the journey taking just under an hour. Be aware that there a different timetables for Saturday-Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and that ser-vice changes and disruptions can occur. It is recom-mended you call Mowasalat on +974 4458 8888 to con-firm timetables.

  By car

Located on the Dukhan Highway (Q3), about a half-hour drive west of Doha.

Get around 

To follow the camel races or to explore the area, it’s best to have your own vehicle.

See 

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum, Dukhan Hwy (2 km before the Al Samariyah Roundabout), ☎ +974 4486 1444, e-mail: sfm.reservation@yahoo.com. Mon-Thu & Sat 9am-6pm, appointment only. Finding this museum may be challenging, but it is well worth the effort. From Doha, head west and take the exit for the camel race track; make a u-turn after the WOQOD

Fuwairit Beach, Al Shamal Rd (Q1)

Fuwairit Beach, Al Shamal Rd (Q1) (the signpost for the beach is just before Bridge 79). Popular with kitesurfers, and notable for unusual eroded rock for-mations. Be careful of rocks in the wat

Stay healthy

HMC operates an emergency department at its local clinic here.

Al Shamal Health Center, Abu Dhalouf Rd, ☎ +974 4473 1232.
Go next
Visit the UNESCO-listed site of Zubarah.
Sleep
Al Ghariya Beach Resort, ☎ +974 4472 8000/8822, fax: +974 4472 8877, e-mail: alghariyaresorts@hotmail.com.

Camping. The beaches at Al Ghariyah and Fuwairat are well-suited for camping (see listings above).

Al Rakiyat Fort (Al-Rekayat Fort)

Al Rakiyat Fort (Al-Rekayat Fort), 15km north of Zubarah, next to a camel farm (turn inland at the Al-Khuwair radio station, drive 200m off-road, 4WD not required). 24 hrs. Built between the 17th and 19th centuries, restored in 1988. The fort is notable for having three square towers and one round tower, and was constructed of coral, limestone, and mud brick. Free.

Al Thughab Fort (Al Thaghab Fort) (2km from Al Rakiyat Fort). 24 hrs. Built between the 17th and 19th centuries and restored in 2003. Similar to the fort at Al Rakiyat, this fort also features three square towers and one round tower. Free.

Al Ghariya (Al Ghariyah), Al Shamal Rd (Q1). A photogenic partially abandoned fishing village, ac-tive during Qatar’s pearling years. There is also a
good beach with fishing spots a bit further north of the old Scout Camp.

Al Jemail (Al Jumail) (visible from the highway). An abandoned fishing village, founded in the early 17th century and fully abandoned in the 1970s with the shift of Qatar’s economy to one based on min-eral resources. The site is now under the protec-tion of the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage, and can only be visited after prior approval by the Qatar Museum Authority. Arrangements can also be made through Doha-based tour groups.

Al Khuwair (on the waterfront, behind a cluster of radio towers). A traditional fishing village aban-doned in the 1970s. The name 'khuwair' refers to a small seawater canal.

Al Areesh. An abandoned fishing village, inhabited from the early 19th to late 20th centuries. 'Areesh' is the Arabic word for a shelter made from date palm fronds.

Stay healthy

Stay healthy
Hamad Medical Corporation has a medical emergency department at its local clinic here.

Al Khor Health Center, Al Khor Town Rd, ☎ +974 4472 0222.
Al Ruwais

For Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, see Ruwais.

Al Ruwais, also spelt Ar Ru'ays, is the northernmost city of the Qatar peninsula. With a population of just under 4,000 people, it is little more than a sleepy fishing village, the seaside teeming with local dhow boats. The town is a conglomeration of other surrounding towns, including Madinat ash Shamal and Abu Dahlouf.
Get in
'Route 101 and 100 buses (timetable) travel from Al Ghanim Bus Station, Doha to Al Ruwais and its surround-ing towns regularly, with the journey taking 2 hours and 2 and a half hours respectively. The first service to Al Ruwais leaves Doha at 6:20am, while the last bus back to Doha departs the bus station at 8:35pm. Be aware that buses can be affected by service changes and disruptions, so it is recommended you call Mowasalat to confirm first on +974 4458 8888.

The journey to Al Ruwais from Doha by road is just over 110km, the furthermost point from the capital in the country. The journey should take about an hour and 20 minutes along the Al Shamal Road.
Get around
See
Al Jassassiyeh Carvings (Al Jassassiya) (near Huwailah and Fuwarit). A collection of about 900 petroglyphs, depicting such subjects as local fauna and boats. There are also geometric cup-shaped de-pressions, thought to have been used for traditional Arabian games using stones as counters. Recent studies date the oldest of these carvings to about 250 years old. Currently government permission is re-quired to visit the site, but Doha-based tour groups can make arrangements for you.

Maha al Khaleej Cafeteria

Maha al Khaleej Cafeteria, Al Corniche (by the dhow port). Offers decent burgers and a soft drink for a very cheap QR 3.
Pearl of Beirut, Al Corniche (directly opposite the port), ☎ +974 472 0123. Popular with Filipino ex-pats.

Blue Brasserie Restaurant, 5555 Al Corniche (Al Sultan Beach Resort). 6:30am-10am, 1pm-3:30pm, 7pm-11pm. Buffet dining in the hotel lobby.
Al Dente Seafood Restaurant, 5555 Al Corniche (Al Sultan Beach Resort). 7:30pm-11pm. A beach-front restaurant, serving Italian-style dinner only.
Al Khor Mall, ☎ +974 4453 3445. The mall has a standard food court as well as several restaurants, including Chilli’s (American), Royal Tandoor (In-dian), and Shatter Abbas (Middle Eastern).

 Grocery stores
Seashore Food Center, ☎ +974 4472 2405/0158. A decent-sized grocery store in a strip mall.

Lulu Hypermarket (Al Khor Mall), ☎ +974 4453 3533, fax: +974 4453 3533, e-mail: customercare@qa.lulumea.com. A full-sized hyper-market with a good deli selection.
Ansar Gallery (visible from the main road). Medium-sized supermarket.
Free Wi-Fi is available outside along the Corniche.
  Go next
Sleep
Al  Sultan Beach Resort, 5555  Al
Corniche,   ☎ +974 4472  2666,   e-mail:
reservation@alsultanbeachresort.com. A medium-
sized, five-star hotel with private beach, swimming pool, jacuzzi and fitness center. The facilities are accessible to day visitors for a fee. Two unlicensed restaurants are also onsite.

Camping, Simaisma beach (17 km south of Al Khor). A good beach with very shallow sea, pop-ular for camping. Free.

Al Khor Fly-In

Al Khor Fly-In

Al-Khor is a pleasant and quiet town, and though its Cor-niche cannot match Doha’s in beauty, it does offer a nice enough place to relax and sunbathe, or play beach volley-ball or cricket if you feel like being a little more active. There are plenty of shady places to sit near the sand, but you can't swim in the bay here as, like much of Qatar, the water is too shallow.

Al Khor Fly-In, Al Khor Airfield, ☎ +974 4472 3490, e-mail: Info@alkhorflyin.net. An annual light aircraft show which takes place on a 3-day weekend in mid-January. The event is hosted by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, and is popular with avia-tion enthusiasts as well as families.

Dhakira mangroves (Thakira) (5 km north of Al Khor). This fishing village is now a bedroom community of Al Khor, and its extensive mangrove swamps are particularly good for bird watching. Entalek (based in Doha, tel: +974 3311 6249, e-mail: entalek.org@gmail.com) runs sea kayak tours of the area, which can be booked online here. An-other option for kayaking tours is the newly launched PaddleQatar (www.paddleqatar.com, tel: +974 5549 0895, e-mail: info@paddleqatar.com). They run kayaking tours in the mangroves, overnight ex-pedition to nearby islands and cater for groups and individuals.

Al Farkiah Beach (Farkeh Coast / Al Khor Fam-ily Beach), off of Al Khor Coastal Road Q1A (fol-low the brown signs for “Farkeh Coast”). S-W 7am-10pm, Th-Sa (families only) 7am-midnight. A public beach with shaded picnic benches, toilets and shower facilities, barbecue stands, and children playgrounds. Free.

Al Khor Public Gardens, Al Shamal Rd (10 km west of Al Khor, signposted 1 km north of turnoff to Al Khor from Hwy 1). Dawn to dusk. The gardens are currently closed for maintenance, but when they are open they provide a good opportunity for bird-watching. Free.

Dhow harbour. Traditional dhows

Dhow harbour. Traditional dhows are still used for fishing here, although their sails have long since been replaced by diesel engines.

Fish market. Early morning to late evening, except for Friday midday prayer. This is a good place to pick up fresh seafood from the day’s catch.

House of Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Missned. This is the birthplace of Sheikha Mozah (the second wife of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar). Although the house has not been main-tained, it is a good example of traditional Qatari architecture. It is closed to the public, but can be

viewed from the outside.


Watchtower, Al Corniche. This defensive watch-tower was built in 1900 and is now fully restored. It is located in a small park with a pleasant view over-looking the Corniche and the beach. There is a sec-ond watchtower along the North Road. Free.

Purple Island (Jazirat bin Ghanim, or Al Khor Is-land). This small island, linked to the mainland via an earthen walkway through the mangroves, has seen human activity for the past 6000 years. The name comes from a purple dye from shellfish which were harvested here 3000 years ago. There are a number of archaeological sites on the islands, as well as old shell middens. This is also a good place for birdwatching and crabbing.

Simaisma Mosque, Simaisma (17 km south of Al Khor). Built in 1938 using traditional materials of coral, rock, and sun-baked mud. Non-Muslim vis-itors are advised to refrain from entering, but can freely view the building from the outside.

Al Khor

Al Khor
Perched on the eastern coast of the Qatari peninsula, Al-Khor (alternatively, Al Khawr; Arabic: روخلا) is a ma-jor settlement just north of Doha. The city is far older than Doha, but much smaller (the population is roughly 31,000). It used to be the center of the now non-existent pearl trading industry, so now the city is undergoing ren-ovation.
Get in
The Route 102 and 102x buses (timetable) towards Al Thakhira and Al Khor Community respectively service the town. Both depart from Al Ghanim Bus Station in Doha, with a bus every half an hour or so. The 102 has an hour and a half journey time, while the 102x will save you about 15 minutes. There are different timetables for Saturday-Thursday and Fridays. Be aware that buses can be affected by service changes and disruptions, so it is recommended you call Mowasalat to confirm first on +974 4458 8888.

Al Khor Museum, Corniche, ☎ +974 4472 1866. This quaint museum overlooking the seafront pro-vides good views over the harbor from the second floor. It showcases archaeological artifacts from the Al Khor region dating from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age, as well as specimens of local ma-rine life. An additional exhibit illustrates the legend of Ghilan and Mae, one of whom was the region’s first female pirate and believed to be from Al Khor. Free.

By phone

When calling from abroad, the country code of Qatar is 974. There are no city or area codes. When calling over-seas while within Qatar, the international access code is
usually 0. Qatari phone numbers now have eight digits. Previously, they contained seven, but this was changed by the government regulator in 2010. If you encounter a number with only seven digits, you can still use it by re-peating the first digit. For example, a phone number that previously began with '3' would now start with '33'.

Previously, Qtel, a government-owned company, held a monopoly over telecommunications in the country. Al-though this changed in 2006 when the Emir allowed new companies to be formed, competition is still weak with only two major operators:

Ooredoo (formerly Qtel) - the “Hala” prepaid starter pack costs QR 50 with QR 25 of initial credit. International calls to most countries costs QR 0.66/minute. Has overall better coverage than Vodafone.

Vodafone Qatar - prepaid sim packs start from QR 60 with an initial credit of QR 35. International calls to most countries costs QR 0.66/minute.

  By post

Qatar has a fairly efficient postal system run by Q-Post. There are dozens of post offices scattered across Doha, along with branches in many major cities. It costs QR 2.50 to send a standard postcard to most Western coun-tries. The price drops down to QR 1 to 1.50 when send-ing a postcard domestically or to most nations within the Middle East and North Africa. Sending parcels can get costly, being counted per kilogram and by distance. A full list of rates and branch locations can be found on the Q-Post website.

Addresses on international letters and postcards should be formatted as:

Name of recipient

House number and street name

City, Postal code

Country

The emergency phone number for police, ambulance or fire department is 999

The emergency phone number for police, ambulance or fire department is 999.

Qatar is a significant contrast from the surrounding re-gion, with no war, no conflict and minimal crime.

Western women travelling on their own sometimes expe-rience staring from local men, along with other unwanted curiosity. However, this is more of an annoyance than a threat, and Qatar officials deal harshly with any complaint of harassment. If you want to fit in better with the locals and attract less stares, a long, black cloak and headscarf worn by local women called the abaya can be purchased at a variety of places in Doha.

Travelling on the roads is probably the largest danger to your wellbeing. Although being safer than most other Asian and Middle Eastern drivers, Qataris often ignore road rules and are intolerant of pedestrians attempting to cross the road. Be safe when walking near or over major highways.

Dust storms and sandstorms are another major issue, be
ing common throughout the dry summer. These natural events can shroud the country in darkness and cause se-vere respiratory issues. If a sandstorm is approaching, immediately seek shelter or wear a facemask.

  Stay healthy

Drink lots of bottled water! No matter how much you drink, you should drink more. Likewise, take proper pre-cautions for the sun, including clothing that covers your skin and sunscreen.

  Respect

Respect the Islamic beliefs of Qataris and Bedouins: While there is no legal requirement to wear the hijab, women shouldn't wear tube tops and skimpy outfits, al-though there is no strict rule and women are free to dress as they feel. It is absolutely acceptable for any nationality to wear the traditional Qatari clothes, the thobe.

If you're dining with a Qatari, don't expose the bottoms of your feet to him/her. Don't eat with your left hand either, since the left hand is seen as the 'dirty hand'. Similarly, don't attempt to shake hands or hand a package with your left hand.

If your Qatari friend insists on buying you something—a meal or a gift—let him! Qataris are extremely hospitable, and typically there are no strings attached. It is generally a custom to argue for the bill.

Sleep

 Sleep
Hotel prices are on the rise in Qatar, and you can expect to pay as much as US$100 for an ordinary double room in a mid-range hotel. Budget accommodation does not seem to exist in Doha. The only hostel is very hard to find; even the taxi drivers at the airport may have to talk it over! It costs 100 Qatari Riyals per night if you don't have YHA membership, QR90 if you do.
 Learn
Education City is a new project in Doha funded by the Qatari Government through the Qatar Foundation. It is the home to Qatar Academy, the Learning Centre, the Academic Bridge Program (similar to a college prep

school), as well as branch campuses of Texas A&M Uni-versity (Engineering) , Weill Cornell Medical College (Medical) , Virginia Commonwealth University (Arts and Communication), Carnegie Mellon University (Business and Computer Science), Georgetown University (School of Foreign Service), and the latest addition to the fold, Northwestern University (Journalism) and Faculty of Is-lamic Studies [www.qfis.edu.qa] all located in Education City to the east of Doha in the Rayyan area.

In addition to this Education City is home to the Qatar Science and Technology Park, one of the only places in the Middle East undertaking research and development initiatives. The location of so many academics and stu-dents is very appealing for research focused organisa-tions.

The College of the North Atlantic (based in Newfound-land, Canada), also maintains a campus in Doha in the northern section of the city, near the local Qatar Univer-sity. The University of Calgary (Nursing) is also in Qatar.
And on the second semester of the 2012-2013 the Supreme Council Of Education will start E-learning

Drink

Don't be afraid to venture into the Souqs looking for a meal; it will be a unique experience in an authentic set-ting, and although some of the places you see may look rundown, that’s just the area in general, and the food will be probably be quite good. Be advised that many of the restaurants in the Souqs (as well as the shops) shut down during the afternoon hours. If you are in a funny kind of mood, you can try a McArabia—McDonald’s Middle Eastern sandwich available only in the region.

Drink

There is one liquor store, Qatar Distribution Centre, in Doha. To purchase things there, you must have a license that can only be obtained by having a written letter of per-mission from your employer. You can only get a license when you have obtained your residency permit and you will need to get a letter from your employer confirming your salary in addition to paying a deposit for QR1000. The selection is good and is like any alcohol selection of a large supermarket in the West. Prices are reasonable although not cheap. Alcoholic beverages are available in the restaurants and bars of the major hotels, although they are pricey. Be aware, driving under the influence and pub-lic intoxication carry heavy penalties, including deporta-tion, so be responsible. As far as non-alcoholic drinks go, be sure to hit some of the Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants and juice stalls. They whip up some tasty and exotic fruit juice combinations that really hit the spot.


It is forbidden to bring alcohol in to the country as a tourist; at Doha airport customs xray bags and will con-fiscate any bottles of alcoholic drink. They will issue a receipt valid for 2 weeks to reclaim the alcohol on exit from the country.

Eat

Eat

Qatar has seemingly endless options for food, much of it excellent. If you would like European cuisine in a fancy setting, visit a hotel like the Ramada or the Marriott, both of which also offer excellent sushi and the choice of having drinks with your meal (the only restaurants in town that can do this are in the major hotels), but at a steep price. Authentic and delicious Indian and Pakistani food is found throughout the city, ranging from family-oriented places to very basic eateries catering to the In-dian and Pakistani workers. You may attract some cu-rious stares in the worker eateries, but the management will almost always be extremely welcoming, and the food is very inexpensive.

Middle Eastern cuisine is everywhere as well, and in many forms—kebabs, breads, hummus, the list goes on. It can be purchased on the cheap from a take-out (many of which look quite unimpressive, but serve awesome food) or from a fancier place, like the wonderful Layali (near Chili’s in the 'Cholesterol Corner' area) that serves gourmet Lebanese food and has hookahs with flavored to-bacco. Refined Persian cuisine is available for reasonable prices in the royally appointed Ras Al-Nasa`a Restau-rant on the Corniche (don't miss the cathedral-like rest

Do

 Do

A great activity for tourists is simply to experience the nation’s tradition. The traditional Qatari way of life was simple: Bedouin nomads wandering the desert with their camels, and fisherman scouring the ocean floor for pearls to trade. While these two lifestyles are mostly extinct on the peninsula, the government has taken some measures to preserve their traditions for future generations to expe-rience.

Many tour companies run desert expeditions by both four-wheel drive and camel. Some may just be for the day, while others can go for up to a week with trekkers camping overnight in a Bedouin tent. The one day “dune-bashing” tours simply involve speeding over the desert’s endless dunes in a Landcruiser.

The pearling tradition has existed as far back as 2000 BCE, when Mesopotamian records speak of shining “fish eyes” imported from the Gulf region. While the indus-try went bust after the discovery of oil, a large festival is held each year to celebrate the tradition. The Qatar Marine Festival in Doha often includes a huge sea ex-pedition by various dhow boats to find oyster beds on the ocean floor. Other activities at the festival include a musi-cal performance, a seal show, a sandsculptor’s expedition and a water, light and sound show.

Many companies offer shipwreck diving for tourists, which can be organised from Doha. Popular diving sites include the man-made Old Club Reef and New Club Reef just out of Messaied, Qapco Reef, the M.O. Shipwreck and the Al Sharque Shipwreck.

Other popular watersports include kite-surfing, driving jet-skis, surfing and chartered fishing expeditions.

Aqua park : Aquatic Funfair.

The Museum of Islamic Art, Doha

Souq Waqif : the traditional old marketplace of Qatar. Has many good restaurants, especially at night time. Also sells many national products - bar-gaining is recommended.

The Pearl : a man-made island connected to Doha by a bridge. You can find a big variety of restaurants and shops, mainly in the high range.

Villaggio Mall: a spectacular Venetian style shop-ping mall with a canal and gondolas as well. A huge variety of shops from casual to luxury.

Mathaf : The Arab museum of modern art

Katara : Cultural village which is home to many in-ternational and Arab restaurants, a beautiful beach, and holds many cultural events. Definitely a place to see.

Aqua park : Aquatic Funfair.

The national currency is the Qatari riyal (QAR). The riyal is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of QR 3.64 to US $1. One riyal is divided into 100 dirham, with 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 dirham coin denominations. The riyal is available in 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 banknote denomi-nations.

It is fairly straightforward to change major world curren-cies within Qatar, along with the currencies of Bahrain, Saudia Arabia and the UAE. Rates are fairly similar be-tween banks and moneychangers, with a large concen-tration of moneychangers near the Gold Souq of Doha. Banks are abundant across Doha, with branches in the larger cities as well. Travellers cheques are accepted by the major banks.

City Centre is currently the largest mall in Qatar and has many stores to choose from. Other malls include Land-mark (includes a Marks & Spencer store), Hyatt Plaza, The Mall, Royal Plaza and Villagio.
Blue Salon has huge sales twice a year where you can pick up Armani, Valentino and Cerutti suits for half price. There are many things to buy here but be wary of cheap pearls that have a high possibility of being fake. The many skilled tailors in Qatar make it a good place to have clothes made-to-fit.

The souqs in the centre of Doha also have a lot to of-fer, although the goods are usually of cheaper quality than those of the malls. Prices are usually negotiable, so prac-tice your bargaining skills. Souq Waqif (The Standing Souk) is the most interesting of the souqs; it was recently renovated to look as it did 50 or 60 years ago. You can buy anything from a turban to a pot large enough to cook a baby camel in!

Historical monuments

Historical monuments
The history-seeker will not be disappointed, with an as-sortment of ruins, cave art and museums to keep the mind wandering. Most famous is the archaeological site of Zubarah, where there are the remains of what was once a thriving port city. An early 20th century fort on the


site still stands as a museum, a testament to a bygone era. The Al-Jassassiya rock carvings in north-eastern Qatar are a remarkable site of 900 petroglyphs that are believed to date back to ancient tribes who inhabited the peninsula during the 15th century BCE.

A number of forts and towers exist around the country; most of them have also been restored as museums. The Barzan Towers stand at the edge of the town of Umm Salal Mohammed, erected to safeguard the country’s rainwater basin. Another defensive watchtower stands in Al Khor. The popular Al Koot Fort is located in the heart of the capital Doha, with a wide variety of tradi-tional handicrafts within. Others structures include Mar-wab Fort, Al Thughab Fort, Al Shaghab Fort, Al Rakiyat Fort, Al Wajbah Fort and the ruins of Al Yussoufiya Fort, Umm Al Maa Fort and Al Ghuwair Castle.

While the National Museum is currently closed for ren-ovations, there are a number of other museums across the country that specialise in history. The Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum in Al Shahaniya is the Sheikh’s collection of relics, artefacts and art from Qatar, the Middle East and around the world.

Talk

Talk

Arabic is the official language of Qatar, with the Gulf di-alect being particularly common. As Qatar was a British protectorate, and due to considerable globalisation, En-glish is the most common second language. Most lo-cals will be able to converse in basic English, acting as a 'lingua franca' among the various nationalities. How-ever, some foreign workers may not understand either of these languages, and only rely on their native tongue. You may encounter foreign labourers speaking diverse languages such as Afrikaans, Mandarin, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog and Thai. While you can get by just fine in Qatar with only English under your belt, your hosts and any other locals you may meet will be very impressed and appreciative if you can recite a few basic Arabic phrases.


 See

For a comparatively small peninsula in the Middle East, there is quite a lot to see in Qatar.

By taxi or limousine

By taxi or limousine

The government-owned Mowasalat also runs the taxi and limousine service. The taxis are easily spotted due to their uniform light blue colour with a maroon top. The ini-tial fare on the meter is QR 4, with an extra QR 1.20 per kilometre within Doha and QR 1.80 anywhere out-side the capital. A trip to or from the airport has a single tariff of QR 25. To ensure you are not scammed, some precautions should be noted:

For journeys within Doha the tariff should be set to '1', and those at night or outside of Doha should be set to '0'.

Check the meter is not tampered; signs of a tam-pered meter include tape and strips of paper around the outside.

By law, if a driver refuses to use the meter, the ride should be free.

There are occasional reports of unruly drivers lock-ing the taxi doors or refusing to open the trunk until extra payment is made. If such an occurrence hap-pens to you, attempt to leave the car. If not possible, calling the police on 999 should cause the driver to become very cooperative.

The demand for taxis exceeds the supply and waiting times can vary greatly. Attempting to obtain one during morning business hours requires at least 24 hours notice, although even in practice this is unreliable, as the sched-uled taxi often doesn't show up. At other times, it may take 90 minutes or more to get an on-call taxi, and hail-ing one on the street may be impossible much of the time.
The only places where you are guaranteed to find a taxi are major malls, the airport and international hotels.

Taxis can be booked and summoned by calling +974 4458 8888.

An alternative to taxis and buses would be to use a limou-sine service, which will send an unmarked limo car to your location. They are basically expensive, but luxuri-ous taxis with an initial fee of QR 20, but do not always feature a meter.

Occasionally, a local driver may offer you a lift if they see you waiting on the side of the road. It is customary to offer some money at the end, though usually they will refuse to take it. A driver offering a lift will slow down and flash their headlights at you; they can be summoned with a wave in response. Although the practice is safe, it is not advisable for solo women.
 By car

You can hire a car with local car rental companies. Plenty of them are located near the airport and Doha city centre, or else ask your hotel for some advice.

By bus

 By bus
You can travel to Qatar by bus from/through Saudi Ara-bia, there are fixed bus routes, within Qatar, although mostly used by men only. However, customs can take up to 4 hours especially at night. You will not be treated nearly as well as if you fly into Doha. Flying in costs only slightly more than a bus ticket.
 By boat
There are no specific boat routes, but there are commer-cial freight boats coming into Doha from all over the world, as well as small commercial boats coming in from Dubai and Iran.
Get around
Public transport comes in three forms in Qatar: buses, taxis and limousines, all of which are owned by government-owned Mowasalat (Karwa) apart from some private limousine companies.
 By bus
The bus service began in October 2005. Ticketing is handled using a Karwa Smartcard, which comes in three flavours:
Smartcard Classic - Initial fee of QR30 with QR20 credit included. Journey prices vary, costing QR2.50 for a short ride. You must tap-in when you get on the bus, and tap-off when you get off to avoid a default QR30 penalty. Can be purchased in vari-ous retailers as listed on the Karwa website, but not on board buses.

Smartcard 24 Limited - An initial fee of QR10 allows 2 trips on the bus (one return trip) within 24 hours of first tapping-in. You only need to tap-in, and should not tap-off. Can be bought on board the bus for travel in Greater Doha only.

Smartcard 24 Unlimited - An initial fee of QR20 gives the user unlimited travel throughout Qatar within 24 hours of first tapping-in. Again, there is no necessity to tap-off. Can be bought aboard the bus.

A large number of routes criss-cross the country, with the network stretching north to Al Khor, west to Dukhan, and as far south as Mesaieed. A somewhat complicated map can be viewed on the Mowasalat website. Timetable and ticketing information can be obtained by calling +974 4436 6053.

By plane

By plane
Entry by air into Qatar has boomed in the last decade. State-owned flag carrier Qatar Airways has secured a huge network of flights operating out of its hub in Doha to 124 destinations. Other major airlines also serve the airport, usually running a route between Doha and their own hub in the base country.

Most people visiting the country will enter via Doha In-ternational Airport (IATA: DOH). For such a boom-ing city and expansive airline, the airport is fairly com-pact and is heavily overutilised. The government hopes to open a huge new international airport on reclaimed land by the end of 2013, which will become one of the world’s largest.
A taxi fare from the airport has a default tariff of QR 25.
 By car
The only land route to Qatar is from/through Saudi Ara-bia. Unless you are a citizen of one of the GCC countries, it is fairly difficult to obtain a Saudi visa. Tourism often closes at short notice for extended periods of time, and the visas are both confusing and costly. If you plan on driving from the UAE, Bahrain and other Gulf countries to Qatar through Saudi Arabia, you will need a Saudi transit visa in advance and documents proving your onward journey. There are future plans for a major bridge to link Qatar with neighbouring Bahrain, although these are constantly delayed.

Even if you do manage to obtain a Saudi visa, travel by car is not recommended. The roads between Qatar and other major cities/countries are poor. If you are travelling during the day, be cautious of speeding cars and trucks. Always wear your seat belt and do not speed over 50 mph (80 km/h). Travelling at night is risking your life, with poor visibility and semi-suicidal drivers.

Qatar issues a 30 day visa on arrival at Doha's

Get in
Qatar issues a 30 day visa on arrival at Doha's airport to citizens of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and Vatican City. The price is QR 100, with payment by credit card accepted. These visas can be extended once for another 30 days (QR 100) at the 24-hour Airport Immigration Office (in a build-ing near the Oryx Rotana Hotel). . Overstaying a tourist visa incurs penalties of QR 200 per day.

Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) coun-tries, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and United Arab Emirates, do not need a visa to enter Qatar.

For other nationalities, visa procedures can be compli-cated, as you will need a guarantor on the Qatari side; either a company or a government entity. Additionally, Qatari embassies, unlike those of most other countries, are not entitled to issue visas, so someone within Qatar will have to file the application for you.

4 to 5-star hotels offer full visa service, for a price, if you book a room with them for the duration of your stay. Qatar Airways can also arrange a hotel and visa for you.

For stays longer than 30 days, visas must be arranged by having a sponsor, which can be a business, government entity or possibly a hotel. Unmarried women under the age of 35 will have a difficult time in procuring a visa for a lengthy stay, as the government fears that they may stay in Qatar to work as prostitutes

Oil is a cornerstone of the Qatari economy

Oil is a cornerstone of the Qatari economy; it used to account for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of ex-port earnings and 58% of government revenues. Proven oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for at least the next 20 years. Oil and gas have given Qatar the highest GDP per capita by most studies. Qatar’s proved reserves of natural gas ex-ceed 7 trillion cubic metres, more than 11% of the world’s total, making it the third largest reserve in the world. Pro-duction and export of natural gas are becoming increas-ingly important. Qatar manages to post very high sur-pluses each year, and escaped the Global Financial Crisis relatively unscathed.

In addition to the energy sector, Qatar also exports petro-chemicals, cement and steel. Doha has a rapidly growing financial sector that is cementing itself as one of the cen-tres of trade and finance within the Middle East. The Qatari government has also outlined its plan to boost tourism and media businesses on the peninsula, creating new sectors to further increase Qatar’s profile. In addi-tion, many foreign universities have set up outposts in Qatar, transforming Qatar into one of the main education hubs of the Middle East.
 Climate
The climate of Qatar can be described as arid and un-forgiving. In the summer, which runs from May through to September, the days are characterised by intense and humid heat, averaging 35°C but not unknown to peak at 50°C. In the winter, October to April, the days are much more bearable at about 20-25°C, with a nice cool evening down to around 15°C. If the heat is to be avoided, the best months to visit would be December through January.

Rainfall and storms in Qatar are extremely rare, forcing locals to retrieve water from newly-constructed desalina-tion plants. However, huge sandstorms that envelop the peninsula are common in the summertime. These can be hazardous if not under shelter, and will descend the coun-try into darkness as it blots out the hot sun above. There may also be disruptions to transportation and other ser-vices.