Things to do in Qatar

Places to see in Qatar

Things to do

 

There are lots of places to see in Qatar and some of the noteworthy attractions are listed as follows:

 

• The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha provides a valuable insight into the art traditions of the region and Mathaf, an Arabian Museum, introduces visitors to modern art.
• Souq Waqif, the traditional marketplace of Qatar, deserves a visit because it is here that in addition to acquiring many traditional products after bargaining hard one would get a rare opportunity to sample the ethnic local cuisine.
• The man-made island of Pearl is accessible from Doha via a connecting bridge and is an ideal spot for spending one entire day.
• Being the only one of its kind, the Villagio Mall is a Venetian style shopping arcade complete with a canal and gondolas.
• The cultural village of Katara serves as a venue for many cultural events and boasts of a beautiful beach apart from a string of restaurants.

 

It is easy to remain occupied in Qatar as well due to the horde of activities which are offered. Some of the popular pastimes are:

 

• Kite-surfing, which is mostly followed by westerners.
• Water skiing
• Safari tours to the interior of the desert
• Bashing sand dunes with heavy four-wheelers
• Spending a day at the Aqua Park

 

Accommodation is expensive in Qatar and while luxury hotels cost a fortune, even the budget hotels may be out of range of tourists. Advance booking or acquisition of membership prior to arriving in the country is strongly recommended. However, the bright side is that there is no dearth of restaurants and a variety of cuisines ranging from European, Thai to the ethnic Middle Eastern could be tried here.

 

Like other Middle Eastern States, alcohol is a problem here as well and its distribution as well as possession is fraught with rules and regulations. Non-alcoholic beverages, on the other hand, are readily available in form of exotic concoctions and combinations and provide the much desired succour from the high temperatures. 

 

The traditional Qatari clothing is known as the thobe and while there are no legal restrictions on dresses and outfits, especially those worn by women, it is always safer to respect the Islamic beliefs of the local populace. Overall, the people in Qatar are extremely hospitable by nature and even go to the extent of showering their overseas visitors with lavish gifts.