A plan for Doha

For most of its history, Doha was a poor fishing village dependent on pearl diving, and was regarded as a sleepy backwater until the early 1990s. Following the accession of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani as Emir in 1995, however, Qatar quickly began to modernize, and Doha is now taking huge strides to catch up with other nearby Gulf cities. Development was accelerated by hosting the Asian Games in 2006 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022. The city is very much a work-in-progress, with a rapidly growing skyline and new buildings sprouting up almost like mushrooms.

For most visitors, Doha is synonymous with Qatar, as the vast majority of the country's population resides in the capital city. Doha has an astonishingly diverse population – only 13% of its residents are Qataris. Although Arabic is Qatar's official language, English is the lingua franca; most retail and service staff are foreigners and do not speak Arabic. 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.

Doha is fairly liberal by the standards of the Islamic world, though less so than its main rival Dubai and most Western countries. Alcohol and pork are legal for non-Muslim foreign residents, and non-Muslim women are not required to wear the hijab, though dressing in very skimpy outfits is still illegal. That said, Qatar is an absolute monarchy, so criticising the Emir is a crime. Homosexuality is also a crime that carries the death penalty (though not actively enforced), so gay visitors should be as discreet as possible.

If you've visited before, be assured that Doha today is not 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 Ministry of Culture.

Museums

The National Museum, Museum of Islamic Art, and Museum of Modern Art have a single three-day ticket for QR 85. Alternatively you can visit just one of them for QR 50.

1 Museum of Islamic Arts, Next to Doha Port, on the Corniche (Route 76 bus; shuttle bus), ☏ +974 4422 4444. S Mon Wed 10:30-17:30; Thu Sat 12:00-20:00; Fri 14:00-20:00. Doha's flagship museum. Housed in a building designed by I.M. Pei, the museum hosts artefacts from Muslim dynasties all over Asia, Africa and Europe. Also present are items from the Al-Thani dynasty, as well as art from all parts of the Middle East. Gloriously air conditioned, there is also a cafe and gift shop. The permanent 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 11:00-17:00; driving time between the two museums is 25-35 minutes. Free.

2 Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Al Luqta St, Education City (shuttle bus), ☏ +974 4402 8855, mathaf_info@qma.org.qa. Sat-Thu 11:00-18:00, Fri 15:00-21:00. A specially designed 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 featuring internationally-recognized contemporary artists. An hourly shuttle service provides free transportation between MIA and Mathaf W Th Sa Su 11:00-17:00, F 15:00-20:00, no shuttle M Tu; driving time between the two museums is 25-45 minutes. QR 50, or QR 85 for a museum pass.

3 National Museum of Qatar, End of Al Muthaf St. Opened in early 2019. The original museum was housed in an early 20th-century palace; its extension, now under construction, 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.

Doha has a reputation for not being the most exciting place on earth; however, should you find yourself here for a longer visit, there is a variety of activities and events. Start off with a tour of the city, which should take you about 2 hours and from there you will have a good idea of what you would like to see.

Beaches. There are well-maintained private beaches in Doha owned by hotels, which permit public access for a fee. Hotels with beaches include the Grand Hyatt, Diplomatic Club, InterContinental, Sheraton, Sharq Village, and the Four Seasons, with fees ranging from QR 180 for weekday passes to annual family memberships. Additionally, the Katara Cultural Village operates Doha's only public beach, with an entry fee of QR 100. On private beaches western swim wear is acceptable, but on public beaches women should dress more modestly (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 and entertainment, and can be booked for large tours or for more informal arrangements.

Doha Film Institute. Showcasing a wide range of international and art films, DFI also hosts two international 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.

1 Doha Golf Club, West Bay, ☏ +974 4496 0777, fax: +974 4483 4790, info@dohagolfclub.com. 06:30-23:00 daily. The only golf club open to the general public. QR 590 weekdays, QR 795 weekends (nonmembers).

2 Drag racing, 52nd St (near the intersection with E Industrial St in the Industrial Area, Al Rayyan), ☏ +974 4450 9357, +974 4469 9114, +974 4469 9358, +974 4469 9113, fax: +974 4469 3938, +974 4469 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.

Football: Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2024 Asia Cup. The men's national soccer team don't have a fixed stadium but most internationals are played in Doha.

Given the population diversity in Doha, there is a large variety of different types of cuisine, including Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Korean and, of course, typical Middle Eastern food. Since Qatar is a Muslim country, all food is certified halal. Zomato is a popular restaurant review site and Talabat is a common delivery site.

If you are visiting during Ramadan, keep in mind that it is illegal to eat and drink in public during daylight hours, and all restaurants, including those in hotels, are not permitted to serve dine-in customers during this period. However, some restaurants remain open to sell takeaway meals to non-Muslims that you can take back to your hotel room and consume in private. However, iftar or the breaking of the fast after sunset, is a very elaborate event, as locals gather for large communal meals. Many establishments set up large tents for iftar, and non-Muslim visitors are welcome to partake in them; just make sure you reserve way in advance due to their popularity.

As Qatar is a Muslim country, nearly all food in Doha is halal. Pork is not served at restaurants, but is available to foreign residents with a liquor license at the two liquor stores run by the Qatar Distribution Company (QDC). This license is not available to tourists.

American

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 Caesars, Pizza Inn, and Papa John's. Many of them are in the major shopping centres, and at Ramada Junction (the intersection of C-Ring and Salwa Rds).

There are also a number of more upscale American chains, including TGI Fridays (in the Landmark, Villaggio shopping malls, Bin Omran Opposite the Civil Defense and Suheem Bin Hamad Street, Al-Sadd), Applebee's, Chili's, Fuddruckers, Bennigan's, and Ponderosa Steakhouse.

1 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.

Alcohol

Alcohol is strictly regulated in Qatar, as it is a Muslim country, and for visitors is only available in bars attached to large 5-star international hotels. Bars are required to see identification (i.e. a passport) at the door, although this is rarely enforced. Residents with a special liquor license may purchase alcohol at the QDC (Qatar Distribution Company) on the outskirts of town. The importation of alcohol is strictly disallowed – all bags are scanned by x-ray upon arrival at Hamad International Airport and customs will confiscate any bottles of alcohol they find. They will issue a claims receipt, which will allow you to pick up your bottles again when you leave Qatar.

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 basement 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 everywhere, some of them drive-through (just park your car outside and honk). A particularly popular place is Chapati & Karak (☏ +974 4408 1408) at Katara Cultural Village.

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

1 PappaRoti, C Ring Rd, ☏ +974 4421 2001, info@papparoti.ae. Daily 12:00-00:00. This branch of the popular Malaysian café chain offers a good selection of coffee and teas, along with special roti buns.

By metro

The Doha Metro, which opened in May 2019, is the third rapid transit system in the Gulf, representing a new wave of transit projects in the region. It has three lines: the Red Line from Lusail in the north to Al Wakra in the south or the airport depending on the train, the east-west Gold Line that features a stop at the National Museum, and the Green Line, which focuses on educational institutions in particular and has a stop at the National Library. Msheireb serves as the transfer station between every line.

Like the Dubai Metro, there are premium cars with better seating and higher prices. A one-way trip costs QR 2 (QR 10 for VIP) and a day pass costs QR 6 (QR 30 for VIP). You pay by tapping your card when you enter and exit the system. Cards are not expensive and can be purchased at any station. You don’t have to do anything special to get the day pass; after you pay for 3 rides the system will not charge you for the rest of the day.

There are free "metrolink" feeder bus services for "last-mile" connectivity to areas not served by the Metro (see the link for schedules and routes). In addition, there is a free (with Metro trip) ride-sharing service called "metroexpress", but it only serves two stations (West Bay and DICC) and requires registration and a separate account.

Every metro station has a restroom with baby changing table and an ablution room, right after the turnstiles. The two rooms are next to each other; the women’s rooms are indicated by a person wearing black clothing, and the men’s rooms by the person wearing white clothing.

Doha is a very safe city as far as crime goes, but exercise the usual precautions. You can call 999 if you need emergency police assistance.

Racism

There is informal segregation in place to prevent migrant labourers, who are overwhelmingly male and in Qatar without their families, from mingling with Qataris. For example, some shopping malls and public spaces enforce a "Families-only entry policy" (which includes single women) on weekends and public holidays. In theory, the prohibition should apply to all single men (Qatari or otherwise), but in practice the level of enforcement will vary based on your ethnicity. Asian (East, South and SE Asian) or African men will likely prohibited from entry during this time, while white or Qatari men will usually be admitted with no issues, or might just be expected to claim that their wives or mothers have already entered the mall. Even if you can prove you are a tourist or hold a Western passport, it is generally not wise to contest being banned from certain public spaces, or else you risk being further questioned or detained by police. One workaround is to join a tour group that is touring the public space you want to enter, as these groups will clearly and obviously signal that you are a tourist and not a migrant worker.