Ad-Dawhah · Qatar
Doha travel guide
Doha is a city in Ad-Dawhah, Qatar, home to about 1,186,000 people.
- Best months
- December to March
- Nearest airport
- DIA5 km · Doha International Airport
- Currency
- QARQatari riyal
- Time zone
- Asia/Qatar
- Language
- Arabic
About
About Doha
Doha is the capital and largest city, and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor and Lusail, it is home to most of the country's population.
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.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Doha
See
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.
- Museum of Islamic Arts
- Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
- National Museum of Qatar
- Orientalist Museum
- Arab Postal Stamp Museum
- Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Museum: West Bay Branch
- VCUQatar Gallery
- Msheireb Museums
- Firestation Artist in Residence
- Al Koot Fort
- Fanar Qatar Islamic Cultural Center
- Clock Tower
Do
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
- Dhow tour
- Doha Film Institute
- Doha Golf Club
- Drag racing
- Jungle Zone
- Kayaking
- Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club
- Sailing
- Sheesha
- Al Shaqab Horse Centre
- Aspire Park
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Doha to stay in
Compared to Dubai, which has hundreds of accommodation facilities, Doha does not offer that much variety with less than a hundred hotel properties and some other accommodations. There are quite a few 5-star international chain hotels in Doha and there are scores of new 5-star hotels on the rise, such as the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and Intercontinental. More modest choices come in shorter supply.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Doha
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Doha are December to March. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; March is the wettest, with about 16 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Doha: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Doha International Airport (DIA), about 4.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Hamad International Airport (DOH, 8 km) and Bahrain International Airport (BAH, 141 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DIA · Doha International Airport
DOH · Hamad International Airport
BAH · Bahrain International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Doha
Eat
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.
Drink
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.
Stay safe
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. 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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Doha: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Doha?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Doha are December to March. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; March is the wettest, with about 16 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Doha?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Doha International Airport (DIA), about 4.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Hamad International Airport (DOH, 8 km) and Bahrain International Airport (BAH, 141 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Doha?
Qatari riyal (QAR).
Nearby
Destinations near Doha
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.