Life as an OFW can be difficult. Despite the financial security of having a job that pays well, it’s not easy to work away from your family and friends. One way to cope up is to hang out with your co-OFWs, especially during your days off.
In Qatar, finding other Filipino workers is easy. There are about 260,000 Filipino workers in Qatar. Most of them work as engineers, health workers, domestic helpers, and those in the travel business. In addition, there are many great places to hang out and spend time with your friends in Qatar. You have malls, local markets, museums, recreation areas, parks, restaurants, and more.
Where Filipinos in Qatar Like to Hang Out
1. Al Wakrah
In this video, the vlogger mentioned that when they first worked at Qatar, the Al Wakrah is the place they often go to. Although small in area compared to other famous destinations, the Al Wakrah has everything you need. Most Filipinos do their grocery shopping here because the prices of items are relatively cheap.
Aside from grocery stores, the Al Wakrah has other go-to locations, like the Wakrah Boulevard, Al Wakrah Park, Salons, the Sky Mall, and the Fish Market. The Fish market is especially popular among Filipinos because of the cheap and fresh fish available. It’s not just a fish market though; at night many restaurants are open and Filipinos like to eat out and hang out with friends.
2. Grocery Stores at the Al Wakrah
There are two grocery stores at the Al Wakrah that Filipinos like to go to to buy Filipino grocery food items. These are the Stop and Shop and the Retail Mart. At both groceries, you can find everything from appliances, cellphones, shoes, bags, grocery items, chicken, fruits, powdered milk, chocolates, junk food, and more. Almost all grocery items you see in the malls back in the Philippines are available here as well.
3. Aspire Park
The Aspire Park is located in Baaya, Doha, Qatar, in a place called the Aspire Zone. At 88 hectares, it is Doha’s biggest park. Filipinos like to go here to walk around, take pictures, hang out with friends, picnic, or just admire the Aspire Tower. In the Aspire Park you can see a family park with a big pond with ducks, restaurants, coffee shops, lots of trees and manicured lawns, a beautiful bridge that connects the other area, a children’s playground, football field, jogging area, a leg stretch area and more.
4. Kabayan Supermarket
The Kabayan Supermarket is located in Al Watan Centre in Doha, Qatar. It is a store dedicated to selling pinoy products, so as you can imagine, lots of Filipinos go to this place. This is especially true during Fridays and Saturdays which is the day off for most workers.
5. City Souq
The City Souq is a popular place for Filipinos who like to buy cheap stufff like shirts, optical wear, dresses, cheap branded shoes and more. Some OFWs even compare it to Divisoria, calling it the Divisoria of Qatar. You can also find stores selling jewelry in the area. One such store is the Diana Jewelry, selling gold earrings and necklaces. Many OFWs also go to Fantasia land where they sell Shirts that have a price range of 5 to 15 riyals.
If you’re new to Qatar, it is important that you take note of these locations. Visit them during your free time, and enjoy the company of fellow Filipinos you will most likely encounter shopping, eating, or just chilling in these amazing places.