There are a ton of reasons to visit Qatar. It has so many things to offer, so many places to visit and enjoy. If you’re visiting Qatar for the first time, it’s a good idea to be prepared. After all, as a general rule, failing to plan is planning to fail!
In today’s article, we give you 20 tips as an overview of what to expect when visiting Qatar.
Enjoy Your First Visit to Qatar With These Tips
1. Hot Climate
In Qatar, summers are hot, reaching 45 degrees Celsius or hotter. During the winter season, it can be as cold as 7 degrees Celsius.
2. Driving
You have to stay for a week in Qatar before being able to get a driver’s license. Unlike in some Arab countries, both men and women can drive in this country.
3. Food
Qatar has a lot of top notch restaurants. While there are quite expensive food offerings especially in the best hotels, you can also enjoy local Arabic delicacies for a relatively cheap price.
4. Community of Expats
There are more expats in Qatar than there are local residents. Many are Filipinos, but there are other nationalities as well, including Americans, Canadians, Malaysians, South Africans, and more.
5. Fun and Leisure
There are lots of sports facilities and recreational activities you can do in Qatar. You can also visit gyms to workout, visit the sand dunes for some desert adventure, watch international sporting events, and more.
6. Night Life
At night, many places in Qatar, especially the capital city Doha, comes to life with cocktail lounges, discos, and bars.
7. Reading in English
Don’t worry about not understanding the local dialect; both The Peninsula and The Gulf Times are written in English, and you can enjoy Al Jazeera English as well.
8. Vices
Vices like gambling, getting drunk in public, and drinking while driving are a strict no no in Qatar, and rightfully so.
9. Taking Pictures
You should be sensitive about taking pictures of locals, official buildings, airports, etc. Always ask permission.
10. Safety
Most Westerners living in Qatar feel safe, and statistics regarding crime rate back that up.
11. Work days
In Qatar, the weekends are Friday and Saturday.
12. Language
There are many workers coming from various countries in Qatar. Most of them have English as a second language.
13. Work holidays
There are 10 public holidays in Qatar, like Eid Al Adha and Eid Al Fitr.
14. Healthcare
The main treatment hospital of Qatar is Hamad Medical Corporation, and it provides excellent, world-class services.
15. Tax Free Work
One of the main draws for working in Qatar is getting your salary tax-free.
16. Credit Card Use
Credit Cards are accepted in almost all restaurants, department stores, and local markets.
17. Family Visits
Your friends and family can enter Qatar using a visit visa.
18. Long Distance Communication
Qatar offers free local calls and good international call services. If you prefer email, there are several internet cafes in the capital city as well.
19. Drinking
There are several restrictions in selling alcohol in Qatar, but for legal purchases, there are a wide variety of choices. During Ramadan, however, liquor is banned.
20. Malls
Qatar has a lot of incredible malls, like City Centre, The Mall, LandMark and Villagio.
So there you have it. These are some of the tips you need to know to enjoy your visit to the awesome country of Qatar.