Qatar, with its rich culture and unique Arabian landscape, offers a variety of activities both to expats and tourists alike. You can go from shopping spree to camel riding to giant water sliding. Name it! Qatar has it!
Considered to be one of the richest countries in the world, it will never be short of amusement and entertainment to offer. Whatever interests you have, and whatever forms of entertainment you prefer, you can surely find it in Qatar. Exploring this peninsula would certainly be one of a kind adventure. Keep in mind, of course, the dos and don’ts when traveling to Qatar. Then you’re set to go!
Top Activities: What to Do in Qatar
1. Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!
Most commonly known as souq, shoppers could get lost and confused with all the colorful and tempting items they can find in the many souqs scattered all around Qatar. Popular among tourists and expats are the old souqs, known as Souq Waqif that lined and filled the alleys with their merchandise. Left and right, you can see products that can be bought at reasonable prices. But beware, seeing these wonderful sights can put you in a trance and might tempt you to empty your pockets.
And if you’re into a more expensive jewelry, try visiting the Grand Hamad Street that sells all shapes and sizes of gold you could ever see. You can even have a personalized design or a replica of your favorite piece, and at a cheaper price, too.
And don’t ever miss the Mall of Qatar. With its five million square feet of space, this giant mall offers 500 shops to choose from. You’ll need more than a week to visit all those shops, though. It’s surely a haven for shopping addicts.
A stall in a souq (Photo credit to Monique van der Lint)
2. Scuba Diving
Qatar coastline, an extension from the Arabian Gulf, boasts pristine water and amazing underwater diving sites. The tranquil and crystal clear waters offer a perfect opportunity to first-timers, amateurs and expert divers to have close encounters with the colorful and exotic sea life. So grab your mask and flippers and have a dazzling underwater experience in some of Qatar’s dive centers. Poseidon Dive Centre is one of the most popular ones.
3. Kayak in Doha’s Mangroves
If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind adventure, kayaking through the mangroves at Al Thakira Bay could be the thing for you. Paddling through the waters, you could see flamingos, crabs, and various animals and plants up-close. And for camping enthusiasts, they also offer guided outdoor activities that would surely give you the thrill.
4. Desert Safari Tour
Tour companies offer safari expedition of the tranquil expanse of desert recognized by UNESCO as a natural reserve. You can enjoy the vast and rugged sand dunes riding 4×4 off-road vehicles. Or just enjoy the sound of the eternal wind of the desert while riding on a camel. Either way, the beauty of the sand dunes will surely get to you. Khor Al Udeid brags of impressive dunes reaching up to 50 meters in height. A roller coaster ride on these seemingly vertical sand walls will surely make your heart skip a beat. Are you up for the challenge?
Riding a 4×4 in Desert Safari Tour (Photo credit to wa ben)
5. Enjoy Various Sports
Qatar is not new in the world of sports. And as the country marches towards the 2022 World Cup, it is a haven for sports enthusiasts as they offer high-end facilities for different sports such as football, athletics, cricket, tennis, swimming and so much more. If you want to experience all these, Aspire Zone is the best place to visit. So while you’re in this rich country, take advantage and experience sports the classy way.
6. Experience Water Adventures
Boomerango. Space boats, Stingray surfing or Kids Pirates Bay, Qatar Aqua Park offers water adventures for thrill seekers. For the first time ever in Qatar, it’s now possible to ride up curved side walls with the water up to 90 degrees angle with the stingray surf machine. Or experience Boomerango that will surprise you with its twist and turns, and curves and dips that seem to never end; all the while making your heart race from start to finish. Appealing for many age groups who just love unadulterated fun, Space boats is a 20 meter drop from high tower into open and colorful tunnels with spins and splash of giant water Super Bowl. And kids will find haven at a pirate-themed aquatic play area. It features multi-colored slides and a giant tipping-water bucket that pours 2,000 gallons of water every two minutes. Spell FUN!
Kids Pirates Bay (Photo credit to Hanoverian)
7. Eat! Eat! Eat!
Despite its small size, Qatar doesn’t fall behind in offering its multicultural gastronomy that caters to all cravings and tastes. Serving international and Middle Eastern foods, you can have a variety of choices from the fine dining and local restaurants that offer authentic Qatar cuisine. In Qatar, you’ll never go hungry. Bon appetite!
8. Learn Arabic
And since you’re already there, it would be a better opportunity to equip yourself with some useful expressions that would prove to be essential while touring the country. Take some short Arabic lessons and learn the local traditions and culture. Inshallah! You might enjoy it and take a full lesson of the language.
9. Movie Watching Outdoors
Who wouldn’t love a movie night out? Literally! Enjoy an Al Fresco movie lying on a spread out blanket in a park under the night open sky. If you want this unique experience of movie watching, go to Hawa Scene, and you surely wouldn’t want to go back to the old fashion way of watching a movie.
10. Motorsports Adventure
If you are into speed, what better place to go than at Losail Circuit Sports Club in Al Wusail. Home to multiple international races and thrilling sport, you can go to the track yourself and race with high-performance cars and powered-up motorbikes. Go and feel the wind pass by as you speed up on the track.
Losail Circuit Sports Club (Photo credit to FIAWTCC)
With all these activities and adventures that await you, who would have second thoughts packing your bag and boarding a plane to Qatar? After all those hard work at the office, give yourself a treat. You deserve it. GO! GO NOW! HAVE FUN!