Qatar Tourist Information - Doha Guide
Qatar has developed itself from being a poor pearl fishing country, to one among the richest Gulf states, due to the exploitation of oil and gas fields since 1940.
Majority of the country is covered by sand dunes and salt flats. The City of Doha is a rich mixture of traditional Arabic combined with modern architecture. Among those that are particularly interesting, are The Grand Mosque with numerous domes and the Abu Bakir al-Siddiq Mosque. The north has quite a few historic sites, such as Umm Salal Mohammed, which is a large village conquered by the ruins of 19th century fort.
Al-Khor is the second largest city located along the natural shallow harbour. The west coast consists of fine beaches at Umm Bab (The Palm Tree Beach), Salwah, Dukhan near the Saudi border. The South regions comprises beaches and sand dunes, and offers plenty of opportunities for pearl hunting, or to practice water-sports.
Tourist Visas began to be issued only during 1989, but, though a slow start, Qatar has already begun to reap the profits of its new openness. Visitors are attracted naturally to this land of glitzy new hotels, ancient rock carvings, towering sand dunes, ancient rock carvings and unique architecture.
The best time to visit Qatar:
Because of the fierce heat during summers, and sandstorms being common during winter and spring, the best time for a tourist to visit Quatar is during November to during late February to early March. During these months, the weather is pleasant and mild, with chilly evenings and the odd rainy day. Doha has plenty of air-conditioned facilities, and hence even the worst summer becomes tolerable.
Fast Facts about Qatar:
Full Name : State of Qatar
Capital City : Doha
Time Zone : GMT/UTC +3 ()
Languages : Arabic is the official language, but English is also widely acknowledged. Urdu is also spoken.
Currency : Qatari Riyal (QR) Check Riyal currency converter
Electricity : Voltage is 240 AC at 50 cycles [As for electrical sockets, British Style Plug with one grounding blade and two flat blades are used. Even Indian/South African style plugs with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin can be used.]
Geography: Qatar is an oil rich peninsular protruding into the Gulf between the UAE and Bahrain. There are hills located along the northwest, though the rest of the country comprises salt flats, sand dunes and scattered vegetation towards north.
Etiquette and Customs: A tourist visiting Qatar, should be completely aware of the Muslim customs, religious laws. Women are expected to dress modestly. It should be noted that while it is acceptable to sit cross legged, showing the sole of the foot, or pointing it at a person would be considered as an insult here. In business and social gatherings, one gets to sip the traditional Qatari coffee, served in tiny cups without handles, which is a welcome ritual for guests, and is served in order of seniority. Two cups are polite, however it is suggested not to limit to one or exceed three cups.
Hotels: Quatar is well-served by world class hotels. There are plenty of three or four star hotels. Advance booking is strongly recommended. All hotel rates are subject to fifteen percent service charge.
Driving: On arrival at Qatar, a tourist or a traveler, can drive in the country if he holds a valid driving license for seven days (including the day of arrival). People intending to remain in Qatar for more than six months will have to apply for a Qatari driving license or a temporary Qatari driving license. In case the visitor is a foreigner, and have already done an accident, he wil be deported back to home country, instead of a fine, as in other countries. Hence, opting for a taxi would o be best, rather than risk oneself with driving at a new place.