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Qatar

Doha, Qatar

Doha: Pearl-Diving Heritage, World-Class Museums, and a Gulf Skyline Rising Fast

Doha is the capital of Qatar, on the Persian Gulf coast, and more than 80 percent of the country's people live in the city and its suburbs. It is an Islamic country with laws to match: cover shoulders and knees in public, drink alcohol only in licensed venues, and never photograph people without their consent.

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What Cruise Travelers Should Know About Doha

Ships dock at the Grand Cruise Terminal in Doha Port, on the Corniche, the waterfront promenade around Doha Bay. The Museum of Islamic Art is a short walk along the waterfront, and Souq Waqif and the National Museum of Qatar are a few minutes away by taxi.

  • The terminal has the basics for a short call, including cash machines, currency exchange and Wi-Fi.
  • Qatar's currency is the riyal (QAR, written QR), divided into 100 dirhams.
  • Men and women should cover their shoulders and knees in public, and the rule is strictly enforced in government buildings, clinics and banks.
  • Security in the Gulf region can change quickly, so read your government's current travel advice for Qatar shortly before your trip.

Doha on Your Own

Doha Port puts you on the Corniche, so an easy day on your own is a walk to the Museum of Islamic Art, then a short taxi or metro ride to Souq Waqif. Dress modestly, and ask before you photograph anyone.

  • Museum of Islamic Art: The museum stands on its own island off the Corniche, close to the port, with more than 14 centuries of Islamic art inside and MIA Park beside it. Check opening times before you go.
  • Souq Waqif: The restored market quarter is a short taxi ride away, or take the metro to Souq Waqif station. Many shops close for a break in the middle of the day.
  • National Museum of Qatar: The museum, wrapped around a restored early-20th-century palace, has its own metro stop, National Museum station.
  • Photographs: Taking or sharing pictures of people without their consent can lead to a fine or prison, and filming near military, government or construction sites has led to arrests.
  • Taxis: Use a licensed taxi such as Karwa or a recognized ride-hailing app. Women traveling alone are advised to use pre-booked taxis and to check the registration and the driver's name.
  • Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own.
  • Watch the clock: All-aboard is given in ship's time, which may not match local clocks or your phone.

Getting Around Doha on a Port Day

The Doha Metro and licensed taxis are the practical ways around the city, and the nearest metro stations to the port are Souq Waqif and National Museum. The Corniche itself is a long seaside promenade made for walking.

  • Metro: The metro, opened in 2019, has three lines, with Msheireb as the interchange for all of them.
  • Taxis: Karwa taxis, run by the state transport company, and ride-hailing apps such as Uber operate across the city. Insist on the meter in a taxi, and avoid unlicensed cars.
  • Museum shuttle: The Museum of Islamic Art runs free shuttle buses and has a taxi stand in its car park.
  • Msheireb tram: A free tram loops around the Msheireb Downtown district.

What to Eat and Drink in Doha

Machboos, rice cooked with meat and vegetables, usually lamb or chicken, is Qatar's national dish. Seafood and dates are everyday staples, and Arabic coffee spiced with cardamom is poured for guests before a meal.

  • Dates: Dates are Qatar's national fruit, and khalas and shaishi are the favorite varieties. They are offered with coffee as a sign of hospitality.
  • Souq Waqif: The market quarter is full of restaurants and cafés serving Qatari, Middle Eastern and other dishes.
  • Alcohol: Only licensed hotels, restaurants and bars sell alcohol, the drinking age is 21, and they ask for an original photo ID. Drinking or being drunk in public is illegal.
  • Ramadan: During Ramadan it is illegal to eat or drink in public in daylight hours, and restaurants do not serve dine-in customers during the day.

Museums, Markets, and the Msheireb Quarter

Qatar is an Islamic country, and respect for local custom matters most during Ramadan and around religious sites. Arabic coffee and dates are the classic welcome for a guest.

  • Museum of Islamic Art: Designed by I. M. Pei and opened in 2008, it holds metalwork, ceramics, jewelry, woodwork, textiles and glass from across the Islamic world.
  • National Museum of Qatar: Jean Nouvel's building, opened in 2019, was inspired by the desert rose crystal found in Qatar and wraps around the palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani.
  • Msheireb Museums: Four restored houses in Msheireb Downtown tell the story of the old community, family life, the oil industry and slavery in Qatar.
  • Falconry: The falcon is Qatar's national bird, and Souq Waqif has a quarter of falcon shops.
  • Conduct: Swearing and rude gestures are treated as obscene acts in Qatar and can lead to jail or deportation, and vaping is illegal.

From Pearl-Diving Settlement to Gulf Capital

Doha grew up in the 1820s beside an older settlement, Al Bidda, and lived for a century on the pearl trade. Oil wealth and independence in 1971 turned it into a modern capital.

  • 1681: Al Bidda first appears in a written record, an account by Carmelite missionaries of settlements in Qatar.
  • 1820s: Doha was founded beside Al Bidda, and British visitors in 1823 found Al Bidda the only substantial trading port on the peninsula.
  • 1847: The Al Thani family moved to Doha from Fuwayrit under Mohammed bin Thani.
  • 1871 to 1915: Ottoman troops occupied a fort in Doha in 1871. After the Battle of Al Wajbah in 1893, they played a passive role, and they left in 1915.
  • The pearl town: In 1907 Doha was home port to 350 pearling boats with 6,300 crew. When cultured pearls and the Great Depression collapsed the pearl trade, the population fell sharply.
  • 1916: Qatar became a British protectorate, with Doha as its capital.
  • 1939: Oil drilling began, though large oil revenues arrived only in the 1950s and 1960s.
  • 1971: Qatar became independent, and Doha was declared its capital.
  • To learn more ashore: The National Museum of Qatar, entered from the roundabout of Mathaf Street and Museum Park Street, tells the story of Qatar and its people.

Doha with Children

Doha works well for a family port day because the big sights are close to the ship. Pick one museum and one outdoor stop, and keep the day short.

  • Younger children: The cruise terminal has an aquarium in the arrivals hall, and the park at the National Museum of Qatar has playgrounds.
  • School age: At MIA Park, next to the Museum of Islamic Art, you can rent bicycles or paddle boats. Souq Waqif has falcon shops, horse stables and camels near Al Koot Fort.
  • Teenagers: The four Msheireb Museums, in the new downtown near Souq Waqif, include exhibits on slavery and exploitation in Qatar, a strong subject for older teenagers.
  • Beach time: The public beach at Katara Cultural Village has water sports for older children; modest swimwear is required.

Shopping in Doha: Souqs, Gold, and Malls

Souq Waqif is the place to shop for souvenirs, with lanes of spices, textiles and crafts, and a separate Gold Souq. Bargaining is normal in the souqs, so be ready to make an offer.

  • Gold Souq: Doha's gold dealers are on and around Ali Bin Abdullah Street, and the purity of gold is strictly regulated.
  • Dates and coffee: Dates and the brass pots used for Arabic coffee make souvenirs with a Qatari story.
  • Duty-free: The cruise terminal has a duty-free shop.
  • Malls: Most malls are closed on Friday mornings and busiest on Friday evenings.
  • Customs: It is illegal to import, sell or buy vapes and e-cigarette products in Qatar, and customs may confiscate them.

Beaches and the Corniche in Doha

Doha's waterfront is the Corniche, a long seaside promenade around Doha Bay, rather than a swimming beach. For a swim, the options are hotel beaches that sell day passes and the public beach at Katara Cultural Village.

  • The Corniche: From east to west it passes an informal morning fish market, the Museum of Islamic Art, the giant Oyster and Pearl sculpture and the dhow harbor.
  • Katara Beach: Katara's 1.5 km beach offers swimming, pedal boats and kayaking for an entry fee; check before you go.
  • Hotel beaches: Several hotels let non-guests use their private beaches for a fee, and Western swimwear is fine there.
  • Dhow trips: Traditional wooden dhows moored along the Corniche take passengers out on short cruises around the bay.

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