Doha: An Incredible Stopover Destination

When you think about Doha, you tend to immediately think of it as a stopover destination. It is always imagined as a quick fly in, fly out when visiting a further afield holiday spot like Australia, Asia or South Africa. However, what if we told you that Doha holds new, exciting experiences that are worthy of exploring close up. 

Our CEO, Phil, embarked on a short trip to find out what there is to do in Doha if you plan on spending a few nights there. Plus, are the media stories we hear enough reason not to travel there?

Flying First Class

Flying from Manchester with Qatar Airways, Phil was lucky enough to travel in business service on the Dreamliner service. A great perk, especially for an early morning flight. 

After checking into Business Class at Manchester Airport T2, I was given a pass to the 1903 Lounge where there was an excellent choice of food and drink to fuel me before my long flight. Another benefit was the super fast WiFi which allowed me to do a bit of work too.

I boarded the plane and the service was incredible from the off! I was instantly offered a range of beverages, from a coffee to a glass of champagne! As for the pod I was in, there were seat controls to take it from a seat to a flat bed, a charging cable for your mobile, ample storage and even a vanity mirror. 

The thing I noticed the most was the food. It was honestly another level. The option and quality of what I ate was worth the upgrade from Economy. 

The crew onboard my flight were attentive but not intrusive. I could easily close my pod door and slip into a world of in-flight entertainment. I made use of the auto-dimmer to black out the window glass, set my seat to flat-bed mode and took a little power nap to recharge before landing. 

A Few Facts About Qatar!

• There’s a population of 3 million, but only 15% are Qatari nationals.

• The country is not huge, in fact it would take you 2 hours to drive North to South, and 1 hour 30mins to drive East to West.

• There are 8 “districts”, Doha being the largest.

• Sport is very important to the Qataris and they have 8 stadiums with 50km of each other.

• The first international hotel was built in Doha in 1982. It was the Sheraton, and to this day it hasn’t changed its facade and stands out in Doha’s super modern cityscape.

• There’s an offshore neighbourhood called the Pearl. It has 33,000 residents, which is actually 1% of Qatar’s population.

• The Pearl industry used to be huge in the Persian Gulf. It’s perfect for easy cultivation, as it’s only 25m deep. The fisherman used rocks tied to rope and threw them overboard. When they dragged them along the bottom and then brought them up. If they were scarred then there was a good chance oysters were down there. In the 1920’s Japan created a new approach to cultivating pearls, by placing oysters in large tanks and perfecting a farming method. This was the start of the end for the pearl fishermen of Qatar.

• In the 1940s, at the end of the Pearl fishing period, the Qataris found oil and gas. Ironically, after finding out how to create LNG, the Qataris started to export this gas and the first country they exported to was… Japan!

• The national museum of Qatar was once a Palace. It’s known as the Desert Rose.

• Qatar is extremely flat, in fact the tallest point in Qatar is a dune approximately 103m high.

Things To Do In A Few Hours

As Doha is such a popular destination stopover, they cater for people making a fleeting visit. You can book “Transit Excursions” that are short tours allowing you to explore the city, from desert safaris, city tours or even, 6 holes of golf. 

 

Is Doha Just A Stopover Destination?

What Can I Do There?

We took a visit to the Cultural Centre where we learned how to make traditional Arabic coffee and the rituals and ceremonies that go with serving it. 

The coffee is made by the man of the house and generally served by the youngest son, or the youngest male family member present. It is served from right to left, and the small handleless cup is filled to a third full. 

The process begins with grinding the spices and the tradition of tapping the side of the mortar with the pestle signifies coffee is being made and anyone is welcome to join. You must always accept the coffee and take a sip if you are offered it. 

Traditions flow right through to drinking the coffee. You must drink with your right hand. If you don’t want any more, simply shake the cup when offered to signify you are finished. If you are given a full cup of coffee by your host, it signifies to you that you should drink up quickly and go because it’s not convenient to talk or for you to be in their company at that moment.

For More Action-Packed Fun

If you are travelling as a family, there is a fantastic amusement park in Oasis called Doha Quest. Entry is approximately $70pp and it’s indoors, a great opportunity to escape the heat for a while.

One of my personal favourite excursions was the Mangrove Kayaking at the Aqua Sports Camp. The water is quite shallow so perfect for all ages and you have the opportunity to kayak to Purple Island which is the perfect spot for pictures. 

Phil’s Top Tip: Take a change of clothes for this activity. In the kayak, you’ll want to wear a hat, light clothing and some flip flops. 

Brilliant Beach Stopover

A little further north from Doha is the Hilton Fuwairit Beach Resort which has motorised surfboards and is a great place for kitesurfing. This is an ideal stopover destination if you are en route to/from the Far East, Australasia or the Indian Ocean. 

There’s such a fantastic vibe around this place, from the funky bar and cool lobby to the views from the beach front views. 

Not to mention the opportunity to see Hawksbill Turtles! These specific turtles are critically endangered species and if you are lucky, you will witness the young hatchling turtles making their way to the sea. This magical experience usually occurs from late March to early April.

What To Do On A Night?

Whilst during the day, there is plenty to keep you busy, doha really comes alive in the evenings. 

I spent my evenings at Souq Waqif where three buildings in particular stood out to me…

1. Falcon Hospital

Yes, that’s right…A hospital for falcons! Falcons are the national bird of Qatar and incredibly valuable to the rich heritage and culture. Qataris are even able to book a seat on a flight for their falcons. 

2. Parisa

This is the most popular restaurant in Qatar which serves the most mouth-watering Persian cuisine. 

3. A hotel in the centre of the Souq

This is considered the first hotel in, not only Souq Waqif, but in Qatar! It was built in the 1950s for foreign merchants. 

Finally, the JW Marriott Marquis was where I had the most amazing dining experience. It is a venue that is truly one-of-a-kind with a helipad looking over the entire city of Doha. The spectacular views were matched by outstanding food, an ultimate bucket list experience. 

Phil’s Top Tip: You absolutely MUST book this in advance!

So, Should I Visit?

I truly had the best experience in Doha, Qatar. It has to be said that I have never experienced heat like it but they have air conditioned streets (yep, you read that right!) to take off the edge whilst exploring. 

What I think is nice is that a few myths have been busted too! We hear so much about Qatar in the news and what they do and don’t allow but I drank fine wines, sat in lovely restaurants amid openly gay groups and saw families enjoying the nightlife of the bustling souk. It was really exciting to explore the different customs, cultures and traditions and felt safe doing so. 

I would highly recommend experiencing Qatar for a few days as opposed to just dropping in on the way to my final destination.