Travel to Qatar

Qatar

Surrounded by the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf, Qatar is a perfect blend of traditional culture and modernity.  A peninsular nation, Qatar is a welcoming and friendly destination offering a plethora of experiences and attractions from Islamic art to historic heritage sites and busy souks, from pristine swimming beaches and magical desertscapes to adrenaline-raising fun parks. International and local hotels welcome guests with gracious hospitality and global cuisine.

Visit the Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I. M. Pei and marvel at the mosaics and ceramics, learn about the ancient pursuit of falconry and visit a souk that specializes in all things falcon. Ride a camels across the desert or see the city skyline from a traditional dhow (wooden boat).

Qatar is a country for visitors of all ages and travel styles. Solo travelers are perfectly safe, families with young children will find activities to keep everyone happy, and groups are catered for. 

Overview

Surrounded by the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf, Qatar is a perfect blend of traditional culture and modernity.  A peninsular nation, Qatar is a welcoming and friendly destination offering a plethora of experiences and attractions from Islamic art to historic heritage sites and busy souks, from pristine swimming beaches and magical desertscapes to adrenaline-raising fun parks. International and local hotels welcome guests with gracious hospitality and global cuisine.

Visit the Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I. M. Pei and marvel at the mosaics and ceramics, learn about the ancient pursuit of falconry and visit a souk that specializes in all things falcon. Ride a camels across the desert or see the city skyline from a traditional dhow (wooden boat).

Qatar is a country for visitors of all ages and travel styles. Solo travelers are perfectly safe, families with young children will find activities to keep everyone happy, and groups are catered for. 

People

Qatar is a Muslim country and Islam plays an integral role in daily life. Prayers take place five times per day: at dawn (Fajr), around midday (Duhr), in mid-afternoon (A’asr), at sunset (Maghrib) and about two hours after sunset (‘Esha). The exact timing varies each day according to the sun’s position. Qatari ladies will not shake hands with men, and many men will not shake a lady’s hand as a gesture of respect. As in all Middle Eastern countries, showing overt affection and intimacy in public is frowned upon.
During the Islamic month of Ramadan, visitors are expected to refrain from eating, drinking and smoking in public places during the daylight hours out of respect to those who are fasting.  Hotels continue to cater to guests by opening restaurants that are out of the public’s view.
Attitudes towards dress in Qatar are relaxed, but visitors (men as well as women) are expected to show respect for local culture by avoiding excessively revealing clothing in public. It is generally recommended for men and women to ensure their shoulders and knees are covered. Those who wish to enter mosques will have to cover their hair as well.

Language

Home to around a hundred nationalities, Qatar is a melting pot of cultures with numerous languages being spoken. Being an Arab country, the official language is Arabic, but English is commonly spoken at all public places.

History

Little is known of Qatar’s history before the 18th century, when the region’s population consisted largely of Bedouin nomads and there were only a few small fishing villages. Qatar’s modern history begins conventionally in 1766 with the migration to the peninsula of families from Kuwait, notably the Khalifah family. Their settlement at the new town of Al-Zubārah grew into a small pearl-diving and trade center. In 1783 the Khalifah family led the conquest of nearby Bahrain, where they remained the ruling family throughout the 20th century. Following the departure of the Khalifah dynasty from Qatar, the country was ruled by a series of transitory sheikhs, the most famous of whom was Raḥmah ibn Jābir al-Jalāhimah, known particularly for his maritime warring with the Khalifah family and their associates.

Qatar came to the attention of the British in 1867 when a dispute between the Bahraini Khalifah, who continued to hold some claim to Al-Zubārah, and the Qatari residents escalated into a major confrontation, in the course of which Doha was virtually destroyed. Until the attack, Britain had viewed Qatar as a Bahraini dependency. It then signed a separate treaty with Mohammed ibn Thani in 1868, setting the course both for Qatar’s future independence and for the rule of the Thani dynasty, who until the treaty were only one among several important families on the peninsula.

Travel Guide

Currency

The Qatari riyal is the only currency used in the country and can be obtained through ATMs which are widely available in malls, hotels and around Doha. The Qatari Riyal (QR) is pegged against the US Dollar at QAR 3.64

Weather

In Qatar, the summers are long, hot, and partly cloudy and the winters are comfortable, dry, windy, and mostly clear. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 58°F to 106°F and is rarely below 51°F or above 112°F.
The best times of year to visit Qatar are from late September to early May.

Health Requirements

COVID PROTOCOL
Please check the US Embassy in Qatar’s website for the latest entry requirements, including covid protocol:
https://qa.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

GENERAL
Yellow fever is not present in Qatar; no yellow fever inoculation proof is required.

Visa Requirements

US citizens do not require any prior visa arrangements and can obtain a 30 day visa waiver upon arrival to Qatar at no cost.

Tipping & Porterage

Tipping is appreciated in Qatar.
Generally, a tip of 10-15% at restaurants, in hotels and for guides is recommended.
Africa Answers provides tipping guidelines with final documents.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are widely accepted in Qatar. Visa and Mastercard are preferable to American Express.

Money

The Qatari riyal is the only currency used in the country and can be obtained through ATMs which are widely available in malls, hotels and around Doha.
The Qatari Riyal (QR) is pegged against the US Dollar at QAR 3.64

Electrical Appliances

The standard voltage is 240 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. Plug points are the same as in the UK. To use electric appliances made for the range of 100 V - 127 V (as is in the US), travelers needs a voltage converter or a combined power plug adapter/voltage converter.
Africa Answers recommends taking a Universal Travel Adaptor which combines a voltage converter and plug adaptors in one device. These can be obtained online or at a luggage or travel goods store.

Water

The World Health Organization estimates that 99% of Qatar has access to drinkable tap water. However, bottled water is widely consumed in Qatar with plenty of local and imported brands widely available.

Map

A: Akagera National Park
B: Alexandria
C: Amboseli National Park
D: Arusha
E: Aswan
F: Bazaruto Island
G: Benguerra Island
H: Botswana
I: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
J: Cairo
K: Cape Town
L: Cape Winelands
M: Central Kalahari Region
N: Chobe National Park
O: Denis Island
P: Desroches Island
Q: Drakensburg
R: Dubai
S: Dubai Beaches
T: Dubai City Center
U: Dubai Desert
V: Dubai Marina
W: Durban
X: Eastern Cape
Y: Eastern Cape Safaris
Z: Egypt
AA: Ethiopia
AB: Etosha National Park
AC: Franschhoek
AD: Garden Route
AE: Ghana
AF: Greater Kruger National Park
AG: Greater Winelands
AH: Hermanus
AI: Hwange National Park
AJ: Johannesburg
AK: Jordan
AL: Kafue National Park
AM: Kampala
AN: Kariba
AO: Kenya
AP: Kigali
AQ: Knysna
AR: Kruger National Park
AS: Kwazulu Natal
AT: La Digue
AU: Lake Manyara NP
AV: Lake Nakuru
AW: Lewa Wildlife Conservation
AX: Linyanti/Savuti Region
AY: Livingstone
AZ: Lower Zambezi National Park
BA: Luxor
BB: Madagascar
BC: Madikwe Game Reserve
BD: Mahé
BE: Mana Pools National Park
BF: Masai Mara
BG: Mauritius
BH: Mombasa
BI: Morocco
BJ: Mozambique
BK: Nairobi
BL: Namibia
BM: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
BN: North Island
BO: Nyungwe Forest National Park
BP: Okavango and Moremi GR
BQ: Oman
BR: Oudtshoorn
BS: Plettenberg Bay
BT: Port Elizabeth
BU: Praslin
BV: Qatar
BW: Queen Elizabeth National Park
BX: Quirimbas Archipelago
BY: Rwanda
BZ: Sabi Sands
CA: Samburu National Park
CB: Selous Game Reserve
CC: Serengeti National Park
CD: Seychelles
CE: Sharm El Sheik
CF: Sheik Zayed Road
CG: Silhouette Island
CH: Skeleton Coast National Park
CI: Sossusvlei
CJ: South Africa
CK: South Luangwa
CL: Stellenbosch
CM: Swakopmund & Walvis Bay
CN: Tanzania
CO: Tarangire National Park
CP: Timbavati Region
CQ: Uganda
CR: Umhlanga
CS: Victoria Falls
CT: Vilanculos
CU: Volcanoes National Park
CV: Windhoek

Destinations

Explore the rest of our Qatar destinations:

• Akagera National Park
• Alexandria
• Amboseli National Park
• Arusha
• Aswan
• Bazaruto Island
• Benguerra Island
• Botswana
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Cairo
• Cape Town
• Cape Winelands
• Central Kalahari Region
• Chobe National Park
• Denis Island
• Desroches Island
• Drakensburg
• Dubai
• Dubai Beaches
• Dubai City Center
• Dubai Desert
• Dubai Marina
• Durban
• Eastern Cape
• Eastern Cape Safaris
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Etosha National Park
• Franschhoek
• Garden Route
• Ghana
• Greater Kruger National Park
• Greater Winelands
• Hermanus
• Hwange National Park
• Johannesburg
• Jordan
• Kafue National Park
• Kampala
• Kariba
• Kenya
• Kigali
• Knysna
• Kruger National Park
• Kwazulu Natal
• La Digue
• Lake Manyara NP
• Lake Nakuru
• Lewa Wildlife Conservation
• Linyanti/Savuti Region
• Livingstone
• Lower Zambezi National Park
• Luxor
• Madagascar
• Madikwe Game Reserve
• Mahé
• Mana Pools National Park
• Masai Mara
• Mauritius
• Mombasa
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Nairobi
• Namibia
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• North Island
• Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Okavango and Moremi GR
• Oman
• Oudtshoorn
• Plettenberg Bay
• Port Elizabeth
• Praslin
• Qatar
• Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Quirimbas Archipelago
• Rwanda
• Sabi Sands
• Samburu National Park
• Selous Game Reserve
• Serengeti National Park
• Seychelles
• Sharm El Sheik
• Sheik Zayed Road
• Silhouette Island
• Skeleton Coast National Park
• Sossusvlei
• South Africa
• South Luangwa
• Stellenbosch
• Swakopmund & Walvis Bay
• Tanzania
• Tarangire National Park
• Timbavati Region
• Uganda
• Umhlanga
• Victoria Falls
• Vilanculos
• Volcanoes National Park
• Windhoek

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This Destination Qatar Related Destinations Akagera National Park Alexandria Amboseli National Park Arusha Aswan Bazaruto Island Benguerra Island Botswana Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Cairo Cape Town Cape Winelands Central Kalahari Region Chobe National Park Denis Island Desroches Island Drakensburg Dubai Dubai Beaches Dubai City Center Dubai Desert Dubai Marina Durban Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Safaris Egypt Ethiopia Etosha National Park Franschhoek Garden Route Ghana Greater Kruger National Park Greater Winelands Hermanus Hwange National Park Johannesburg Jordan Kafue National Park Kampala Kariba Kenya Kigali Knysna Kruger National Park Kwazulu Natal La Digue Lake Manyara NP Lake Nakuru Lewa Wildlife Conservation Linyanti/Savuti Region Livingstone Lower Zambezi National Park Luxor Madagascar Madikwe Game Reserve Mahé Mana Pools National Park Masai Mara Mauritius Mombasa Morocco Mozambique Nairobi Namibia Ngorongoro Conservation Area North Island Nyungwe Forest National Park Okavango and Moremi GR Oman Oudtshoorn Plettenberg Bay Port Elizabeth Praslin Qatar Queen Elizabeth National Park Quirimbas Archipelago Rwanda Sabi Sands Samburu National Park Selous Game Reserve Serengeti National Park Seychelles Sharm El Sheik Sheik Zayed Road Silhouette Island Skeleton Coast National Park Sossusvlei South Africa South Luangwa Stellenbosch Swakopmund & Walvis Bay Tanzania Tarangire National Park Timbavati Region Uganda Umhlanga Victoria Falls Vilanculos Volcanoes National Park Windhoek

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