4 DAY DOHA ITINERARY

I recently visited Doha during a stopover to the Maldives with Qatar Airways where I explored Doha for 4 days. Doha has always been a destination I was curious about so when I was invited to explore Doha I was super excited! Doha is a destination for all travelers, offering local experiences, amazing local cuisine, luxury hotels, and multiple adventurous experiences. Qatar is a peninsula in the Arabian Gulf, with a population of 2.5 million people. All year round there is sunshine, with very hot summers and mildly warm winters. I visited during October and it was quite hot.

HOW TO GET TO DOHA

From JFK to Hamad International Airport on Qatar Airways is the best way to travel on a 12+ hour flight especially when Qatar Airways was awarded the World’s Best Airline! I was lucky to have experienced the five-star experience in business class in the Qsuite. These seats are very roomy, comfy and perfect for people traveling in groups. They offer quads which means passengers can travel in a group of four. The quads allow passengers to have privacy but also bring down the divider to create a large quad to hang out with your friends, family or coworkers.

The best part about my flight is the amazing staff, my flight attendant knew I loved the welcoming drink and offered it to me the entire flight. I love that she noticed this and it made my experience a little more special. A few other things I enjoyed during my flight is the movie selections, the meals were amazing and my flight attendant made my bed after I was done with my meal. If you’re wondering how I slept, I was very well rested!

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR TRIP

Recommend visitors to go within the months of November – April for the best weather
As a Muslim country, the culture regarding dress code is fairly conservative. The only place where any coverage (for both men and women) is actually required is within the museums and mosques. In those places, tops should cover the shoulder and bottoms should fall below the knee
I did not need a visa as a US Citizen
The ruler is His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Currency is the Qatari Riyal
Arabic is the official language with English widely spoken and understood
Lemon mint is the drink of Qatar. Super refreshing and a must!
Karak Tea is a must too. It’s hot tea with milk & I loved it!

TOUR COMPANIES

Q Explorer: This is who we used during our trip and I loved the guides! I highly recommend booking them if you’re looking for a tour guide
Falcon Tours
Arabian Adventures

WHERE TO STAY

Mondrian Doha is located in the West Bay Lagoon area and is one of the best luxury hotels that are both chic and modern! This property opened in 2017 and inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The lobby is stunning, with gold and white columns and a spiral staircase. The hotel has 211 and 59 suites, over 24 floors.

OTHER LUXURY HOTELS I RECOMMEND:

DAY 1

FURSAN

On the first day, we arrived in the late afternoon and went straight to the shopping center. We met with Ibrahim Al-Haidos, who started the local handbag brand Fursan. Fursan incorporates Qatari designs with Italian craftsmanship and is currently only sold in Qatar and made in Italy.

EL FARO DINNER

We had dinner at El faro in Marsa Malaz Kempinski Doha for our first night and it was delicious! Our dinner consisted of signature dishes from Chef Javiar Aranda’s Spanish heritage.

DAY 2

SUP YOGA

Start off your morning with a fun fitness session with Blue Pearl Experience. Enjoy a yoga session floating on water to help strengthen our focus and develop the core strength.

THE MASJID OF KATARA

The Masjid of Katara is one of the most beautiful mosques in Qatar. The mosque is designed by globally known Turkish mosque designer Zainab Fadil Oglu. The interior and exterior designs of the mosque are inspired by several famous mosques in the Muslim world.

LUNCH AT YASMIN PALACE

We had lunch at the most gorgeous restaurant, Yasmin Palace located in The Pearl. They serve Andalusian inspired dishes from different Arab cultures and civilizations. The meal was fantastic, I would highly recommend this restaurant! Don’t forget to order a lemon mint.

KATARA CULTURAL VILLAGE

We stopped by Katara Cultural Village to explore the beautiful area. There is a lot to see, you can visit two mosques, one of which is the oldest in Doha, the beach, amphitheater, stores, and restaurants. We stopped by the Q Label Store to meet the designer and learn about the clothing for Qatari women. There’s also a large Galeries Lafayette Department Store.

SOUQ WAQIF

Strolling through Souq Waqif was such a fun experience! If you love to shop, you’ll definitely fall in love with all the hustle and bustle of the traditional souqs, where everything from silk to spices is on offer. At night, the entire place lights up and becomes so vibrant.

PARISA

Parisa is one of the most popular restaurants to visit that serves Persian cuisine. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and blinged-out from floor to ceiling! Not only is the restaurant worth seeing but the food is really good! Honestly, all the restaurants on this list are a must.

DAY 3

EMBRACE DOHA SESSION

We had a cultural session to learn about the culture of Qatar with Embrace Doha. A few things I learned:

Hospitality: When offered drinks accept with your right hand. When you do not want anymore to drink, shake the cup.
Greetings: Men and women do not shake hands.
Clothing: Women should cover their shoulders, upper arms, and knees. Men should cover their shoulders, torso and upper legs.

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART

The Museum of Islamic Art houses a collection of art that represents Islamic art from three continents over 1,400 years.

ORIENT PEARL RESTAURANT

We enjoyed a fine-dining lunch at Orient Pearl Restaurant! My favorite dish was this traditional Qatari dish which is oatmeal cooked for over 8 hours with meat.

GRAND MOSQUE IN DOHA

The Grand Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Qatar. This stunning mosque not only has a unique and beautiful architecture both inside and out, and it comes with a gorgeous view of the city skyline! Be careful with professional cameras as the security guards only allowed us to take photos with our phones.

AL SHAQAB

We took a tour of Al Shaqab, home to Arabian horses and tradition of equestrian excellence. It was so fun meeting the beautiful horses and learning about their training and discipline.

DHOW CRUISE

We set foot on a traditional Arabian Dhow sunset cruise to enjoy the city skyline from the water. It costs around 50 riyal, which equals about $14 USD but you can bargain with other boats to find the best deal!

AL MOURJAN

After the sunset cruise, we had dinner at Al Mourjan that specializes in Lebanese, seafood, and Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant is located right at the dock next to the boats so you get this gorgeous skyline view.

DAY 4

DESERT DUNE BASHING AND CAMELS

One of the most popular activities to experience in Qatar is a desert trip! Spend the day seeing extraordinary desert views, dune bashing, sliding down the dunes and riding camels.

KHOR AL ADAID

If you have time, visit Khor Al Adaid also known as Inland Sea. Inland Sea is a UNESCO recognized natural reserve with its own ecosystem! It is one of the few places in the world where the sea intrudes deep into the heart of the desert.

REGENCY SEALINE CAMP

Spend a day and enjoy a relaxing lunch at Regency Sealine Camp! if you enjoy glamping, you would love here. We had lunch here and spent a few hours relaxing by the water, which is clear and very warm.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF QATAR

Visiting the National Museum of Qatar is a must if you’re visiting Qatar! The museum was designed by Jean Nouvel, who also designed the Louvre in Paris. Here I learned so many interesting facts about Qatar and its unique story from the earliest time to the present day and towards the future. I’m usually not a huge museum person but this museum was very interesting, possibly because our guide was really engaging too.

SPICE MARKET AT W HOTEL

For dinner, we went to Spice Market in W Doha that serves Southeast Asian dishes by Chef Alvrie. The delicious food, decor, and exotic ambiance will feel like you have been transported to the streets of Vietnam and Thailand.

I hope this guide helped make planning your trip easier! If Qatar is not on your list yet, please add it to your list and maybe make a trip for the World Cup 2022!!

After 4 days in Doha, our group made our way to our final destination with Four Seasons Resorts Maldives. Read about our experience and you’ll want to book your next Maldives vacation with a stopover in Doha!