Saturday, February 18, 2012

Travel tips in Doha Qatar

Islam is the official religion of Qatar. The new Family Law voted on June 29, 2006 is taking distance with Shari’a and aims at protecting the rights of women. The State of Qatar is reputated tolerant however tourists and visitors should be aware of local social conventions and dress codes in order to avoid to offence Qataris.

Qatar Islamic Cultural Center - FANAR
Qatar Islamic Cultural Center - FANAR
  • Dress Code: No official law about it but revealing clothes are not appropriate – especially for women. Always cover your legs and shoulders.
  • Respect interdiction to eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan.
  • Entrance may be declined to unaccompanied women in some places or hotels.
  • Use your right hand to pass or receive items.
  • In business relations Qatari coffee is often offered as a welcome sign. Accept it even if you don’t drink coffee. Also accept a second cup refill. It is a tradition.
The official language of the country is Traditional Arabic however English is widely spoken. The local currency is the Qatari Riyal (QR). Exchange rate is: 1 US$ = 3.642 QR.

weather in Qatar
weather in Qatar

If visiting Qatar in May, June, July, August or September be prepared to experience intense heat. During winter it may rain and the temperature may fall at night to 12°C. The best time to visit Doha is March, April, October and November.

In term of passenger trafic Doha is one of the fastest growing airport in the world and a major hub in the Middle East (behind Dubaï). It is home of national carrier Qatar Airways. There are various mean of transport to leave the airport (See below) but the best option for tourists or business travelers is to arrange a transfer with the hotel in advance.

Doha bus services have significantly developed these last years however public transportation is not the best option for tourists or business travelers as the network remains limited in regards of the city size. Taxis and limousines are recommended for short stays – A real gain of time in a city where parking a car is a challenge. Taxis are affordable: Star rate is QR4 and then QR1.2 per km or QR1.8 at night.

Learn a few words to make sure to be able to communicate – Even if many qatari speak english it is always a plus to be able to say a few words in Arabic.

see www.aboutqatar.info

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