Qatar travel guide

Doha doesn't really have a real city center, instead the long promenade along the waterfront, Al Corniche, makes up the city's focal point. It is seven kilometres long with amazing views of the highrises across the harbour, where the south end is filled with wooden dhows, traditional Arabic sailing boats. In the evening Al Corniche is "the place" to take a stroll, but don't try to walk here during the day when it can be blistering hot.

If only in ultra-Modern Doha, it's hard to see any sense of history in Qatar. One needs are a bit of an effort to get out of town and see the country's only UNESCO World Heritage site. Al Zubarah Archaeological Site lies in the north of the country... not really near anything. The thing is, Zubarah was neither unique or special in a series of fortified trading towns that dotted the region. But it's the closet thing the country has to history of architectural value. The fort, which is the crown is in the jewel, was actually only built in 1938, long after the town had been abandoned. But still, for those tired of skyscrapers of the city, there always a remote desert fort to visit.

Inside the reconstruction of Old Doha, across a parking lot from souq Waqif, lies an enclosure which is filled with camels. Whether this is suppose to be a camel market, or just a camel parking, and whether these camels were just here temporary or are a permanent part of the new "traditional" souq setup along with the patrolling horsemen, we don't know. But if the camels are still there, check them out, for camels are cool.

Doha is hot, most of the time it's super hot. Walking around the corniche to check out the skyline is made only barely tolerable by the cooling breezes off the sea. So, to cool off just a little bit more, it makes perfect sense to head out onto the sea itself; enter the tradition Dhow. The tradition sea vessel used through much of the region, taking a trip on a dhow is a great way to sea the city. They have trips for any budget ranging from a quickie zip around the harbour to a full blown luxury dinner cruise. Either way, the opportunity to cool down while getting a cool view on a cool boat equals a cool experience.

What do you get when you mix the rugged, desert terrain of Qatar with the sleek, modernity of Qatari life? The answer is dune bashing. The towering dunes around the Sealine Beach resort south of Doha make for the perfect weekend getaway for Qatari fun-seekers. Ramped up SUVs, dune buggies or (for the slower paced) camels, vie in a one-upmanship show of scaling the sandy towers. It's almost like riding a roller coaster. Then, after a day of thrills, it's time for a little chill. Numerous well stock desert camps offer the opportunity to spend the night under the stars in a traditional bedouin camp; though it's unclear how traditional air-conditioned tents are.

In a country famed for it's modernity mixed with religious conservatism, one would never expect a fair dose of superstition. But driving along the desolate north coast of the country, superstition is exactly what you'll find. A number of villages, including the picturesque Al-Jamail, are unceremoniously abandoned. The reason? They're haunted. Word has it that Jinn (Islamic bogeymen) were raising a ruckus in the sleepy fishing villages. Logically, the next step meant completely deserting the towns and leaving them to disintegrate under the sun and sand of the Qatari desert. Officials say the town were relocated to improve living conditions, but who believes official stories anymore?

Qatar's are super eager to prove that they aren't some new oil-rich country, but instead of a long and rich history of trade and warfare. Various forts, markets and cultural centres have been built around Doha showing what could have been. The Katara Cultural Village is sort of a somewhat exaggerated showcase of how Doha could have been. The buildings and offices provide a museum like glimpse of a Doha that never really was. The good news is, there's lots of stuff going on there now. There are photo exhibitions and classes, dragon boat racing, children's theatre, concert pianist and everything else thinkable. Plus, it has one of the city's cheapest beaches to boot.

Jetting out into the sea, at the end of Doha's Corniche, is the magnificent Museum of Islamic Art. Even for those travellers who aren't into museums, MIA in Doha is almost more about the building than the collections inside. Winner of a number of international architecture awards and distinctions the building itself is possible the chief attraction. Whether admiring the refections in the water, or getting lost the spiral in the massive atrium, MIA is a sight to behold. Besides, with no admission fee, cranking air conditioning (a welcome reprieve from the outside heat), surprisingly speedy free WiFi and serving some of the best coffee (with a view) in the city, there's really no reason not to go.

Pearl Qatar is an artificial island build as residential estate for those with a bit extra on the bank account. We are talking manicured green lawns, water fountains and a swanky marina right at the lucky owner's doorstep. The area is Disneyfied to the extend that muzak is playing along the groomed promenade. The fancy shopping arcade contains of course all the luxury brands you can imagine, including a showroom for Rolls-Royce and Maserati. However, ordinary things, like a bottle of water, seem impossible to buy anywhere - but we guess that a housekeeper would normally be in charge of that.

In contrary to other oil state metropols like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Doha is still in the developing phase, and probably will be for many years to come. The center is a mix of brand new exotic looking skyscrapers and dusty construction sites, sprinkled with equal dusty empty lots. Since 2000 more than 30 skyscraper taller than 100 m have been erected, though some are not yet completed. The tallest will be Qatar National Bank Tower with 510 m (114 stories) when it completes. It seems that any concept can be realized, leaving the skyline of Doha, even as today, as a quirky mismatch of wonderful architecture among glass monsters, which can only have been created by people with too much business on their minds.