48 Hours in Qatar: Doha on a Budget
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A lot can change in Doha in seven years. Which is just as well because it made our trip a completely new experience for both of us, even though Ruth had visited previously in 2017. We stopped over for 48 hours on our way to South Korea as part of the Qatar Airways subsidised stopover package and decided to see just how much we could cram into two days.
We stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton in Msheireb Downton Doha, which is one of the fastest developing areas of the city and allegedly the world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project. It ended up being the perfect location from which to explore the city, with the Msheireb metro station mere feet from the front doors.
It’s very easy to spend a lot of money in Qatar, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that it’s also very easy to spend very little, and we managed to pack a huge amount in on a very small budget (read our article for tips on visiting Qatar on a budget). So, without further ado, here’s our guide to spending 48 hours in Qatar.
Day One
We were up and out early to beat the stifling midday temperatures. Even though it was October, we experienced highs of a humid 36 degrees Celsius, so we hopped on the metro and headed straight for the Katara Cultural Village where we took a stroll around the immaculate gardens, along the air conditioned 21 High Street (yes, you read that correctly – an air conditioned street!) before popping into the beautiful blue and gold tiled Katar Mosque. The staff were incredibly welcoming and kindly took the time to explain to us some of the key tenets of Islam and demonstrate how worshippers pray in the mosque.
We continued our exploration of the village by visiting the (free) stamp museum and (also free) dhow museum before wandering in awe around the 5,000-capacity Katara Amphitheatre, which is built in the traditional Greek style and looks as if it were carved from one single block of polished stone. After checking out the awesome steam-punk-esque metalwork statues guarding the seafront, we decided to cap our visit off with a mid-morning cup of karak chai.
The blue and gold Katara Mosque in the morning sunshine
Next, we hopped on the metro and headed south to Souq Waqif - Doha’s oldtown and marketplace – to check in with the world’s largest golden thumb (yep, certainly large and gold). It was still relatively quiet, so we grabbed a refreshing fruit smoothie to help combat the heat and strolled down to the Museum of Islamic Art for some lunch, admiring the beautiful wooden dhows lined up in the bay.
One of the many things Doha excels at is architecture and the Museum of Islamic Art is one of its finest examples, resembling from some angles a woman wearing a Niqab. Just having the chance to explore this beautiful building was worth the admission price (check out our article Visiting Doha on a Budget for a top tip on that) but we both really enjoyed the exhibitions, from the early examples of Arabic script in the region, through to the beautiful textiles and weaponry on display. The exhibition of photographer Ara Güler’s works did a particularly poignant job of bringing 20th century Istanbul to life. The exhibition of photographer Ara Güler’s works did a particularly poignant job of bringing 20th century Istanbul.
Admiring the beautiful Doha skyline with the Museum of Islamic Art in the foreground
Once we’d had our fill of cultural sustenance, we headed back to Souq Waqif for a big bowl of Egyptian Koshary (something Ruth misses greatly from her time working out there) and to watch the dense crowds of tourists and local families jostle along the streets trying to find a table at every packed restaurant.
Thanks to the city’s excellent (and cheap!) metro system, it was relatively painless to head out into the suburbs in search of Qatar’s only dedicated climbing wall. We did get lost in a giant shopping mall on the way, which came complete with its own canal serviced by punting boats, but finally made it to Esqalar Sports Climbing Wall.
We had a great time climbing here! The site is all open air and consists primarily of sport climbing routes that snake their way up artificial rock. The setting resembles outdoor routes and makes good use of the features on the walls so that it was the closest experience to climbing on real rock that we’ve had in a gym. There aren’t a huge number of options at the lower grades, so you do need some experience to climb here, but we had an absolutely fantastic time climbing at night and sweating through everything we own in the heat. Big shout out to Harsh from India who made our time here particularly enjoyable.
If you’re in Doha and you enjoy climbing, definitely check out Esqalar Sports Climbing Wall because it’s a really unique experience. It was a pleasant 27-28 degrees by the time we finished up at around 9.45pm.
We ended the day with samosas and chai from the tiny Msheireb Canteen just around the corner from our hotel. Top travel tip: If you want to eat cheap, delicious food in any of the Gulf states, seek out the canteens frequented by the sizable South-Asian expat workforce – you will not be disappointed!
Day Two
On day two we decided to shift down a few gears and take it a bit easier. Our hotel came with a lovely rooftop pool and (airconditioned) gym area, so we took full advantage and headed up for a dip under the fierce morning sun. The temperature was already around 34 degrees when we hit the water, and we were grateful for the shade provided by the sun lounger umbrellas.
If you want to guarantee a rare sighting of rain during your trip to the desert, then take Ruth with you. It never fails! Right on cue, a huge electrical storm rolled in around 11am with an almighty thunderclap and lashings of rain. We took this as our cue to exit the pool area and take shelter in our hotel room.
As the rumbling of thunder finally waned into the distance, our stomachs took up the call so we ventured out for some lunch. Sticking with the theme of cheap Indian eats, we visited a small (and slightly chaotic) Indian-inspired eatery in Msheireb station which served falafel wraps (made with parathas!) and more karak chai. This provided a tasty and wallet-friendly lunch, with the parathas adding an extra level of indulgence.
Enjoying the crazy architecture of the National Museum of Qatar
From there we headed to the National Museum of Qatar - the part of the trip that Ruth had been most excited about. Back in 2017 the incredible building - which houses the museum collections and wraps around the historic palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani - was still very much ‘under construction’ along with much of the current city! The design is based on the natural geological phenomenon of the Desert Rose; intricate rose-like formations of crystal clusters of gypsum or baryte that form in arid sandy conditions, and it really is something to behold.
We enjoyed the galleries on the prehistory, archaeology and wildlife of the region as well as the modern history of Qatar but coming out from the main buildings into the courtyard housing the restored Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani Place was a real highlight. The sun had set and Doha at night is a sea of twinkling, multicoloured lights, scattered across the natural harbours which hug the coast. All of this could be viewed beautifully from the first- and second -floor balconies of the building.
The National Museum of Qatar glowing in the evening light
Wanting to make the most of our last evening in Qatar before heading to the airport for our red-eye flight to South Korea, we returned to a buzzing Souq Waqif to find dinner, stopping first to buy some cheese sambassak (think samosas) from the ladies selling home-cooked food in the open plaza at the front of the souq. The place was a hub of activity as it was a Friday evening, so getting a table anywhere was a struggle but we settled on the amazing Lebanese offerings at Saida and enjoyed a feast of spinach manakeesh (stuffed fresh bread), fatteh (chickpeas cooked in yogurt and ghee with nuts), tabbouleh and a typically Middle Eastern fluffy omelette. We could have spent all evening sitting out in the warm, Arabian night but, sadly, we had a plane to catch.
We decided to walk back to the hotel to make the most of our final hours and walked through the new Msheireb quarter. This is absolutely worth a visit to see the striking new architecture and rather cute little trams.
Then, before we knew it, it was time to hop back on the Metro and head to visit the terrifying bear at Hamad International Airport as we began the next leg of our journey...