Port guide: Doha, Qatar

This glittering Gulf city has all the impressive shopping and entertainments of Dubai but a much more interesting cultural life and far fewer visitors.

Who goes there While Doha isn’t a major cruise port, Persian Gulf cruises are increasing in popularity. Cruise lines such as Celestyal, Costa Cruises, Explora Journeys and MSC Cruises are sailing Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula itineraries, some ships using Doha as a homeport. Other cruise lines such as Regent Seven Seas and Oceania call in on journeys that connect the Middle East to Africa and Asia.

Sail on in You sail past Banana Island, a resort getaway, and right after that Hamad International Airport is to port, providing great views of planes landing and taking off. Then you get a full-on panorama of central Doha’s often futuristic-looking skyscrapers and, to starboard, those of West Bay.

Berth rites Doha’s Grand Cruise Terminal opened in 2022 and could hardly be better located, sitting at the end of a causeway jutting into Doha Bay, a short distance from downtown Doha. The low, sand-coloured, vaguely Arabian-looking building is no great shakes, but the interior is efficient and its vast aquarium – which passengers travel though on escalators in see-through tubes to reach passport control – is spectacular. The terminal has a foreign exchange and tourist information service. A short walk away is Mina District, which has shops and restaurants.

Going ashore Stroll the crescent-shaped Corniche for great waterfront views of Doha’s thrusting skyline. Remnants of Qatari history are found at Al Koot Fort, the National Museum of Qatar and Al Khor Museum for anthropology and archaeology. Qatar State Mosque was opened in 2011 and is topped by 28 domes and a soaring 65-metre minaret. A further 65 domes cover the quadrangle. Doha also has an architecturally striking National Library, Katara Cultural Village, several parks and theme parks, and a lively fish market.

Don’t miss The Museum of Islamic Art has permanent galleries and regularly changing exhibitions, with collections ranging from the seventh to the 19th centuries and from Morocco to India. There are plenty of religious items, but the museum also displays metalwork, carpets and textiles. Among highlights are a ruby-and-pearl necklace and jewelled falcon from India, stunningly detailed court watercolours from Persia, ceremonial Turkish swords, and a 13th-century glazed Syrian vase.

Get active The Corniche is popular for walking, jogging and cycling. Qatar is rolling out an extensive cycling network, of which the track near Al Khor Road runs for 33 kilometres non-stop thanks to underpasses and bridges. It lays claim to be the world’s longest continuous cycle path. Golf, horse riding, sailing, swimming and desert sports such as sandboarding and dune bashing are other options.

Retail therapy Souk Watif is Doha’s ersatz traditional market where you can discover parts of Islamic culture in everything from spices, perfumes, jewellery and textiles to handicrafts. It’s at its liveliest with locals in the evenings. Other souks are devoted to gold, and Souq Al Deira offers high-quality fabrics. You’ll find endless shopping malls such as Doha Festival City, City Centre Doha and the upmarket Lafayette Galleries and Alhazm Mall.

Further afield The village of Umm Salal Mohammed has a historic fort and old architecture, and Khor Al Udaid has dunes for four-wheel driving and sandboarding. The latter, on the border with Saudi Arabia, is a UNESCO nature reserve thanks to its lagoons, which are a wildlife haven and great swimming spot. Other excursion options might include sailing in a dhow on the harbour, a beach day at Al Safliya Island, or a farm tour for a glimpse of life beyond the city’s glamour.

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