1. Travel guide
  2. Qatar

This tiny little country in the Persian Gulf is incredible! That is, you have to see it to believe it. See its energy and richness. See the capital Doha and its breathtaking forest of towers that glisten in the sun and light up at night. Former fishermen and pearl farmers, the Qataris won the golden egg hen after the discovery of their subsoil resources in 1949. The ruling families of the emirs have amassed colossal fortunes. If the country is now focusing on developing tourism, it is because the vein will soon be dried up. Qatar, a permanent construction site under heat wave, 24 hours a day, is investing in ever more luxurious hotels. No limit! From seminars to festivals, from prestigious museums to sporting events, Doha attracts a select clientele. Each district is in itself an attraction: from Pearl, a magnificent marina won on the water, to the new district of Lusail, Aspire, via the sports district, with its Torch, a superb tower and luxury hotel, flanked by the Villagio, a shopping centre watered by a canal with real gondolas, or Katara, the cultural attraction to always return to West Bay, at the foot of the magic forest of biting buildings with fascinating games of night light. We come to see and be seen in Doha, a flashy and burning destination, under perpetual air conditioning, except to dive into the sea, where the national sport is shopping, interspersed with jet-ski or 4x4 sessions in the desert, where the non-alcoholic cocktails are divine and the best restaurants offer themselves a French chef

The must-see places in Qatar

Suggested addresses Qatar

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When to go to Qatar?

Between November and April, temperatures are pleasant, nights are cool and showers are light. From the end of April to the end of October, the heat is hot and suffocating because of the humidity. In summer, the Shama, a burning and violent wind, causes sandstorms. Sea temperatures range from 20°C in January to 30°C in June. Tourist peaks are during the major events scheduled, the end of Ramadan, the cool season, and throughout the year under the air conditioning. In Doha, in summer, people move from an air-conditioned car to an air-conditioned apartment, from an air-conditioned restaurant to an air-conditioned mall. And tourists are moving from an air-conditioned car or subway to an air-conditioned hotel. However, the transition months in the hot season and the cool season, March and November, are to be favoured, being hot but not excessive. You can also arrive in Dubai for a scheduled event or stay and rent a car to discover Doha

  • Weather forecast
  • Budget
  • Procedures
  • Health
  • Discovery
Weather at the moment
Weather all year round

Qatar is a desert country with an arid subtropical climate. It is very hot and humid in summer, mild in winter. Winter showers are minimal and rainfall does not exceed 75.2 mm per year. There are two main seasons: a cool season from December to February, and a warm season from April to October, in which we can distinguish a very hot period from May to mid-October, with temperatures exceeding 40°C or even approaching 50°C

Budget

The local currency is the Qatar Riyal (QAR) aligned with the USD and of the same value as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) dirham. This destination is not as unaffordable as the ambient luxury might suggest. Hotels and restaurants offer rates that, at equivalent quality, are well worth those in European capitals and flights are very affordable

Procedures

No more visas to travel to Qatar as a French, Belgian, Canadian, Swiss or Schengen citizen. Presenting a passport valid 6 months after your arrival day and a return ticket will allow you to reside 180 days without any further formalities. The traveller must refrain from arriving in Qatar in possession of alcohol or other prohibited products.

Health

No special instructions in this extremely healthy and polished country. However, at this latitude there is a risk of sunstroke and it is advisable to protect yourself from the sun, especially when it is at its peak, and to drink plenty of water in the desert. It is better not to walk or sleep in the desert without a guide.

How to go to Qatar? Our advice & tips

  • Organised trips
  • Going alone
  • Moving around

More and more tour operators are putting Qatar in their catalogues. The destination is secure and attractive, and the negotiated rates are attractive. In association with local agencies, excursions in the desert and to the inland sea are planned.

Discover our selection of travel agencies for this destination

You can easily organize your stay in Qatar alone. Doha airport has become a hub, planes come from all over the world. You can book your hotel from the Internet. On the spot, many small local agencies help you to rent a vehicle, organize a barbecue evening in the desert under a Berber tent, for example. And don't get smart. Breaches of morality are very severely punished.

We can do the tour during the day, or almost. The tarred network is built in a star shape from Doha, to the south, west and north. The northern axis, with its modern highway, is the most fluid. Mooring in Qatar with your multihull is possible. Qatar is developing its marinas, including those in Pearl, to accommodate yachts and sailboats. In Doha you take the metro and taxis

Prepare for your trip Qatar

Transportation
  • Sea crossing
Accommodations
  • Find a hotel
  • Airbnb rental
  • Holiday rental
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  • Tailor-made trip
Services / On site
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Qatar travel inspiration

3 days
Large budget
  • When to go?
    Printemps, Automne, Hiver
  • With whom?
    Couple, Famille, Amis
  • Themes :
    Culture / Patrimoine , Découverte, Aventure / Sports et loisirs, Farniente, Détente / Bien être

Qatar in 72 hours
Quotatrip
All tours
7 days
Large budget
  • When to go?
    Printemps, Automne, Hiver
  • With whom?
    Couple, Famille, Amis
  • Themes :
    Culture / Patrimoine , Faune et flore, Découverte, Aventure / Sports et loisirs, Farniente, Détente / Bien être

Qatar in detail

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Practical information
When to travel?

Between November and April, temperatures are pleasant, nights are cool and showers are light. From the end of April t...
Read more about it

Weather forecast

Qatar is a desert country with an arid subtropical climate. It is very hot and humid in summer, mild in winter. Winte...
Read more about it

Budget

The local currency is the Qatar Riyal (QAR) aligned with the USD and of the same value as the United Arab Emirates (U...
Read more about it

Formalities

No more visas to travel to Qatar as a French, Belgian, Canadian, Swiss or Schengen citizen. Presenting a passport val...
Read more about it

Health

No special instructions in this extremely healthy and polished country. However, at this latitude there is a risk of...
Read more about it

How to travel by yourself?

You can easily organize your stay in Qatar alone. Doha airport has become a hub, planes come from all over the world....
Read more about it

How to get organized?

More and more tour operators are putting Qatar in their catalogues. The destination is secure and attractive, and the...
Read more about it

Getting around

We can do the tour during the day, or almost. The tarred network is built in a star shape from Doha, to the south, we...
Read more about it

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