10 Great Reasons to Visit Qatar This Year

If you want to enjoy sunny weather during your vacation, you can always find it in Qatar. The weather is typically pleasant for most of the year. Winters are usually very mild, with daytime temperatures in January ranging between 54°F and 70°F. Summers are on the hotter, more humid side and can reach up to 106°F in July. If you do see any rain in Qatar, it’ll probably be in February.

Some may think that since Qatar is a Middle Eastern destination, it can become ridiculously hot in the summer. The reality is that the temperatures aren’t so different from what you’ll often experience in other similar seaside or desert destinations 25–30 degrees above the equator.

Qatar has a rich and storied history that's visible nearly everywhere you look, from the architecture and museums to UNESCO World Heritage sites and marketplaces. But that doesn't make it a country that lives in the past, as proved by the innovative skyscrapers of Doha.

The country offers a blend of tradition and modernity that’s difficult to find elsewhere in the world. Qatar celebrates its heritage, but still offers newcomers and travelers modern amenities, hotels, and infrastructure, and a mix of international cultures, cuisines, and lifestyles.

From skydiving over the Arabian Gulf to scuba diving beneath its waters, and from climbing sand dunes to exploring ancient forts, Qatar is the place to be if adventure is what you seek on your vacation. One of the most popular outdoor experiences in Qatar is a desert safari tour. Travelers mount their own ATVs and head out into the Mesaieed Desert. For something more traditional, travelers might ditch the ATV for a camel ride instead.

Your outdoor adventures need not include the sand, though. Qatar is also popular for kayaking through the Al Dhakira Mangroves and kitesurfing along the coast.

Qatar’s museums may be home to rare artifacts, but you’ll likely find the exterior of many of these museums to be just as fascinating as their exhibitions.

A must-visit is the National Museum of Qatar, designed in the fashion of a desert rose. ALRIWAQ is an art gallery and museum that was initially a temporary venue but became so popular for its design that it became a permanent exhibition space. Designed by an award-winning architect, the Museum of Islamic Art is coated with limestone that reflects the sunlight. The Sheikh Faisal Museum occupies a historical, perfectly preserved fort that’s a point of interest in itself.

Qatar caters to locals and travelers with its wide array of shopping options. In Doha especially, luxurious shopping malls house some of the most renowned labels in the fashion world. You could spend an entire day just browsing the Mall of Qatar, with its hundreds of stores and nearly 500,000 square meters of retail and entertainment space.

More traditional shopping experiences can be found in Qatar's souqs, or marketplaces in English. Get an authentic taste of Doha and find locally made handicrafts, from cooking pots and pashmina shawls to fragrant spices and woven baskets. Visiting a souq is a bit like a treasure hunt, as you never know what you’ll find.

Just because Qatar offers luxury hotels and upscale shopping and dining options, that doesn’t mean the destination is out of reach for those traveling on a budget, or even that those luxury offerings are unattainable for the budget traveler. In fact, you can find great-value luxury stays in Qatar.

For example, a stay in 5-star properties in Doha such as the InterContinental Doha The City, Grand Hyatt Doha, and Mandarin Oriental Doha might cost less than 1,500 riyals per night, sometimes as little as 500 riyals during the off-peak season.

Sushi in the desert? Fried rice by the seashore? Sandwiches while you look out at the Arabian Gulf? That’s correct. You can find nearly any cuisine in Qatar, thanks to the country’s growing food scene that embraces flavors from all over the world.

Many hotels and resorts have stellar onsite restaurants, but you’ll also find little hole-in-the-wall spots that serve up traditional Qatar cuisine with gusto. If you have your heart set on trying the authentic fare, expect dishes with Iranian, Indian, and North African influences, with a heavy focus on fresh seafood from the gulf.

Whether you want to experience a desert safari or just go for a picnic atop a sand dune, you can do it in Qatar’s largest expanse of sandy desert, in the southwest of the country. A visit to the dramatic landscape is a must for any first-time visitor, as the sheer magnitude of the desert stretching out before you is both awe-inspiring and humbling.

Thanks to the shifting light, the dunes look different depending on the time of your visit. For picture-perfect views, visit Qatar’s deserts at sunrise, sunset, and nighttime, when the skies are exceptionally clear.