Doha is a steam sauna in August. Before I exited Hamad International, I had assumed that this small desert country would enjoy the “dry heat” that my colleagues in Las Vegas are always citing when asked if it’s really hot there. But here in Doha, it’s 100 degrees at 9 p.m., humidity hovering around 100%. Stifling. Suffocating. Sweaty.
I’m flying Qatar Airways to Africa and I have over 12 hours to kill before my next flight, so I opt to take one of the transit tours that Qatar Airways and the Qatar Tourism Authority offer to connecting travelers. This is a genius idea and more cities should offer similar tours. For just $11 I get to experience a little bit of a country that I’m likely never to return to.
The tour bus my group boards is a moving oasis. I turn the air conditioner vent toward my face and unwrap a complementary date cookie. We drive for about 20 minutes before pulling off the road in to a dark dirt parking lot filled with locals. They’re all men, in small groups chatting, sharing cigarettes and gazing across the water at the utterly unique skyline of Doha. That’s what we’re all here to see. The Doha Tower stands out, an orange phallic-shaped building. Later when we drive by the tower I can see that it’s enshrouded by a screen of delicate and intricate Islamic designs.
We have just 10 minutes to take our photos of the skyline and I use a couple of those to walk across the parking lot to the harbor area where a row of traditional dhow boats are docked. A few of the dhows are lit up and have small groups of people sitting out on the deck to enjoy the night. I wish I had more time to enjoy the scene but I need to rush back to the bus.
As we get back on the highway, our Filipina guide tells us that most people living in Qatar are foreign born workers. In fact, about 88% of the entire population of Qatar are non-Qatari. Due to rich natural gas and oil reserves, Qatar is extremely wealthy and enjoys the highest per capita income in the world. But with such a tiny native population, Qatar must import almost all of its workforce across all sectors. True enough, I don’t think I have one personal interaction with a Qatari during my short time in Doha.
In a few minutes we’re downtown driving along the Corniche road between the bay and the city skyscrapers – the Tornado Tower, the Dubai Towers and the Aspire Tower all grab at the eye for its attention. Soon though, we’re entering Katara Cultural Village to visit Doha’s other famous towers – the Pigeon Towers. This trio of hollow clay structures are dotted with holes and wooden perches for doves and pigeons. Traditionally, pigeon towers are used to collect guano for fertilizer. I’m delighted by the sleepy birds poking out of their little homes as I scan the tower faces. When I head back to the bus through the heat, I pass through the courtyard of a gorgeous mosque where shoes line the steps leading to the entryway.
Back on the bus, we continue to the Pearl district, an artificial island home to a soulless shopping and residential area. Past the Ferrari and Rolls Royce showrooms, we wander by the high end boutiques and on to a deserted walkway by the water. A winding staircase leads to a landing with views of luxury yachts across the way. I get back on the bus before my time is up to enjoy some AC.
Our final stop is our longest – a whole 30 minutes to take in as much of Souq Waqif as we can. It is a newly restored Bedouin style souq full of twisting alleys and a wide central walk lined by cafes and carts selling crepes. Spices, groceries, clothing, and souvenir shops are in every direction. At one end is a noisy square dedicated to selling birds of all kinds. The place is absolutely filled with people – locals and tourists alike. This is where the soul of Doha is on a Friday night. Sadly, time is up and we head back to the airport.
In all, the tour was far too rushed, but it was nonetheless fascinating. I was a sweaty mess after walking around the souq, but lucky for me the airport has showers that I happily paid $25 to use before my next flight.
To take a transit tour, you must have at least five hours between flights. The tour time you choose should return at least 90 minutes prior to your next flight’s departure. The Discover Qatar Transit Desk is in Concourse A and doesn’t have the best signage so keep your eyes peeled. We got lost for a while looking for the desk and missed the window to sign up for the 8 p.m. tour. So pre-book your tour up to 48 hours prior on the website if you can, or take a chance and book the tour at the transit desk up to 90 minutes before the tour’s departure. The cost for the city tour is currently 40 QAR, around 11 USD. They’ll ask you to come to the desk to check in an hour beforehand where a guide will lead you through passport control and security. This took my group almost exactly one hour – we lined up at 8 p.m. and boarded the bus at 9 p.m. We were back at the airport by 11 p.m.
If you’re there at the right time, they also have a Monster Bus Desert Experience that looks silly and fun. I’ll do that if I’m ever at Hamad International again. And get a masala chai tea latte from a cafe if you can – delicious.
