Travel

My First Visit To Qatar -Tips for First Timers + Qatar Visa Tips For Indians

- By Anamika Mishra

After my trip out of India to Bangkok (Ultimate Bangkok guide for first timers), I always thought that my second trip out of Indian will either be Dubai or Indonesia. I never thought I’ll visit Qatar because

1) it’s not much talked about when it comes to tourism

and 2) my focus was on other countries.

But it happened! My first visit to Qatar was surprisingly good. To be very frank, I wasn’t expecting much but then I fell in love with that country. It’s neat, clean, broad and beautiful. Indian community is closed and compact and hence, everyone knows everyone. People were sweet and helpful.

This trip wasn’t actually for a holiday or something, but it was for some work. I was directing a festival called Qatar Culture & Literature Festival which was held on 11th and 12th of July 2019. So, first trip was short and quick. Right now, as I am writing this post I have already visited Qatar 4 times and have explored the place properly. If you are planning a trip to Qatar then the right time to visit Qatar is from the month of September to March. Before and after these months, it starts to become hotter. The aforementioned months are pleasant and helps you enjoy the sight seeing.

FAQ:

When you visit Qatar?

September to March

Qatar Visa Tips For Indians:

Qatar has visa on arrival for Indian passport holders. Therefore, you just need a valid passport to enter the country. Also, sometimes they do ask for your return ticket dates and your accommodation details. For example, they might ask where are you staying, what’s the name of the hotel and might ask you to show the reservation confirmation receipt. If you are carrying over luggage, then you might get stopped at the customs and asked to show what are you carrying and why?

Doha at night -National Day — Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar

Tips for First Timers:

If you are travelling to Qatar for the first time, then remember

to carry a valid passport (at least 5 months validity)
hotel/accommodation reservation receipt
carry sunscreen and shades
covered clothes for ladies (because there are some places where shorts and sleeveless outfits are not allowed, so better to carry apt outfits)
to carry local currency, because there’s no paytm or Gpay there (obviously)
activate your uber account (as it’s works there and is cheaper than normal limos)
if you visit to Souq Waqif market, don’t forget to bargain before you buy anything (yes, they do a lot of bargaining there)
vegetarian restaurants and cafes are all across. My recommendation is Desi Dhaba, Sarvanan Bhawan, Rajdhani for Indian vegetarian food in Doha
If you’re looking for good accommodation in Doha, try hotels near Corniche area. It’s beautiful and near to most of the attractions Doha, Qatar
there are tourist sims available at the airport at cheaper price, or you can buy a sim at any store by just showing your passport

So, these are some of the most important tips that I wanted to share for the people travelling to Doha Qatar for the first time. I hope it helps! Hope you have a great time there.