Tips #1: Turning Layovers into Mini Adventures - Doha, Qatar Discovery

In September 2023, I booked my flight to Amsterdam with Qatar Airlines. It turns out I had plenty of time to transit in Doha. Doha is the capital city of Qatar and hosted the World Cup in 2022. I was really excited to discover Doha city during my transit. 

I searched for some information about it and finally I made my transit into an adventure. Hamad International Airport is one of the best airports in the world, offering numerous activities that you can explore during your transit time. 

People who are traveling to Europe or Mecca for Umrah with Qatar Airlines usually transit through this airport. So, If you find yourself with a layover of at least 8 hours in Doha, Qatar, don't let the time slip away. With proper planning, you can explore the city and make your transit experience memorable! 

Booking in Advance:

After I searched for some information, I realized that the airport provided some travel activities outside the airport. You can visit https://www.discoverqatar.qa/transit-tours/ to find some information about the tours. 

I chose the ‘Discover Doha’ Trip. It will cost you around 99 QAR or around 430.000 rupiah (you have to read till the end of my story, cause this trip is worth the price! 😀). During my trip, I went to 3 places: Dhow Harbour,  Katara Cultural Village and Souq Waqif.

A tip from me: please book the trip in advance through an online website. You need a 'time space' at least 2 hours because you need to pass the immigration section before joining your trip. 

The Day

After arriving in Doha, you have to visit the ‘Discover Doha’ booth. It is located near the giant teddy bear (which is the icon of Doha Airport) and it is in the center of the airport. You will receive a card that will inform the immigration officer that you are going to join the trip. 

Note: I don’t need to show or apply for any other visa for my trip in Doha, because I applied for the the trip 'Discover Qatar' already. 

After receiving a card, you can directly go to the immigration. From my experience, the immigration will understand that you are going to join the trip because you have a card from the ‘Discover Qatar’ booth. They will ask one or two questions, you can just explain that you book the trip, and they will allow you to pass. 

Enjoy The Trip

After you manage to pass the immigration, you can see another booth of ‘Discover Qatar’ right after the exit gate (you can always ask the officers if you feel lost in the airport). At that time, the trip started on time. The guide showed us the way to the bus and the Adventure began!

The guide spoke English fluently and provided a clear explanation about Qatar. During the Trip, I was able to see some displays and ornaments from the World Cup. I saw one stadium that was made from containers!! As I mentioned before, I went to Dhow Harbour,  Katara Cultural Village and Souq Waqif. Since this article is about tips on how to book the trips during your transit, I will only attach some of the pictures that I took during the trip :D

Back to The Airport

After 3 hours of the trip, the bus will stop in the Airport and you can directly go to your gate. 

Things that I love the most about the trip in Doha, Qatar. 

1. You can have a short getaway from the airport and see the beauty of Doha. Trust me! Doha is one of the modern cities that still unhorses their culture. You can see the assimilation of the modern city and middle east culture in one place! It was amazing. 
2. You will get a lot of new knowledge! 1 thing that I just knew from the trip is that about 90% of the population in Doha is expatriate! Actually, there are more fun facts! You have to hear them directly~
3. The tour guide was very friendly and you have plenty of time to explore the last destination by yourself. You will never feel thirsty even though you are in the middle east with 40 degree celsius because you will get unlimited water on the bus 😛
4. The most important thing is, you will learn a lot of new things and broaden your horizon. I feel like Doha is one of the cities that is worth visiting! 

Okay, those are the reasons that the trip is worth the price and time! So, what are you looking for? If your flight is in transit in Doha, this is the thing you must try!

See you in the next article with tips from me!