Qatar Travel Guide - Going Out

Within the capital area, there is a wide range of quality dining options, many but not all of which are to be found in the 5-star hotels. The locally caught fish is a treat whether lowered genteelly to your plate with silver service or brought sizzling to the table on kebab sticks at a more local-style cafe. If the ubiquitous Gulf menu of rice, lamb and mezze (homos, chopped salads and other appetisers) is not to your taste, then there are plenty of Indian, Chinese and Thai options to suit all budgets. The fruit concoctions - such as lemon and mint, or avocado milkshake - are irresistible in summer.  Options for dining are limited outside Doha.

Things to know: Alcohol is widely available in most top-end restaurants and hotel bars in Doha although it is officially reserved for hotel guests or 'club members'. Drinking alcohol in public outside these establishments is prohibited.

National specialities:
• Traditional Levantine shawarma (spit-roasted meat shavings, served in pitta bread).
• Egyptian foul and taamiyeh (deep-fried balls of mashed chickpeas). 

Legal drinking age: 21.

Tipping: A service charge is often added to bills in hotels and most restaurants, otherwise 10% is appropriate. However in smaller establishments, tipping is not the custom, and over-generous tips from tourists often backfire through the subsequent cutting of wages.

Qatar isn't renowned for its nightlife but, that said, times are changing and as Doha hosts an increasing number of high profile international sports events, inevitably the after-hours options are growing to meet demand. Many of the hotels offer jazz evenings, live bands, food promotions and even cookery classes. There are also many cinemas showing English-language films while the Doha Players perform plays in English. For the best listings, buy a copy of the quarterly Marhaba, Qatar's Premier Information Guide.

In the 1990s one could be forgiven for thinking that Qatar was intent on erasing all signs of its heritage. Now, the country seems equally bent on trying to fetch some of that character back again. One place where this shift in self-presentation can be seen in action is in central Doha's Souq Waqif. Successfully rebuilt to look old, the new incarnation of ancient Souq Waqif is the place to shop for traditional instruments, silk, giant aluminium pans, nuts and spices. There are also several large modern malls, with cinemas, restaurants and other facilities as well as brand shops.

Shopping hours: Generally Sat-Thurs 0800-1200 and 1600-1900 or later, with the malls open until 2100 or 2200. Many shops are open on Friday evenings as well.