Practical Information for visiting Qatar

The currency is the Qatari riyal (QAR), pegged to the US dollar at 3.64 to one, which makes conversion straightforward.

Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere, including taxis and the metro. Cash is useful in the souq, where bargaining is expected, and at smaller cafeterias.

ATMs are widespread. Exchange houses give better rates than hotels or the airport.

There is no VAT at present, though hotels and restaurants add a service charge and a municipality fee, so the bill runs above the menu price.

Tipping is appreciated rather than obligatory: ten per cent where no service charge appears, a few riyals for porters and drivers.

Coverage for mobile networks is complete and fast, with 5G across the country from Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar. Even the southern desert has usable signal along the main tracks.

Tourist SIMs are sold at the airport and cost little; a passport is required to register.

Wi-Fi is free and fast in hotels, malls, the metro, museums and much of the public realm. Fixed speeds are high.

Note that some VoIP calling has at times been restricted, as elsewhere in the Gulf, though Qatar has generally been more permissive. Messaging works normally.

Qatar has very low crime and is among the safest countries in the world for visitors, including for women travelling alone. The risks are legal and environmental.

• The law catches visitors out. Public drunkenness, public displays of affection, rude gestures and swearing are offences, including online. So is photographing people without consent.
• Drugs carry extremely severe penalties. Some medicines legal at home — codeine, tramadol, certain sleep and ADHD medication, and anything cannabis-derived including CBD — are controlled here; check the list and carry a doctor’s letter.
• Heat between May and September is the genuine physical danger, and the humidity makes heat exhaustion arrive faster than visitors expect.
• Desert driving. Soft sand, no landmarks and dunes that change; do not go into the southern desert without a guide or a second vehicle.
• Road traffic is fast and lane discipline is poor.
• Drones require a permit and are confiscated at the airport.

Healthcare is excellent, with Hamad Medical Corporation running a well-regarded public system and several private hospitals in Doha. Visitors pay privately and costs are high, so insurance is important; a health insurance policy valid in Qatar is a condition of entry for visa holders.

Vaccinations: routine cover is sufficient; hepatitis A is sometimes advised. There is no malaria.

Heat and dehydration are the most likely problem by a wide margin. The combination of 45°C and humidity defeats the body’s cooling, and air conditioning masks how much fluid you have lost. Drink continuously and stay out of the sun in the middle of the day in summer.

Medication rules are strict — check before travelling with anything prescribed.

Dust during shamal winds affects respiratory conditions; bring an inhaler if you use one.

Tap water is desalinated and safe, though most residents drink bottled.

Dress modestly in public. Shoulders and knees covered is the expectation in malls, souqs and government buildings, and signs at mall entrances say so explicitly. Swimwear is for hotel pools and private beaches only.

Alcohol is legal for non-Muslims in licensed hotel venues only, and available to residents with a permit from a single distribution centre. Drinking in public or being drunk in public is an offence, and the driving limit is zero.

Ramadan. No eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in public during daylight, for everyone.

Right hand for eating, giving and receiving. Remove shoes entering a home or a mosque.

Public affection between couples is not acceptable. Homosexuality is criminalised and attitudes are conservative; discretion is necessary.

Photography. Never photograph people, especially Qatari women, without permission, and avoid military, government and industrial sites. Posting images of others without consent is an offence.

Emergency numbers: 999 reaches police, ambulance and fire, with English-speaking operators and fast response.

Medical. Hamad General Hospital is the main public facility and has the country’s trauma centre; Sidra Medicine covers women and children; private hospitals including Al Ahli and Doha Clinic treat foreign patients. Payment or an insurance guarantee is required.

In the desert. Tell someone your route, carry water well beyond what you expect to need, and do not rely on a single vehicle in soft sand. The police handle recovery and rescue.

Heat warnings are issued in summer and outdoor work is banned at midday; treat them as you would a storm warning elsewhere.

Keep an offline copy of your passport and insurance. Most embassies are in the West Bay diplomatic area.