Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
swim. There are some good beaches, however, at the top resorts in Doha, at the Sealine
Beach Resort (
Click here
)
near Mesaieed and Al-Ghariya Resort (
Click here
)
. The nearest
public-access beach close to Doha is at Katara (
Click here
)
. None of the wild beaches
have facilities, and shade is a problem in the summer.
Sand Sports
The sand is beginning to attract people to Qatar in the same way that the snow draws the
crowds elsewhere, with sand skiing, quad-bike racing and sand-dune driving all becoming
popular sports, though largely for those with their own equipment. The Sealine Beach Re-
sort (
Click here
)
, south of Mesaieed, is the best place for these activities, offering quad
bikes and helpful assistance if you get stuck in the dunes. For 4WD trips into the sand
dunes, contact any tour agency or pitch up at the Sealine.
Spectator Sports
Qatar is the sporting capital of the region. For details on any of the sporting fixtures hos-
cluding Qatar ExxonMobil Tennis Open, Sail the Gulf Regatta, the Emir's Sword horse
race, Moto GP and Emir's Cup camel race - are clustered into the first half of the year.
BOOKS
Qatar,
by David Chadock, revised in 2006, is the definitive illustrated reference to Qatar.
Arabian Time Machine: Self-Portrait of an Oil State
, by Helga Graham (if you can find a
copy), is an interesting collection of interviews with Qataris about their lives and tradi-
tions, before and after the oil boom.
Qatari Women Past and Present
, by Abeer Abu Said, explains the changing and tradi-
tional roles of women in Qatar.
Qatar - Enchantment of the World,
by Byron Augustin, gives a recent overall view of life
in Qatar.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Doha airport has a large
duty-free shop
(
www.qatardutyfree.net
)
. No alcohol, narcotics or pork-re-
lated products may be brought in through customs - and no pornographic magazines from
back home. Goods originating from Israel may also pose problems if you are stopped by
customs.
