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With its futuristic buildings, headlong development and seemingly endless wealth, Qatar is often grouped in with its glitzy UAE neighbours. However, Qatar is far from a Dubai wannabe — it’s a land of hidden depths and exhilarating contrasts.

This is captured in the view from Doha’s Dhow Harbour, on the southern curve of the city’s waterfront promenade. There, humble wooden pearl-fishing boats creak and bob on the water as they’ve done for generations. In the distance behind them is another world entirely — a city skyline of soaring steel and glass so ambitious and eccentric it’s like a Jetsons futurescape made real.

Qatar is hyper-modern and steadfastly traditional, radical as well as conservative. There are luxury shopping malls with Arctic air-conditioning, and mud-walled souks selling jewellery and spices in the sweltering heat. There are thrilling modern artworks from around the world, and textiles handcrafted by Bedouin weavers. There are spectacular rooftop cocktail bars, and homely street stalls selling cardamom-flavoured karak tea in paper cups.

Out beyond Doha’s manmade metropolis, nature holds sway. Here you’ll find mangrove forests where flamingos wade through salty shallows, shrub-stubbled dunes where oryx graze and vast deserts of sun-blasted sand.

As Qatar prepares for its stint as host city of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, no doubt its contrasts will grow starker — and ever more fascinating — for those who take the time to explore.

Main image: Doha, Qatar (Getty Images)

Qatar is a land of hidden depths and exhilarating contrasts

Doha is the obvious starting point for any trip to Qatar, particularly for lovers of art and architecture. The Museum of Islamic Art is not only spectacular from the outside — a limestone fortress designed by the Louvre pyramid architect, IM Pei — it’s also home to the world’s largest collection of Islamic art. Meanwhile, Mathaf (the Arab Museum of Modern Art) specialises in international modern art with an Arab connection. And don’t miss the Qatar National Library — even if you’re not in a reading mood, being inside this extraordinary glass-walled spaceship of a building is an experience in itself.

For old-Qatar atmosphere, bustle and bargains, head to the Souq Waqif*. The market has been in place for more than 250 years, and today it’s easy to imagine what it was like during Bedouin times, with haggling locals and colourful market stalls selling handcrafted gold jewellery, rugs and incense. There’s even a falcon souq for Qatar’s passionate falconry crowd, where dozens of prized birds are displayed in tiny leather hoods and sold for up to £200,000.

Doha steals much of the limelight, but Qatar has plenty of spectacular natural landscapes to draw visitors away from the city. Head to the “Inland Sea” of Khor Al Adaid, a Unesco-listed tidal inlet where deep-blue waters meet wind-sculpted desert sand dunes in Qatar’s south. Along the eastern coast are white mangrove forests populated by sea turtles and scuttling crustaceans, best viewed from a kayak or stand-up paddleboard.

With almost 600km of coastline, Qatar is blessed with beautiful beaches of all kinds — from the luxurious, cabana-style experiences in the heart of the city to action-packed activity beaches where quadbikes* thrum and the waters dance with paddleboards and kayaks. For quieter beaches head to the northern coast, where you can snorkel in crystal-clear waters, explore rock pools and keep an eye out for visiting dolphins.

Qatar’s hotel accommodation veers sharply towards the high end, with few truly budget options. But for those with money to spend, the country offers some of the most luxurious and captivating hotels in the Middle East.

For sky-scraping opulence, head for the West Bay* quarter, located on the northern curve of the Corniche. Here you’ll find startlingly modern structures and rooms with designer furniture, bespoke artworks and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking some of Doha’s most striking buildings. (Try to charm the concierge into giving you a room on a high floor, to take advantage of the views.) West Bay is also home to a slew of glorious waterfront hotels, with outdoor pools and their own golden stretches of sand on the shores of the Persian Gulf.

For a more traditional flavour — and less of an assault on your bank balance — head to the area around the Souq Waqif*. Here there are plenty of mid-range and boutique hotels, many converted from old market buildings and some featuring traditional thatched roofs.

Outside of Doha, accommodations are largely restricted to beachside resorts, so grab the opportunity to take part in the age-old Qatari tradition of desert camping. Pack your own tent and choose an isolated spot for a campfire and stargazing, or visit an established camp where you can sleep in an air-conditioned safari tent, enjoy gourmet meals and take your pick of desert activities from dune-bashing to camel-riding.

The country offers some of the most luxurious hotels in the Middle East

Qatar has a thriving expat community living in Doha, outnumbering Qatari natives more than six to one, but there are opportunities to experience life like a local. Start by sampling some authentic cuisine — a rich line-up of slow-cooked and saucy dishes featuring tender meats and fresh-caught seafood. Seek out a place serving the much-loved machboos — spiced rice with chicken, lamb or even camel — and finish your meal with a plate of sticky luqaimat dumplings, flavoured with saffron and dripping with honey.

For a glimpse into the astonishing opulence enjoyed by Qatar’s upper echelons, head to the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum. Here, visitors have the rare chance to view a sheikh’s personal belongings, a vast collection of artworks, carpets, rare coins and swords, plus a line-up of vintage American cars and a full-sized stuffed camel.

To understand the country’s Bedouin roots, leave Doha behind and head into the desert. At Bir Zekreet the landscape rears up into towering limestone escarpments with mushroom-like tops, and near by at the Brouq Nature Reserve there is the chance to experience modern art far from the slick galleries of the capital. New York artist Richard Serra’s East-West/West-East is an installation of gargantuan steel plates arrayed in the stark desert landscape. Witness its slow, inexorable change of colour from grey to tawny brown as the steel oxidises in the salty winds.

In the country’s far north there are some rather older desert artworks, the rock carvings of Al Jassaisiya. These petroglyphs, depicting abstract shapes and symbols, are of disputed age, either hundreds of years or millennia old, depending on who you believe.

Take care to time your visit outside of Qatar’s extreme summer heat; go for the cooler months of October to April, and aim for March to catch the camel racing season. Try to avoid the month of Ramadan as most restaurants are closed during the day.

What are the dos and don’ts in Qatar?
Doha may look hypermodern, but don’t be misled, Qatar is a conservative Muslim country with cultural values to match. Don’t get too amorous with your partner in public, avoid swearing or any kind of obscenity, and be careful when sitting in a group, as pointing the soles of your feet at another person is considered rude. Also, be sure to greet people with your right hand, and avoid eating with your left.

What’s banned in Qatar?
Drinking alcohol in public is a definite no-no — visitors can readily buy drinks at hotel bars, but be sure to consume them onsite. Don’t take photos of any local person without their consent, or at religious, military or construction sites. And be extra careful with your social media posts, as anything considered obscene, defamatory or an invasion of privacy can land you in hot water. Be sure to check the Foreign Office website for more information before you go.

How should I dress in Qatar?
Keep your shoulders and knees covered in public, so no tank tops or above-the-knee shorts or skirts. For women, tight-fitting clothes are frowned upon, so best stick to loose clothing, and bring a pashmina to cover up when needed — for instance, when entering a religious site or during Ramadan. This dress code extends to public beaches, but on private beaches and in hotels, less modest beachwear and clothing is fine.

Currency: Qatari Riyal

Take me there

Inspired to visit Qatar but yet to book your trip? Here are the best packages from British Airways* and Expedia*.