A lane of Souq Waqif in Doha shaded by a canopy of coloured umbrellas.

Layover guideDoha · DOH

What to buy in Doha

Souq Waqif covers the category buys: gold jewellery, Arabic spices and dates, and the Falcon Souq.

Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Gold jewellery is the signature purchase at Souq Waqif's gold shops, from intricate head pieces and multi-tiered necklaces to everyday items; the tourism board notes gold jewellery remains widely popular throughout the Middle East.

The spice lanes sell the classic Gulf pantry at category level: saffron, zatar, sumac, dried black lemons, dates in endless varieties, honey, tea and coffee beans.

The adjoining Falcon Souq trades actual falcons and falconry gear; worth a walk-through on a layover even with no intention to buy.

Visit Qatar (national tourism board) · checked 2026-08-18

The rest of Doha

The whole guide

Getting out of the airportKarwa taxis from the Taxi Pavilion, or the Metro from the station at Terminal 1.Ride-hailingUber, Badrgo and Ryde are the only authorised airport pickups; the zone is in the car park via Gate 3, not at the kerb.Local laws that catch crew outPublic drunkenness carries up to six months in prison, and photographing someone without consent can cost you QAR 100,000.Staying connectedVisitor SIM/eSIM on arrival from Ooredoo kiosks in the Arrivals Hall; free terminal-wide wifi (#HIAQatar).WeatherExtreme heat June-Sept (45C-plus, humid); mild Nov-Feb; a legal midday outdoor-work ban runs 1 June to 15 Sept, 10:00-15:30.Eating near the crew hotelsSouq Waqif is the traditional eating quarter (on the Gold Line metro); Katara Cultural Village is the beachside restaurant cluster.TippingService charge is usually already in the bill; 10-15% on top is appreciated, not expected; carry cash for it.