Destination Near Doha- Places to visit Around Doha for your holidays

Doha, the most popular attraction in Qatar, is a hub of tourism where there lies diversity of culture, art and heritage. Welcoming people from all walk of life, Doha has become the most visited city that offers tourist some thrilling activities, adventure and attraction to explore. While you experience the aura of lively streets and beaches, add some more to your wish-list with the nearby attractions in and around Doha. Plan your vacation with some best places to visit near Doha that will let you explore the history of Qatar and the beauty of the landscape that surrounds the country.

The Best Places To Visit Near Doha

Doha offers some off-beat and exciting escape from the city to discover the real beauty of Qatar. While you are spending your vacation here in Doha, plan for a day visit or an overnight tour to these unique places to visit in Doha near the airport and for a memorable holiday. From a day trip to a weekend gateway, these places are the best add-ons to your itinerary where you can explore Qatar and its magnificent sites.

Here are some best cities in Qatar you can include in your bucket list while planning a holiday in Doha. Not only culture, but these cities offers a tour of heritage, landscape and adventure from Doha.

1. Al Khor, A Newly Established Tourist Hub Near Doha

Al Khor, with its nature parks, family zoo, shopping centers and heritage spots, is slowly getting a lot of attention from the tourists. Even FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be adding fame to its popularity as the city will be hosting few matches of the tournament at Al Bayt Stadium.

For an off-beat experience, Al Khor is your best escape where you can discover the beautiful museums, mosque, historical places and an abundance of natural beauty. Add places like Al Tawasul Traditional Park, Simaisma beach, Purple Island - Al Khor Island, Al Thakhira Beach and Corniche to your bucket list for your tour near Doha. The Al Khor family park and zoo is one of the oldest parks of Qatar where the native and rare wilderness is preserved. The Al Khor mall can be a great spot to shop and try some leisure fun with your family and kids.

Things to do at Al Khor- Beach tour, shopping, cultural and heritage tour, visit family park and zoo near Doha.
Distance from Doha- 49.4km (43 min)
How to reach Al khor from Doha- Heiring a cab or a taxi is the most convenient and quickest way to reach Al Khor from Doha.

2. Al Wakrah, The Port City Of Qatar

The flawless shoreline of Al Wakrah has made it a heaven for travelers to appreciate isolation. Whereas the city does not brag of many attractions, the Wakrah family beach could be a perfect tourist place near Doha to appreciate the peaceful setting and find the sea-going life of Qatar.

Often swarmed with visitors and local people amid the ends of the week, the Wakrah beach is an attraction for all who are trying to find some fun. Try out activities like fishing and beach games and adventures can be enjoyed with the family, whereas the BBQ service makes dining a delight there. You can also visit the Port Al-Wakrah that depicts the rich history as a fishing town of Qatar.

The Al Wakrah Souq has a few of the finest dine-in neighborhood café and a picturesque ocean side promenade. The markets pontoons of a vintage look, where all the local people and voyagers can be seen shopping for a few handmade and crafty goods as a souvenir from the holiday in Doha.

Thing to do at Al Wakrah- leisure at beaches and gardens, shopping and dining
Distance from Doha- 22.8 km (27 min)
How to reach Al Wakrah from Doha- If you are looking for a public transport, a line 777 bus is the best way which takes 41 min. Cabs and taxis are also available for quick and easy commute.

3. Dukhan, The City With Oil Chambers

Dukhan, lying towards the west peninsula of Qatar, is the land where people first discovered oil. Since then, it is known as the industrial zone supporting oil extraction. It was in 1835 when the first exploration started and by1937 it was a significant oil reserve of Qatar. The city soon became an oil camp that was established for the workers by Qatar Petroleum. One can explore the commercial center of Dukhan only after getting a license from Qatar Petroleum.

Dukhan, apart from being an economic center, is a scenic gateway where you can find the calm beaches and isolated deserts. While this city near Doha does not offer a lot to explore or enjoy, the place is ideal for a quick stop and just a night getaway. Dukhan Beach is the famous point of interest for leisure activities while one can find several luxury accommodations options for a night stay near Doha.

Things to do at Dukhan- spend leisure time at Dukhan beach
Distance from Doha- 84kms (60 min)
How to reach Dukhan from Doha- Dukhan can be best-explored form Doha via a cab or personal vehicle. Being at a short driving distance, this is a perfect place to plan a road trip.

4. Lusail City, The Smart City Of Qatar

Lusail is rightly called the future of Qatar as the city is undergoing, significant developments and changes that will make it an iconic attraction near Doha after The Pearl Qatar. Great popularity will be added do the same of Lusail city, especially after the FIFA 2022 World Cup. From the football stadiums to the infrastructures like residential societies, shopping complexes, food courts and cafes, restaurants and hotels are being constructed to make it an idle stop for FIFA fans.

Overlooking the west bay lagoon, Lusail city is not just about the magnificent architecture. There are fascinating landscape and attractions like the marinas golf courts, islands with resorts and green parks that could make it an entertainment center for tourist. Accommodation options here are still the best and the being a place close to Doha city makes it a great attraction to add on your list. Despite being a small city attracts the tourist for its waterfront entertainment zones and the fancy streets housing the best architectural highlights.

Things to do at Lusail city- Explore the fine architectural attractions like Marine Towers, Lusail Stadium and Place Vendôme.
Distance from Doha-23km (30 min)
How to reach Lusail from Doha- Driving is the best way to reach Lusail from Doha. Taxis and Cabs are easily available to commute from Doha to Lusail.

Suggested Read: Lusail City In Qatar: A Modern Haven In The Making

5. Al Shamal, The Historical Bliss of Qatar

Al Shamal is an iconic city of Qatar, and one of the famous attractions near Doha explore the history of an archaeological spot. Housing many old-fashioned villages and towns, Al Shamal can be well defined as a ruined landscape hiding the folklores an abandoned town of ancient Qatar. The city is also an administration leading to many waterfront regions.

Coming to the places that make Al Shamal famous landmark, some forts can be explored to relive the history. A UNESCO World Heritage site of Qatar, Al Zubarah Fort and a museum is a well-known place to discover the facts from the kingship of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Jassim Al-Thani. Once a fort, the site was later turned onto a museum for the public where the artefacts are displayed.

Al-Rekayat Fort, Al Thaghab Fort, Al Ghariya, Al Jumail are other attraction you can visit in Al Shamal. Talking about the historical site Jassassiyeh Carvings, located in the city, also welcomes travelers to discover the old carvings and 900 petroglyphs during their trip to Doha.

Things to do at Al Shamal- discover the heritage, history and ancient forts.
Distance from Doha- 110 km (60 min)
How to reach Al Shamal from Doha- A highway connects Doha to the attractions in Al Shamal. Many road networks lead to the town in Al Shamal of Qatar.

Suggested Read: A Take On The Finest Beaches in Qatar

6. Ash- Shahaniya, An Offbeat Path In Qatar

Ash Shahaniya was once the municipality of Al Rayya, but later, it became an independent municipality of Qatar. The city is famous for the Al Shahaniya Racetrack, where tournaments are organized for the visitors. Well, being a destination that lies near to Doha city, Ash Shahaniya can be visited just for some handpicked attractions like the Al Dosari Zoo and Game Reserve. Housing some of the native wilds and other animals, the zoo is of the most visited site by locals and tourists, especially families.

Offering the tourists a great time to spend a day, Ash Shahaniya also houses one of the significant museums of Qatar, Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museums. It was nominated as the landmark under "Qatar Capital of Culture" by the Ministry of Art, Culture and Heritage as one of the landmarks for cultural activities.

Accommodation options here are limited and mostly lies far away from the city center. One can reserve their hotel in Doha and plan a short-day trip to Ash Shahaniya.

Things to do at Ash Shahaniya- Plan a day tour of Al Dosari Zoo and Game Reserve, explore the artefacts in Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museums.
Distance from Doha- 37 km (29 min)
How to reach Ash Shahaniya from Doha- As the distance is short, it is advisable to drive or heir a cab from Doha to reach Ash Shahaniya.

7. Smaismah- A Beach Gateway In Qatar

Smaismah is a beach destination of Qatar that is the perfect place to tour from Doha on your vacation. The village was established back in the 19th century and was a hub for fishermen and divers. Today, this attraction offers the most scenic location and, a remote gateway, to enjoy the holiday in Qatar.

The Smaismah beach is characterized by the presence of mangroves cluster and jetty. The low tides and the mangroves vegetation here make the water ideal for fishing. There might be insects present in the mud, so it is advisable to be cautious. Well, the shallow salty water is not favorable for swimming, but the beach is ideally set to enjoy games like volleyball, soccer and more with family. There are facilities like restrooms and parking available for the visitors landing them a great time in this beach attraction near Doha.

Things to do in Smaismah- enjoy a leisure day at Smaismah beach
Distance from Doha- 47 km (37 min)
How to reach Smaismah from Doha- Heir a cab or taxi, or drive all way to the Samismah beach from Doha.

Doha itself is a destination that can offer you a great vacation in Qatar with a perfect fusion of culture, adventure and entertainment. Housing the best hotels, the panoramic beauty and some of the magnificent landscape, Doha is the tourism center of Qatar. With all these best-picked attractions, you can discover more about this Middle East nation and list out some best vacation tours from your Doha tourist map. There are regular flights available from Hamad international airport that makes travel to Doha, a pleasure for all the tourists.