Doha Off The Beaten Path

the First getaway from Doha during the weekend is to go to the beach. People go there every weekend coz beaches are not so far from Doha, mostly a one to two hours trip.
more Beaches are recently open North of Doha, especially in AL-Khor area,
While in the South there is the most famous resort - Sealine - at ummsaid, where u pay an entry fee and then have access to the beach and the pool, and restaurants.
U can also rent a room or a bangalo for the weekend.

With all this Desert around, it is nice to go an a Safari trip, where you can enjoy gliding over the sand dunes, have a dinner by the fire or even spend the night under the stars.
Many travel agencies organize safari trips for groups. The Package price can vary, depending on the number of people, what you will need and how long will you stay

'ezba is similar to a small gentleman's farm but in a remote area of the desert. My friends had one somewhere in the middle of the country- far in the Qatari desert. It consisted of a modest bungalow, and many shrubs, some shade trees, as well as chickens and other fowl running around as well as some goats. In the evening we made a bon fire and sat round it roasting some meat on a stick from the fire of the bonfire and talked until we decided to retire for the night. During the day the fierce sun and heat made everyone feel lazy and nothing was done except strip down and jump into a cool water reservoir/ retention pool on the property and just soak luxuriously, laughing at the heat outside from us!

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We spent an afternoon at the Camel Racetrack out in Shahhaniya. I absolutely recommend this experience! Even when there is no racing going on, you can stand next to the track and watch the Camels race past.

Even better and more intimate, wait between the Camel 'village' and the track. This is where they slowly walk past, waving and exchanging friendly gestures with the handlers. Some will offer you to pet and interact with the camels. The camels are actually very curious animals, some of them are quite cute.

To get to the track, take the Dukhan road out of Doha to the town of Shahhaniya. At the only circle in town, turn to the right, then turn left at the next circle. Just park the car and wander around the on the right, and the camel village on the left. If there is no racing going on, you can drive out and circle the track. You can see the Camel owners in the SUVs driving along and observing.

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If you drive on some of the remote roads, and on the desert tracks, you're bound to encounter some Camels along the way.

Just know that if you strike one with your vehicle during daylight hours, you are liable to repay the owner. Costs can go up to $30,000 US!!

In my experience, the camels haven't had the trademarked 'hostile' personalities. The camel in this photo came right up to our vehicle. At first, we positioned ourselves to keep the truck between us, but she just waited for us to come up and pet her. She turned away and continued her exploration when she was done with us. I think she was looking for food from us.

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There is a fascinating natural phenomenon called the Singing Sand Dunes about 40km from Doha. In the desert, you'll hear some strange low-pitched sounds; a result of friction from a thin layer of sand flowing down the leeward side of a sand dune, fed from the top by the wind. The crescent shape of the barchan dunes amplifies the sound, and can be heard up to 10 km away! Even footsteps can trigger the humming.

We explored for awhile before finding them. We were amazed when we got to them, they towered nearly 100 metres above us!

See more photos in the Travelogue.

Located at coordinates: N25.02.446 E051.24.540

With your own transportation you can visit nearby cities or explore most of the country. It won't take that long. Umm Salal Mohammed fort is an 18th century fort with thick fortified walls and typical Arabian crenilations built during the reign of Sheik Mohammed bin Jasim. It is hard to say if it is open to the public for viewing but you can park just outside it and walk around. North of Doha along the North Highway. Go through the town about 1.5 miles and you will see it. It definitely stands out from everything else.

Umm Slal Mohammed has some very distinct traditional homes. Just on the outskirts of town is this built up complex from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It includes two towering structures as well as a private mosque within an earthen "fence".