5 Reasons to visit Doha – Crowd pullers of Doha

Its neighbour oozing glamour – Doha too has much to offer when it comes to shopping. While there are modern shopping malls for you to lose yourself in a shopping frenzy, for a bit of traditional shopping, you should set out to shop at Souk Waqif. When translated into English, it has the meaning 'standing market', and the Souk Waqif is the remnants of a world now lost. The market has stood there the same as today for 250 years, and its trademark is its cobbled alleyways; a tell-tale sign of a rich heritage. The alleys are lined with shops full to bursting with a wide range of commodities and restaurants that trade in international cuisines.

What's the point in taking a trip to the middle east if you don't enjoy its gift of deserts? There are tailored dessert safaris with many added features, and you'd be wise to benefit from it while you are in Doha. Most of the tours entail a camp night under the starry night and a Bedouin-style meal. During the daytime, you can soar through the sand dunes in a 4*4 jeep which is bound to be one-on-one with your adventurous spirit. These safaris are the quintessential way of enjoying middle east in its essence, and it'd be a pity if you let it slip through – there are hotels in Doha, the likes of Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels, that'd be happy to take on all the necessary work to arrange the tour.

Lodged between the Pearl of Gulf and West Bay in Doha, the Katara Cultural Village is known to locals as the Valley of Cultures. Increasing the allure of the eastern coast, the village is a major drawcard of Doha attracting streams of travellers. The tourists enjoy its show of theatre art, tradition and architecture, which give them an insight into the importance of one's culture. In addition to its regular display, visitors are also given the opportunity to enjoy various types of exhibitions, conventions and music. There's never a dull moment in the hype of Katara Cultural Village – every millisecond you spend there will no doubt be entertaining.

You are quite wrong if you think Dubai has taken up all the credit for being a fetching shopping destination – Doha too competes for the accolade of being one by adding many cutting-edge shopping malls to its visitors' list. While you can do your traditional bit of shopping at places like Souk Waqif, for your regular shopping fix, you can favour shopping malls like Landmark Mall, Exclusive and Villagio Mall.

No tour to a foreign land would be complete if you don't relish in its nightlife. Though a conventional, Islamic country, Doha has taken up the liberty of showering its admirers with bars, pubs and the finest clubs. When it's time for the moon to dominate the sky, you can join the crowds of emerging night owls set out to enjoy the tantalising nightlife.