Doha
Doha is the capital of Qatar with 80% of the population residing
there. Oil and natural gas supplies have allowed the city to obtain
a lot of wealth and with this the capital is constantly modernising
with high rise office blocks and newly developed sky scrapers. Doha
is setting its sights on becoming the next Dubai and in 2006 hosted
the largest Asian Games to date. The city is specifically focussing
on developing its real estate markets rather than becoming reliant
on tourism, however there are still many tourist friendly sights
around the capital. One of the biggest attractions in Doha is the
Al-Corniche which is a walkway that extends around Doha bay
overlooking Palm Tree Island and the new developments in the city
centre. The city is overwhelmed with shopping opportunities and
Doha is renowned for its number of shopping malls in and around the
city. Experiencing the culture of the city means taking a trip to a
nearby souq which offers a range of goods from spices, incense and
custom made furnishing. Solely vegetable or gold souqs are also
found amongst the bustling city.
Al Khor
Although much smaller and older than Doha, Al Khor is rumoured
to become a huge residential area. Historically famous in the past
for its pearling opportunities, the area still has an active
fishing industry and lively harbour and is said to have one of the
best beaches in Qatar which proves to be very popular with the
locals for evening sports and barbeques. This area already has an
established five-star hotel resort in the form of a converted
palace. Parts of the city are now being developed into an
industrial complex so tourism attractions are currently minimal
although this will change over time when the city is modernised and
redeveloped.
Messaied
Situated along the southeast coast of Qatar, Messaied is
accessible at only 45 km from the capital Doha. The town is not
that developed but it is home to a well used commercial port and
several refineries making it the hub for oil processing and an
important place for exports. Being a small town there are only a
few shops, cafes and restaurants. The main population of this area
are workers at the industrial plantations but a majority of
families decide to live in Doha and commute to Messaied. The town
does have a pleasant Corniche area, but being an industrial centre
there is little focus on tourism.
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