Qatar Holidays

You can book your Qatar holiday online by simply choosing from our huge range of flights and hotels to create your own unique arrangement. By booking with Unwind Worldwide you can be asssured that our Qatar holidays represent excellent value for money. We pride ourselves in sourcing the cheapest offers on the best flights and hotels.

Booking a holiday to Qatar online is simple, safe and secure. However, should you have any questions, our Reservations Team are always are on hand to help you book your ideal holiday to Qatar. You can contact our team via LiveHelp or by telephoning 0203 282 7684.

Qatar Travel Guide

Qatar is a peninsula jutting into the Persian Gulf, to the north of Saudi Arabia, East of Bahrain and West of the Emirates. It is located halfway along the western coast of the Gulf, the 11,437 sq km State of Qatar benefits from its key location, halfway between Europe and Asia.

In recent times Qatar has transcended from being a poor pearl fishing country, to one of the wealthiest Gulf States. Qatar has been ruled as an absolute monarchy by the Al Thani family since the mid–19th century. Formerly a British protectorate noted mainly for pearling, it became independent in 1971, and has become one of the region's richest due to its enormous oil and natural gas revenues, which enable Qatar to have a per capita income almost above the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.

The coastline covers more than 700km with shallow coastal waters in most areas and numerous small scattered islets and coves, sand dunes and reefs, and a number of offshore islands including Halul, Sheraouh Beshairiya, Al Safliya and Al Aaliyahttp.

The terrain is flat and rocky, covered with sand flats and dunes, with approximately 18% of the land surface covered by sand dunes or sand. There are some exceptional low–rising limestone outcrops in the north and northwest of the country.

Inland Sea (Khor Al Adaid)
The most prominent feature in the south is the spectacular Inland Sea (Khor Al Adaid), a region of rolling crescent–shaped sand dunes surround a body of salt water with a narrow inlet from the Gulf.

On the west coast, the area between Umm Bab and Ras Abrouq is characterised by a range of eye–catching flat–topped limestone outcrops – which together with the sedimentary surface rocks are a reminder that 24 million years ago Qatar lay under the sea.

The Shale Hills in the west, together with a dry river bed in the centre of the country, are rich in fossils while the low salt flats near Al Shahaniya are collecting grounds for those willing to dig for the attractive gypsum formations known as 'desert roses'.

The presence of numerous farm estates between Al Shahaniya and the north of the peninsula is evidence of the numerous underground water reservoirs, springs and wells in the area, while the northern and eastern deserts are flat and rocky.

Places to Go

Doha is the capital of Qatar. It is a modern and rapidly developing city and, considering the money being poured into construction, Doha looks set to become one of the premier cities in the Gulf within a few years.

Al–Khor (alternatively spelled Al Khawr) is a city in Qatar. The city is far older than Doha, but much smaller (the population is roughly 31,000). It used to be the center of the now non–existent pearl trading industry, so now the city is undergoing renovation.

Things to See and Do

Ancient Villages
Old Zubara town – Rich with history of Qatar and its people, Al–Zubarah is one of the most interesting archaeological sites in the state. Just two km west of the Al–Zubarah fort, the Al–Zubarah settlement shows evidence of a long–standing community where rich oyster banks and good trading connections in and beyond the Gulf ensured prosperity.

Fishermen's villages
Several settlements in the northwest of Qatar give a glimpse of how difficult life outside of the main cities was before the discovery of oil. These small villages had economies based largely on fishery, and lacked facilities or road access. Three of the sites, Al–Areesh, Al–Khuwair and Al–Jemail, are completely abandoned today, yet still vividly tell the story of those who once called them home.

Climate

Qatar has a moderate desert climate with hot summers and mild winters, winter nights can be cool, but temperatures rarely drop below 7 degrees Celsius Temperatures and humidity rise in coastal cities and towns during summer Rainfall is scarce (average 70mm per year).