A brief article that tells everything about safety in Qatar for tourists. It covers the peculiarities and nuances of this issue, what to be aware of, whether women can travel without a man, and how to dress in public to avoid being stoned or beaten with sticks. You will also learn about Doha at night. As Qatar was a closed country until recently, not many people know about it, but everything is changing rapidly now.

It will be difficult for you to plan your dream trip to Qatar without these websites

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Hotels in Doha

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Rent a car

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Tours and Activities

General information about safety in Qatar

Many people look at Qatar with apprehension and are not sure if it is safe for foreigners. This stereotype has arisen for two reasons:

  • Firstly, Qatar has always been a closed country, and not much was known about it. In the article linked below, you will find a lot of useful information on the topic: Qatar on the world map.
  • Secondly, the main religion in Qatar is radical Islam, and many are afraid of the word “radical.” However, in Qatar, it refers to radical self-attitude rather than towards non-believers like us with you :).

The article covers everything about religion in Qatar that a tourist needs to know and how it reflects in everyday life today.

safety in qatar
The mounted police operate in the center of Old Doha. In general, there is plenty of police on the streets and roads of the country.

Safety in Qatar:

In one sentence, it is absolutely safe in any area at any time of the day and night in Qatar, even for women. Today, Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world.

To put it into perspective, Qatar is much safer than any city in Europe, be it Paris, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona. In the center of Paris, migrants once offered us drugs, in Rome, they sold stolen goods near the Colosseum, and in Barcelona, our car’s window was smashed because of 2 euros left on display. Such things are impossible to imagine in Qatar. Tourists are completely safe here at any time of day.

  • In 2022, the Emir of Qatar spoke to citizens before the World Cup and asked them to lock their cars and apartments. He explained this by saying (quote): “Many tourists from all over the world will come to us, and not all of them are as rich as we are.”

A very cool article: what is the secret of Qatar’s success, or why Qatar is such a rich country.

Attitude towards tourists in Qatar

The attitude towards tourists is excellent, sometimes I even marvel at how Qatar is completely different from the East that everyone knows:

  • They don’t cheat you in stores, and they will give you change in Qatari riyals.
  • No one pesters you at the bazaar like in Egypt or Istanbul. Yes, you do need to bargain for souvenirs, but it’s all very civilized.
  • No one will tailgate you, cut off or break check. There are some reckless drivers, but they are much less common than where I come from.
  • There are no pickpockets, bandits on the streets.
  • There are no homeless people, beggars, or other antisocial personalities. Everyone is either working or praying.
  • Everyone speaks English and is ready to sincerely help any foreigner without trying to ask you for a dollar. There are no tourist traps in Qatar.
  • If it makes you feel better, the poorest person on the street in the city center is probably you.
safety in doha
Safety in Qatar for tourists and others is organized at a high level. Locals may not even lock their cars and apartments.

There are many migrants from India, Pakistan, Iran, and other less wealthy Asian countries in Qatar. They all came here to work, but the local legislation is so strict, including all laws, and the earnings are high, so they are very afraid of being deported. Even in the evening, in Doha, in the area where migrant workers live, there is no danger to you.

Safety in Qatar for women: how to dress, what to watch out for

There are still many stereotypes from the past century about this. Let me tell you how things are today:

  • A girl can confidently travel alone in the country. There are no problems at all. They will give you a visa, check you into a hotel, and give you a car.
  • Even the stereotypes about tourists’ clothing are no longer true.
qatar women safety
Local Muslim girls dress exclusively like this, while non-Muslim girls can dress however they want. I came to the Souq Waqif market for fruits.

It is important to understand that in Islam, particularly in Qatar, the female body is taboo. It must be covered as much as possible from all eyes, except for the husband’s. But this only applies to Muslim women. If you are not a Muslim, nobody really cares how you dress. However, there are some general rules for tourists, especially for girls.

It would be perfect if you could follow all these rules, the locals will appreciate it. It’s good if you can at least incorporate some of them into your appearance. But to be honest, I constantly see girls breaking all the norms and the locals react neutrally.

  • Ideally, clothing should cover your hair, shoulders, elbows, and knees.
is it safe in qatar
Here’s a picture of me and my wife in our everyday clothes in Qatar. Notice that her knees and shoulders are covered – that’s good enough. Men can dress confidently like me.
qatar travel safety
This is almost a perfect look. Knees, shoulders, and hair are covered. To cover the elbows you can wear a blouse in the evening, especially in winter.
Is it dangerous for tourists in Qatar?
I took this photo in the center of Doha. These are foreigners on a pedestrian crossing. To be honest, many people dress like this in Qatar.

Of course, it’s easier for men. Wear whatever you want. Flip flops, shorts, a t-shirt, and that’s good enough. For girls, I just recommend thinking that you’re in a Muslim country. Nobody will beat you with sticks for wearing revealing clothing, but it’s better to refrain from wearing anything too revealing, like mini skirts or crop tops. Wear something more neutral and restrained. And nobody is forcing you to wear a burqa.

If a girl dresses provocatively:

As I said, nobody will put you in jail and the morals police won’t arrest you. But everyone around you will look at you very closely, and you won’t feel comfortable.

Travel tips

Although safety in Qatar is at its highest level today, here are some general tips.

  • Do not show large sums of money in your wallet on the streets, especially at night among migrants. Anything can happen.
  • Take basic safety precautions. Park your car and hide all valuables in the trunk so they are not visible.
  • In case of an emergency in the country, dial the unified emergency services number 999. They speak English. No matter what happens: fire, heart attack, road accident, robbery – call 999.

Keep in mind that Qatar is a wonderful country that welcomes tourists and is happy to have them: 10 reasons to visit Qatar.

In conclusion, safety in Qatar and Doha is much better than in 99% of places on the planet. Tourists have absolutely nothing to fear here. The only thing that may cause discomfort is how local men look at European women, especially those who are scantily dressed.

Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Qatar

  • Flights at the best prices with discounts

  • Car rental: DiscoverCars

  • Hotels and apartments in Doha:
    • Hotellook – compare prices when booking around the world.

    • Agoda – the best selection of hotels in Qatar.

    • Booking – the main competitor of Agoda.

  • Tours, excursions and activities (including extreme ones):
    • GYG – more than 400 tours

    • Viator – excursions and activities throughout the country

  • Travel insurance: EKTA

  • Airport transfer: Intui

  • Internet and Calls: