You’ve packed your bags and is all ready to travel to Doha, the capital city of Qatar. Whether you’re going there for business or leisure, there are certain things which you can and cannot do when it comes to clothing, and this applies to both men and women. So, read this and pack the right stuff for your trip to Doha.
Qatar is a nation where Islam plays a vital role in its customs, practices, and laws. Thus, inappropriate dressing is strictly prohibited and expatriates and travellers are expected to adhere to these rules. A campaign which was launched to promote modest clothing among tourists in Qatar says that “If you are in Qatar, you are one of us. Help us preserve Qatar’s culture and values, please dress modestly in public places.” According to the penal code in Qatar, wearing revealing or indecent clothes is forbidden and punishable. Therefore in order to avoid any trouble, make sure you abide by the correct dress code.
Women- As long as your legs are completely covered, ladies you’re free to wear anything from skirts and pants. But that means your cute shorts, rompers and ra ra skirts, are not Doha-worthy. When it comes to the upper body, cleavage is a big no no. So this means no tank tops or spaghetti straps. When you’re entering specific buildings and religious sites you need to cover your head with a scarf. What to do when swimming? If you’re going to the public Katara beach, a T-shirt and knee-length shorts will have to be worn. But you can wear bikinis at your city or airport hotel in Doha, such as the Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels; without any trouble as these are more lenient.
Men- Local Qatari men wear the traditional attire consisting of a long white shirt, loose pants and the ‘Gutra’, a loose headdress. Male tourists are of course not expected to wear this, but you should avoid wearing any sleeveless shirts and shorts in public areas.
Special Clothing- If you’re travelling to Doha during the winter, which is the rainy season, you will need to pack a waterproof jacket. Pack some good sweaters too as nights here can get pretty cold as much as 59 degrees.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+