Qatar, as we all know is a beautiful place where a lot of people visit during their vacation. Apart from tourists, people travel there for business and profession. An average of 2.136 million tourists visit Qatar every year.
Souq Waqif, Museum of Islamic Art, National Museum of Qatar, Katara Cultural Village, and The Pearl-Qatar are some of the must-visit places in Qatar. Not only is Qatar famous for its glamorous tourist attractions, but also for plenty of other stuff.
We all would want to collect souvenirs when we visit a new place. Now, we wouldn’t want to buy anything useless but something remarkable from that particular place.
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11 Souvenirs to Buy while You Visit Qatar
To make it easier for you to buy your souvenirs while you’re at Qatar, we have consolidated 11 souvenirs to buy while you’re here in Qatar.
Who doesn’t like sweets?! We would want to try the best desserts from every place we visit, wouldn’t we? Don’t be confused about what dessert to buy. Baklava, Basboussa, Kunafa, Rez b Haleeb and Luqaimat are some of the best Arabic sweets you wouldn’t want to miss when you’re in Qatar.
Arabic Sweets
Some of the popular Arabic sweets:
- Baklava
This dessert originally originated in the Ottoman empire. It is a flaky dessert made with multiple layers of filo pastry which is held with sweet syrup or honey. Baklava tastes better when it’s filled with chopped nuts or pistachios.
- Basboussa
You will love this one if you’re one of those cake fanciers. It is made with semolina and rose water and almost looks like a cake. To enhance it’s taste it is garnished with coconut. It can be found in almost all the restaurants in Qatar.
- Kunafa
This is yet another dessert which was originated in Ottoman Empire. It is made with pastry and cheese and is topped with nuts and pistachios. Na’ama, khishnah and muhayra are other forms of Kunafa.
- Rez B Haleeb
It is a form of rice pudding. The three main ingredients used in this dessert are rice, milk and sugar. People largely have it during the holy month of Ramadan. It tastes good when warm or cold.
- Luqaimat
This dessert will be soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It is a pastry ball dipped in either sugar syrup or honey and sprinkled with seeds or nuts on top. Luqaimat is one of the tastiest desserts found in Doha.
Oud and Perfumes
It is believed in Islam that when you smell nice it will please others. Oud and perfumes are given utmost importance in the Arabian countries. Oud is the agar wood scent that gives the musky notes.
Oud and perfumes are one of the must buy souvenirs when you visit Qatar. Some of the best Oud and perfume brands to buy in Qatar are:
- Al Haramain Perfumes
- Al Jazeera Perfumes
- Arabian Oud
- Asgharali
- Malik Al Bukhoor Trading
- Osmanli Oud
- Rasasi
- Souq Waqif
- Swiss Arabian Perfumes
- The Perfumes Factory
Bukhoor
As mentioned earlier, according to the islamic tradition, good smell is given utmost importance. Even the houses in Qatar smell good. How is it done? By burning raw Oud. The smoke which is emitted is known as Bukhoor.
Don’t forget to get some Bukhoor when you visit Qatar. It can be found everywhere. There are available various prices depending on the quality of the oud.
Arabian Coffee Pot
An Arabian coffee pot is called Dallah. Its been used for centuries to brew the Arabian coffee which is known as Qahwa. Qahwa brewed in the Dallah is specially served during the festivals.
Dallah is made of brass, steel, silver, or gold. It is richly adorned with geometric patterns, quotes, floral prints, etc., It has a bulb-shaped bottom that widens at the top. It comes with a snout through which the coffee can be poured.
This is one of the must buy souvenirs when you visit Qatar. It can be found in Souq Waqif, souvenir stores and in gift shops. Don’t forget to buy one of these when you are in Qatar.
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Abayas
Abaya is a piece of loosely fitted garment that covers the entire body from neck to feet. It comes with a matching shawl. It almost looks like the traditional wear of Muslims. However, it can be worn by anybody. There are thousand of Araya shops in Qatar.
Qatar is famous for Abayas. It is one of the things that you wouldn’t regret buying while you’re here.
Best places to buy Abaya in Qatar:
- Al Aziziya Street
- Dragonmart Qatar
- Shopping Malls
- Muntazah Street Shops
- Souq Faleh
- Souq Waqif
- Thursday Friday Market Doha
- Zone Center Qatar
Decorated Wooden Boxes
The decorated wooden boxes are yet another souvenir that you have to buy when you visit Qatar. These boxes are good to store jewels and other knickknacks. You can decorate your house or even gift one of the to your friends and family.
These wooden boxes come with intricate designs. You can also find boxes made out of camel bones. These boxes can be found in Souq Waqif, Oriental Carpet Company on Suhaim Bin Hamad Street, City Center, Royal Plaza and in duty-free shops.
Pearl & Jewelry
Qatar is also famous for pearl jewelry. Beautifully handcrafted pearl jewelry is one of the best souvenirs to bring home while you visit Qatar.
Since gold is cheap in Qatar when compared to other countries, don’t miss out on the jewelry in Qatar. The quality of gold is superior in Qatar. Depending on the quality and purity of the gold the price may vary. The gold in Qatar is tax-free as well.
Gold can be bought from the Gold Souq or malls. Below are the best places to buy gold and jewelry in Qatar.
Which jewelry brand is best in Qatar?
- Gold Souq (market)
- Alfardan Jewelry
- Al Sulaiman Jewelers
- Damas Jewelry
- Damascus Jewelry
- Malabar Gold and Diamonds
Dates
Qatar is well known for dates. Qatar produces over 31,180 tonnes of dates every year. Dates are a staple food in Arabian countries. Different kinds if dates are produced in Qatar.
While you visit Qatar or any other Arabian country, you might notice plenty of date trees planted infront of houses and along the roads.
If you ask which is the best type of date fruit to buy in Qatar, I suggest the Ajwa dates. Ajwa dates are commonly available in most dried fruit stores in Qatar.
Types of date fruits available in Qatar:
- Ajwa
- Khudri
- Zahidi
- Safawi
- Sufri
- Khalas
- Shishi
- Khenaizi
- Barhy
Pashmina Shawls
These shawls are woven with soft cashmere wool. It is one of the souvenirs that can be used by you on a regular basis. Pashmina shawls are quite cheap in Qatar and comes in a wide range of colours. It’s easily foldable and wouldn’t occupy much space in your bag. So you might want to buy one of these for you and for your friends and family too.
The Oriental Carpet Company in Bin Mehmood and Souq Waqif are the best places to buy Pashmina shawls in Qatar. You can also find a best collection at Bombay Silk Centre, Al Khaleej Street. Souq Waqif has a wide range of Shawl outlets, and you can see a lot of people buying Pashmina Shawls while you walk though Souq Waqif.
Textiles with Traditional Arabic Prints
Al sadu is a traditional woven material made from camel and goat hair. It is a must-buy souvenir during your visit to Qatar. This particular woven material has a history of over a thousand years.
These textiles comes with geometric designs and motifs that symbolize the tribe’s heritage. Souq Waqif is the best place to buy traditional Arabic Textiles and Prints in Qatar.
Spices
Qatar is also popular for its spices. A wide variety of spices can be found in Qatar. People prefer to buy small quantities of these spices during their visit to Qatar and freshly grind them while preparing some delicious food.
Souq Waqif is the place to spices while you visit Qatar. Since Qatar is known for its spices, you wouldn’t want to miss out on this one.
Things To Know before you Buy Souvenirs in Qatar
Which is the best place to buy decorated wooden boxes in Qatar?
Even though decorated wooden boxes are available in various parts of Qatar, the best place to purchase them is Souq Waqif. Souq Waqif has lot of shops where you can purchase decorated wooden boxes in Qatar. They also have a wide range of similar items to choose from.
Which is the best place to buy Abaya in Qatar?
Even though there are lot of markets to Abaya in Qatar, I suggest purchasing Abayas from the Al Aziziya Street. This street in Qatar has more than 50 Abaya outlets, and most of them offer Abayas at affordable prices.
Where can I buy gold in Qatar?
The Gold Souq in Qatar, located near the famous Souq Waqif is the best place to buy gold and jewelry in Qatar. Even though there are other places, the Gold Souq has nearly hundreds of gold jewelry outlets. This is the place tourists prefer to buy gold while they visit Qatar. The jewelries here also has a wide range of collection in gold, diamond, silver etc.
Which is the best date to buy while you visit Qatar?
Ajwa is the best and most popular palm date to buy while you visit Qatar. It has a special place in the heart of Arabs. Ajwa is a blackish colored date fruit, which is also bigger in size that other commonly available variants.
