BEAUTIFUL beaches and exciting resorts make Qatar a top-notch break with the kids – but there’s so much more to enjoy, including Grand Prix thrills, learning to kitesurf and a massive camel racing tournament.
Record-smashing rides, a Formula One experience featuring thrilling driving simulators, and a buzzing waterpark provide plenty of action-packed fun for youngsters.
But this sun-soaked country in the Arabian Gulf also offers gentler activities to get the best out of your getaway.
Make the most of bonding experiences with your little ones at a family wellness resort, where there’s stargazing, baking together and much else besides.
So here are 10 wonderful ways to have a fabulous holiday for grown-ups and kids in Qatar.
Plan your own family adventure at visitqatar.com
Ride a world-beating rollercoaster
tips for a family getaway in Qatar
from the world’s tallest indoor rollercoaster
to camel racing and Grand Prix action
Footsteps in the sand … basking
on sun-soaked beaches is just
part of the fun
‘It was so embarrassing but
it was the start of my success’
Hitting the STREETS
The high-life … ride the world’s tallest indoor rollercoaster at Doha Quest
Breaking world records is almost a national pastime for Qatar. One of its most exhilarating achievements is the 57m-high EpiQ Coaster, the world’s tallest indoor rollercoaster, inside Doha Quest, a massive theme park in Qatar’s capital Doha.
More than 30 rides, simulators and virtual reality experiences
should captivate even the most energetic visitor, including the stomach-lurching Magma Blast – at 56m it’s the world’s tallest indoor drop tower.
Adults £50, children £35
tips for a family getaway in Qatar
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Zulal Wellness Resort on the northern tip of Qatar is a family retreat that specialises in memorable bonding experiences for parents and kids to reconnect.
Children can try a dizzying range of activities and treatments such as mother-daughter manicures, meditation, yoga, stargazing, pottery making, baking, origami, movie making, orienteering, silent disco and photography.
By spending time outdoors, enjoying activities and eating
nutritious meals together, guests at Zulal are sure to go home healthy and happy.
Top-draw entertainment … get crafty at Zulal Wellness Resort
Make a magical
movie together
Visitors to Qatar can’t leave without meeting a camel, a beloved icon of the Middle East.
On Fridays from October to February, you can see some of the world’s most expensive camels race in big-money tournaments at Al Shahaniya.
Visit the stable to make friends with the competitors, and then cheer on your favourite camel from the grandstand as you watch thrilling races round a sand track.
Or watch the action from a 4×4 that zooms alongside the race track, following the lovable desert animals as they reach speeds of up to 40mph.
Grandstand tickets from £35
Hump day …
camel racing at
Al Shahaniya
Watch camel races from your grandstand seat
Despite being a bustling capital city, Doha has plenty of green spaces to explore.
One of the most popular is 5/6 Park in Onaiza, near Qatar’s tallest monument, the 100m Al Wahda Arches.
Designed to mimic the map of Qatar, 5/6 Park has a garden maze to get lost in, an observatory hill, murals, a playground, a jogging track and a dedicated area where children can learn to ride a bike.
Look out for the famous Al Sumood landmark, a collection of steel pillars that symbolise Qatar’s resilience.
All mapped out … 5/6 Park in Onaiza
Explore this
Qatar-shaped park
Families cannot help but be drawn to the huge alfresco fairground on Al Maha Island, about 30 minutes north of Doha city centre on Lusail Marina Corniche. Open from November to April.
Ride a rollercoaster, go sky high on the ferris wheel, or play carnival games before refuelling at one of the laidback food kiosks.
For a more upscale experience, Al Maha Island is also home to Bagatelle Beach Club (kids must be aged 16 or above to enter) and restaurants such as LPM, Beefbar, Em Sherif and Zuma.
Wild isle … eat, drink and play carnival games on Al Maha Island
Head to the bright lights of this island
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Launched more than 30 years ago in New York, Planet Hollywood is still exciting diners.
The showbiz-themed restaurant in the Doha Oasis invites movie fans for an A-list dining experience surrounded by memorabilia, posters and eye-popping decor.
On the way out there’s a gift shop stuffed with Planet Hollywood merchandise.
Out of this world … dine like a movie star at Planet Hollywood
Join the A-list at
Planet Hollywood
This December the Formula One roadshow arrives in Qatar for the penultimate race of the season.
The high-octane Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit hosts a huge fan village for petrolheads young and old.
Driving simulators, prototype sports cars, thrilling F1 racing on giant screens, radio-controlled car races, live bands and falconry displays are just some of the activities at the fan zone.
Feel close to the action by changing the tyre of a Grand Prix car in a mock-up pit lane.
General admission tickets from around £100
Track record … gear up for F1 action by go-carting at
Baladna Park
Rev up for GRIPPING
Grand Prix action
If you’ve ever watched a kitesurfer glide across the sea and thought, “I’d like to try that”, make a beeline for Fuwairit Kite Beach.
Adults and children over 11 can sign up for lessons at this natural lagoon, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro.
Part of the Hilton Tapestry Collection resort, Fuwairit Kite Beach on Qatar’s northern coastline feels a little like California and also offers padel courts, an outdoor cinema and a swimming pool.
£85 for a half-day kitesurfing lesson including equipment hire
Shell out … Fuwairit Kite Beach is the place to see turtles
Make sandcastles and
meet rare turtles
Whether you want an action-packed watersports holiday or a lazy seaside break, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara has you covered.
With swanky over-water villas, lush gardens and an 800m beach, it’s a real haven.
There are waterslides, a bowling alley, a cinema, nine-hole golf putting course and two kids’ clubs – staffed by qualified child minders – offering video games, arts and crafts, air hockey and billiards.
Wannabe surfers can learn to catch a wave at the resort’s two-lane surf pool. And as Banana Island is family focused, it’s a dry resort (so there’s no alcohol).
Bunch of fun …
Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara
Enjoy a seaside break in a water wonderland
Bayt El Talleh is a rustic and charming restaurant near Katara Cultural Village, one of Qatar’s most prestigious tourist attractions.
Come hungry and order several dishes to share such as hummus, mutabal, shish tawook, and a crunchy fattoush salad.
Bayt El Talleh is open for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but whatever time you arrive, don’t leave without asking a waiter to capture a family photo with the marvellous Katara Hills in the background.
Top table … Bayt El Talleh restaurant
Share a delicious
home-cooked-style meal
Plan your own family adventure at visitqatar.com
tips for a family getaway in Qatar
tips for a family getaway in Qatar
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