Undoubtedly a place where every tourist will want to explore is Souq Waqif & the beautiful Corniche in Doha. Little did I know, just how vast and varied this historical market place actually is. Wait until I show you exactly what I discover and you will be busting to get there too.
Brief History
The souq has been in this location for over a century and originally was situated right at the shoreline. The words ‘souq waqif’ translates to ‘standing market’. Vendors would stand inside the doors of their stalls, many feet higher than the water level, and sell to buyers below. The land was reclaimed around the souk and the seaside filled in. What we have today is a market situated in the same spot, but quite a ways from the waters edge. When you walk from the souk to the water, you reach what is called the Corniche.
In 2003 a great fire took out nearly all of the historical structures of the souq. It fell into a state of disrepair but not for long. In 2008 the municipality rebuilt the market replicating the old mud and brick buildings. What we see today is a labyrinth, a massive market place, filled with the most amazing things!
The Corniche
I’ll begin with the corniche and work our way towards the souq. The corniche is a 7km long promenade right beside the sea. Lined with palm trees and pretty lights, there are statues, benches, flower beds and all sorts of little decorative details making it a lovely place for a stroll.
This is where visitors are going to find a plethora of original wooden dows on which to take a ride out into the gulf. Dows are the traditional seafaring vessels used for pearling and fishing. They range in size and are absolutely stunning to see at night time when all the colourful string lights are turned on.
I will mention, this is the only part of the city where I was continually asked to part with my money. It can get a little annoying so if that bothers you, walk closer to the street, the path is wide.
Souq Waqif
Ok let’s delve into this fantastic and huge market! An absolute maze, don’t worry if you get lost, vendors are really helpful and will offer directions. Visit day or night, it takes on a completely different atmosphere but equally as marvellous if you only have time for one visit.
Most of the main shopping area is covered and inside one and two-story buildings. The goods are separated by category. Walking around you will notice that you move from souvenirs, to clothing, household, to carpets and jewellery. Spices, candies and food, basketry and weaving, to tools etc. I will delve into these in more detail below.
Handicraft Souq
An area not to miss if you are looking for an extra special souvenir and not just a magnet, is this area. Full of artists actively showcasing their talents on any given day, find studios with pottery, musical instruments, weaving, textiles, sand creations, art and paintings and much more.
A relatively small section, but filled with beautiful objects that are one of a kind and not mass-produced pieces that you will be able to pick up anywhere. I love the shop with the small hand made textiles, little bags, jewellery, and nick-nacks.
Falcon Souq
Yes, you read that right, there is a complete and large souq dedicated to falconry! I stumbled into this quite by accident and spent a lot of time here. Inside the central courtyard it is not uncommon to see birds on their perches close to the ground.
Surrounding the courtyard are the shops selling falcons and all the necessary paraphernalia that goes with the sport. Falconry dates back as far as the 6th century. Bedouins used the birds for survival, to catch small prey as part of their diet. The falcons were sent out and returned with buzzards and rabbits, and were a critical tool providing meat for the people.
Today the tradition of falconry has developed into something recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Qatar. It’s a status symbol to own a falcon and show it. The exquisite birds can get extremely expensive to purchase, some reaching around $300,000 USD for one bird! The Falcon Souq has the worlds only falcon hospital too. Quite a special and ultra unique place to explore on your visit.
Arabian Horse Souq
Another incredible place to find in this vast market place is the Arabian horse souq! Who knew? Look for the large black Bedouin tent across the busy street from the Amiri Diwan Palace. There will be a field and behind that a two-story building. These are the horse stables.
I wander in and before long am handed some small fruits that have fallen from a tree right outside. These are the only things visitors are allowed to feed the horses. What magnificent and intelligent creatures! They knew immediately when I began handing out treats. One even bobbing his head up and down to get my attention. As soon as I ran out of these little apple-like things I got shown the backside.😂
Bird Market
The first area I wandered into on my initial visit to Souq Waqif is the bird market. Imagine a pet store, but outdoors and about 100 of them all in one location. The cacophony of sounds is incredible!
See all sorts of small and large exotic birds, chickens, ducklings, turtles and fish. Many are outside of cages, sitting atop little perches and interacting with the public. There have to be thousands and thousands of creatures located here and multiple alleys of them.
Carpets, Antiques & More
When I say you can purchase anything here, you quite literally can. There is far too much for me to show everything so I will select some of my favourite things. These include the incredible and colourful hand made wool carpets. Piles and piles of these beautiful things, if I ever have a home again it will contain some for sure.
Antiques, beautiful old coffee pots, Bedouin jewellery, treasures from days past. A whole lane filled with men making strings of prayer beads! From inexpensive plastic ones to beautiful stone strands.
Teas, spices, herbal concoctions, traditional make-up. Bins filled with unusual sights of large crystals of alum and bright green henna. The smell combined with the perfume sellers is both intoxicating and enchanting.
Night Time
If you have the opportunity to visit at night, do so in addition to during the day. The market transforms, restaurants open up and spill into the lanes. Lights are strung across the alleys, vendors selling balloons and toys emerge and the whole area becomes vibrant and lively.
I decide to dine one night at a popular Yemeni restaurant called Bandar Aden. I order the lamb and rice with a piece of bread. My gosh the bread that arrived was as big as a manhole cover and so delicious! The rice was amazing, but the lamb, I’m sorry to say, was a pile of bones and vertebrae with only a few morsels of meat. And pricey too, at $25 CAD.
Souq Waqif will be on your radar for Doha and I can definitely recommend it with a full heart. The place is packed with marvellous things to see both day and night. From live animals and exquisite falcons, to local handicrafts, traditional clothing, tempting spices and perfumes and much more. An absolutely fantastic place to discover.
