Places to Explore in Qatar

Qatar Is an Arab Nation

Qatar is an Arab country located in the Middle East. Qatar is a monarchy. It is rich in oil and gas. Doha is the capital of Qatar. Qatar is smaller than the state of Connecticut, USA!

Islam Is the Main Religion of Qatar

Summers in Qatar are hot and humid and winters are mild. Islam is the main religion of Qatar, with a more than 77.6 per cent of the population practicing this religion. Most part of the country is covered by sand. Qatar currency is Qatari Rial.

Qatar Flag

Qatar Started Welcoming Foreign Tourists in 1989

Qatar opened its doors to foreign tourists in 1989. Qatar has modern luxury hotels, places of historic significance, sand dunes, desert safari, seascapes and many other tourist attractions. Here is a list of a few of them:

Doha Is the Capital of Qatar

Capital of Qatar | Source

Museum of Islamic Art

Opened on 22 November 2008, this museum is located on one end of the seven kilometers long Corniche in Doha. The architectural style of the building is Islamic. Exhibits include ceramics, glassworks, manuscripts, metalworks and textiles.

Khor al Adaid

This famous beach is 78 kilometers from Doha. Khor al Adaid beach is famous for its sand dunes, some of which are as high as 40 meters!

Katara Mosque

Located at the center of the Katara Cultural Village site, this beautiful mosque's outer surface is garnished with turquoise and purple mosaic. Superb interior design adds glamour to the building.

Souq Waqif

Souq Waqif is a market in Doha. If you intend to buy traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, or souvenirs, visit this market. You will also find many restaurants and outdoor cafés here.

Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

First of its kind in the region, this boundary-breaking museum offers an Arab perspective on modern art. It houses art created in Qatar, the Middle East and the international Arab diaspora

Oryx Farm

Oryx (antelope species) is the national animal of Qatar. They can be found in large numbers in their natural surroundings in this farm, which is located at Shahaniya. Pure bred Arabian horses can also be found here.

Desert safari

This is one of the main attractions of Qatar. Sand dunes, some of which are 60 meters high, look beautiful. One can also hear the sound of the shifting sands, which seem to have a tune of their own! Air conditioned vehicles are available for taking tourists to desert safari.

Aladdin's Kingdom

This entertainment center offers more than eighteen play features for all age groups. It also has a cafe, theater and an artificial lagoon.

Zoo

Located on Salwa Road, this famous zoo houses various animals, birds and reptiles. It also has an amusement park.

Al Jassasiya

This rocky hill range is located between two villages, Fuwairit and Al Huwailah. This place is famous for its pre-historic stone carvings.

Al Rumaila Park

This popular park has many restaurants, shopping areas and lawns. It also offers exclusive entertainment for children.

Doha City Center

It is the largest shopping complex in the Middle East region. It offers products of various reputed brands. It also has ice skating rinks and bowling alleys. Doha has many shopping malls.

Al Bidda Park

This park is well known for food joints, shops and sports enclosures.

Old Palm Trees Island

Located in Doha, this amazing place is full of sandy beaches. Tourists can also find rides, shops and restaurants here.

National Museum of Qatar

It is the second largest museum in Doha. One can find collection of Islamic artifacts, furniture, jewelry, traditional dresses and ancient relics. It also includes a maritime museum and a small lagoon (with a dhow).

Ethnographic Museum

Also known as Wind Tower House, this huge tower with open arches has exhibits depicting the evolution of Qatar and Doha.

Doha Fort

Built in 1880, this fort is serving as a museum today. It offers a really interesting collection of traditional crafts, wood carvings, gold works and attractive paintings.

Doha Corniche

It extends for 7 kilometers along Doha bay and is popular among walkers, bikers and joggers. One gets a beautiful view of Doha city from here.

Cruising and other water sports

Many private companies offer dinghies for rent. Tourists can also go for fishing trips. Sunset cruise on a traditional dhow offers an amazing view of Qatar at night. It is very popular among tourists. Tourists can also opt for pedal board, para sailing, wind surfing and water cycling.

Qatar offers something or the other for people belonging to various age groups with varying interests. It is a nice country to visit.

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Cities in Qatar
Doha
Al Rayyan
Umm Şalāl Muḩammad
Al Khor

Qatar Visa

Tourist visas are granted to tourists through hotels or tourist agencies that offer such a facility, on prior approval from authorities. It is also granted to relatives of residents of Qatar through Qatar Airways. This visa is valid for one month. It is not extendable.

To obtain tourist visa, you need to fill in the application form and submit it through hotel manager or his representative. Attach other relevant documents like a copy of your passport, original establishment ID card of hotel or tourist agency, and your ID.

Tourist visa issuance fee is QR100 for a visa and QR50 for accompanying person. Overstay will be charged a penalty of QR200 per day.

Safety Tips

Crime rate is low in Qatar; however incidents of violence are on the rise. Monitor media broadcasts. Be aware of your surroundings. Call police at 999. You may also call Protection and Social Rehabilitation Centre hotline number 6693-3999, 6693-3108, or 6693-3919 for information on local resources and assistance.

As of June 16th 2017, eight nations (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, the Maldives and Comoros) have placed a diplomatic embargo between them and Qatar.

Seven nations (Jordan, Djibouti, Chad, Gabon, Niger, Eritrea and Senegal) have downgraded their realtionships with Qatar. Entering or exiting Qatar is very complicated or even impossible, with no land access being possible.

Flight routes are undergoing major changes. There are no scheduled commercial ships between Qatar and other nations in the Persian Gulf.

Popular Vacation Destinations in Mexico

Beautiful beaches, awe-inspiring mountains, deserts, ancient ruins, renowned museums, upscale shops, gourmet restaurants... Mexico has all these and more.

Mexico is a nation located between Central America and the USA. It has a pleasant warm weather and a coastline of around 10,000 kilometers. Spanish is the official language and Peso is the currency of Mexico.

Here are some famous vacation destinations in Mexico. 

Playa del Carmen

This coastal resort town is well-known for its coral reefs and palm-lined beaches. This vacation paradise is 45 minutes down the coast from the crowded and overgrown Cancun Mexico. It is located within the Riviera Maya, which runs from south of Cancún to Tulum and the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve. 

The region has a significant Mayan legacy, with important pyramids and cenotes - sinkholes and water bodies used by the ancient settlers of Yucatán. 

In fact Playa del Carmen has carved its own Euro-chic niche along the Yucatán Peninsula. Sophisticated expats and vacationing Europeans relax at the beachside lounges, upholding this small enclave's budding reputation as the place in Quintana Roo to see and be seen. 

Most activities revolve around Playa del Carmen's renowned beach, just minutes from the main thoroughfare, La Quinta Avenida. At the nearby marina, you can charter either a fishing boat or a diving boat and explore the Caribbean Sea. 

National Museum of Anthropology

Located in Mexico City, this museum is the largest and most visited museum in Mexico. It covers around 20 acres. It has the world's largest collection of ancient Mexican art and also has ethnographic exhibits about Mexico's present-day indigenous groups. It has some 600,000 art and other objects relating to Mexico. Its long, rectangular courtyard is surrounded on three sides by two-level display halls.

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza, which covers an area of around 6.5 square kilometers, is an ancient city that thrived between 600 CE and 1200 CE. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered to be sacred. It is the largest and most impressive of the Mayan ruins.

Located on the Yucatán Peninsula, this complex of Mayan ruins includes structures like the ball court, Temple of the Warriors and the Wall of the Skulls. The impressive urban design found in Chichen Itza is extraordinary well planned.

 "Chichen Itza" means " at the edge of the Itza's well." The Maya and Toltec vision of the world and the universe is revealed in these stone monuments and artistic works. 

The fusion of Mayan construction techniques with new elements from central Mexico make Chichen-Itza one of the most important examples of the Mayan-Toltec civilization Chichen Itza is well-known for its stone carvings. Sound-and-light show in the night here creates an amazing experience.

El Castillo, which is also known as the Temple of Kukulcan, is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site. This glorious pyramid demonstrates the accuracy and importance of Maya astronomy.

Xplor Park

Opened in July 2009, this theme park offers various activities, including zip-lines, amphibious vehicles, rafts, swimming in underground rivers, spelunking and hammock splash. It is at the heart of the forest.

Teotihuacán 

This popular archaeological site covers around 264 hectares. It is one of the largest pre-Hispanic cities in Mesoamerica. It houses monuments like  La Ciudadela and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, the Causeway of the Dead, and residential complexes. 

Here you will find examples of mural painting, like Tetitla, Atetelco, Tepantitla and La Ventilla. Teotihuacan Culture and the Teotihuacan Museum are the two specialized museums in Teotihuacán. Sculpture garden and botanical garden are other attractions of this site. This area of ​​archaeological monuments was declared Patrimony of the Humanity by UNESCO in 1987.

The Palacio de Bellas Artes 

Located in Mexico City, this grand palace is a prominent cultural center. It ha hosted events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and has held important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography. 

Palacio de Bellas Artes features murals that were executed by some of Mexico’s finest artists, including Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Roberto Montenegro. It houses the National Museum of Architecture, and the National Theater. 

This stunning Art Nouveau masterpiece was envisioned for the centenary celebrations of Mexico’s independence in 1910, and was completed in 1934. 

Occupied by the National Institute of Fine Arts since 1947, the Palace of Fine Arts has Carrara marble interiors. The iron and Marotti crystal roof create gallery spaces naturally illuminated by skylights. The use of materials was both innovative and experimental when it was built.

16 Superb Vacation Destinations for Seashell Collectors

Seashells Are Washed Up On Beaches

Seashells are hard protective outer layers of some marine organisms. They are usually washed up on beaches after soft part of the animal would have been eaten by its predator or would have simply rotted out.

People Have Admired Seashells for Centuries

People have collected, studied and admired seashells from thousands of years. For some, collecting seashells is a hobby. There are many books on the subject of shell collecting. There are many "shell clubs" where people who are united by their shared interest in shells get together.

It's a very natural, thought-free, meditative thing to do while walking on a beautiful beach. It's a 'task' that takes only enough of your mind to be enjoyable, but lets the rest of your mind just be, in a good way.

— David Driver, an NYC-based artist

Seashells Are Love Letters in the Sand

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Top Shelling Beaches

There are many beaches where seashells are available in abundance. Here are some of them:

Sanibel Island Beach

This island is gifted with an abundance of sea shells. Seashell collectors have to visit this place. It is located in southwest Florida. Shells of many types and sizes are found here. Scallops, Cockle, Conch, Lightning Whelk, Junonia, Tulip, Olive and Murex are some varieties found here.

Sanibel Is a Barrier Island

One reason for the large accumulations of shells in this region is that Sanibel is a barrier island that is part of a large plateau that extends out into the Gulf of Mexico for miles.

Sanibel Is Blessed With Plenty of Seashells

This plateau acts like a shelf for seashells to gather. Sanibel has an east-west orientation when most islands are north-south. So the island is gifted with great sandy beaches and plenty of shells.

Waikiki Beach

Located in Honolulu, Hawaii, this beachfront neighbourhood is a great vacation destination for seashell collectors. The climate here is warm and cloud free. Collectors can find a varieties of seashells in this beach.

Research Lists of Pacific Shells

To make the most of your visit to Waikiki Beach, buy a Hawaiian shell guide. You may also research lists of Pacific shells. Familiarize yourself with the varieties of cone shells.

Be careful while handling cone shells. They host a predatory snail that will sting you if handled inappropriately. Avoid disturbing cone shells. Review the current list of endangered species on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Species Report. This is to avoid getting into trouble with the law.

Ocracocke Island

Beaches in this island located in Hyde County, North Carolina offer varieties of sea shells.

NC 12, a single paved two-lane road, runs from the village at the southern end of the island to the ferry dock at the northern end, where a one-hour-long free ferry connects to Hatteras Island.

The second ferry dock, located in the village, has toll connections to Swan Quarter, NC, on the mainland and Cedar Island, near Atlantic, NC. A passenger ferry operates across Ocracoke Inlet to the deserted village of Portsmouth, at the northern end of the Core Banks.

Another option is to fly to this island. Ocracoke Island Airport is located slightly south-east of the village. Note that small aircraft can land here. The average commute time on the island is three minutes.

Marco Island

Beaches in this barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico are located in Collier County, Florida. They are well-known for their various sea shells. Marco Island is a great vacation destination for seashell collectors.

You will find resort hotels, beaches, marinas, golf courses and a network of inland waterways in this island. A long beach covers most of the west coast. It is the largest barrier island in the region.

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Galveston Island

It is a barrier island on the Texas gulf coast in the United States of America. It is approximately 50 miles southeast of Houston. The beach here is literally decorated with seashells. It is definitely one of the best vacation destinations for seashell collectors.

Bandon

Beaches in Bandon, a city located in Coos County, Oregon, have many varieties of seashells.

Stinson Beach

This beach is located in Marin County, California. This beach offers limpet shells and sand dollars, but the water here is cold and fog is common throughout the year.

Tunnels Beach

This beach is located in Kauai, Hawaii. Legend has it that the puka shell-necklace craze began here in the 1960s. Many beaches on the north shore of Hawaii's "Garden Isle" yield nice shell harvests, especially in the area around Haena, near the end of the road that does not quite circle Kauai. Seashell collectors will definitely not be disappointed here.

San Jose Island

It is a barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Texas. It offers 21 miles of unspoiled coastline full of seashells. Seashell collectors can find olive shells, wentletraps, shark's eyes, sand dollars and lightning whelks.

Flag Ponds Nature Park

Flag Ponds Nature Park is a beautiful gift of nature. It is located in St. Leonard, Maryland, along the Chesapeake Bay. Most of the seashells found here are fossils dating back to millions of years.

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Silver Strand State Beach

This beach is located in San Diego County, California. It is famous for its silver oyster shells. Collectors can also find other varieties of seashells like cockles, scallops, sand dollars and limpets.

Cumberland Island National Seashore

It is located in Camden County, Georgia. This island is accessible only by boat. Seashells like sand dollar are available here. Another advantage is that this place is not crowded.

Shelter Island

Located in the state of New York, this is an ideal summer retreat for seashell collectors. The beach here is famous for orange and yellow jingle shells. It also offers other types of seashells like large spindles, scallops and snails.

Eleuthera Island

This is an island in the beautiful Bahamas. Beaches here offer a wide varieties of seashells. This place is also famous for its sea food.

Point Roberts

Located in Whatcom County, Washington, this place is famous for its wealth of sea life. Seashell collectors will love the beaches here. They can collect oysters and clams in peace.

Great Peconic Bay

Located in the state of New York, this place is famous for scallop shells.

Vacation to any of the above destinations is sure to be a memorable one.

Shelling Tools

Tools
Screen
Hammer
Chisel
Tweezer
Mechanical fingers
Notebook

How to Find More Seashells?

To make the most of your shelling trip, hit the beach one hour before low tide.

The best time to find shells is at low tide. There are two low tides per day, and you'll want to go out during the lower low tide — but, I suggest going out an hour before low tide. That way, you can walk one way and then the other, and slowly scope everything out.

— Spencer Richardson, outdoor education coordinator at Sanibel Sea School

I have the world's largest collection of seashells. I keep it on all the beaches of the world... perhaps you've seen it.

— Steven Wright

3 Places to Visit in Charlestown

Located in downtown Boston, Charlestown is the oldest neighbourhood in the city.

Here are three popular tourist attractions in Charlestown:

USS Constitution Museum

This museum is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard. It is part of the Boston National Historical Park. It gives you many opportunities to experience the life of a sailor. Also, can learn about the War of 1812 through hands-on interactive exhibitions.

St. Mary - St. Catherine of Siena

This historic Roman Catholic parish was built in the 19th century. It is well-known for its ornate interior boasts stained glass windows and oak ceiling with images of angels. 

Bunker Hill Monument

This 221-ft monument (granite obelisk) was built to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, which was among the first major battles between British and Patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War, fought there on June 17, 1775.

Awe-Inspiringly Beautiful National Parks in South India

National parks not only protect forests and wildlife, but also enable you to rejuvenate yourself, and to bond with your friends / colleagues / family members.

Here is a list of popular national parks in South India.

Bandipur National Park

Located in Karnataka, this national park houses many species of endangered wildlife. Covering an area of 874 square kilometres, this awe-inspiringly beautiful national park is well-known for its sizable number of tigers and other animals.

Gaur in Bandipur National Park

Periyar National Park

Periyar National Park is also known as Periyar Tiger Reserve. Located in Kerala, it is the only national park in India that is open for visitors during monsoon. Spread over 350 square kilometres, this national park houses tigers, elephants, lion-tailed macaques, sambar deer, leopards, Indian bison and many other animals. 

Blue Pansy in Periyar National Park

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Nagarhole National Park

Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, this national park covers an area of 642.4 square kilometres. It is a protected habitat for many species of fauna, including tiger, leopard, wild elephant, dhole, and Gaur.

An Elephant in Nagarahole National Park

Wandur National Park

Wandur National Park is located Andaman and Nicobar islands, a string of around 300 tropical islands in the Bay of Bengal. Also known as Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, this national park covers an area of 281.5 square kilometres.

Kudremukh National Park

Tiger, leopard, wild dog, jackal, samba, spotted deer, barking deer and giant flying squirrel are among the main wildlife attractions of this national park. Located in Karnataka, this park covers an area of 600 square kilometers.

Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary

Established in 1976, this national park is located in Tamil Nadu. It is spread over an area of 958 square kilometers. Many species of animals, including nilgiri langur, liontailed macaque, gaur, elephant, chital, sambar, mouse deer, barking deer, birds, tiger, panther, wild dog and Nilgiri tahr have made this national park their home.

Sri Venkateshwara National Park

Located in Andhra Pradesh, this national park is home to hosts 168 mammals, 349 birds, and 138 reptiles. Spread over an area of 353 square kilometers, it was officially declared a National Park in the year of 1998.

Silent Valley National Park

This national park is in Nilgiri Hills, in Palakkad district, Kerala. The core area of Silent Valley National Park is 236.74 square kilometers. It houses more than 1000 species of flowering plants which include about 110 species of orchids, more than 34 species of mammals, about 200 species of butterflies, 400 species of moths, 128 species of beetles of which 10 are new to science, about 150 species of birds including almost all the 16 endemic birds of southern India.