A dhow cruise in Doha, Qatar, is what a gondola ride is to Venice, Italy – a must on the visitor wish-list.

In Qatar, sailing on an ancient Arabic boat in the reflections of Doha’s swish skyscraper skyline at sunset is right up there with its desert safari, camel races and traditional market attractions.

You can enjoy this experience in style. Think private dhow, a knowledgeable guide, gentle music, a dip into the Gulf and lavish Arabic cuisine all savoured over several hours.

Or you can sightsee on the fly, (inclusive of those who are on a transit stop-over in Doha), and on the cheap.

Yes, how did you guess?

I enjoyed the spontaneous one, but will happily accept the former when, ironically, my proverbial “ship comes in”.

In the interim, here’s a beginner’s guide to dhows and enjoying a dhow trip in Qatar.

They’re everywhere, they’re everywhere

Dhows are to Doha what the ubiquitous London taxi is to the English capital. Except, of course, this form of transport is water-bound.

You will find these distinctive sailing vessels at the dhow harbour on the Corniche (beach front), near the landmark Sheraton Hotel, at Al Khor and Al Wakra. The latter two spots are outside of the city of Doha where dhows are still used daily for fishing purposes.

All aboard a dhow

You can pre-book your trip or you can barter on the spot.

Innumerable companies offer a range of touristy options lasting anything from an hour to four hours. These trips can also include the likes of a city tour, a walk along the Corniche or a cruise with a barbecue or Arabic meal, along with the enriching insights of a qualified tour guide.

The decision is all yours – and that of your wallet.

For more, you can check out Qatar Tourism, Viator and Get Your Guide, among others.

Dhow know-how

There is no set cost for a spontaneous dhow cruise.

Of course, this is not the case if you are pre-booking. You will pay online upfront and then be collected from your hotel or the airport, and returned after your excursion. 

So, if you are “sailing solo”, it is best to do your homework before heading down to the Corniche.

I spoke to friends for advice. Here’s what they shared:

Armed with this knowledge and a good friend, I headed for the Corniche.

(You can walk from either of the DECC, Corniche or Souq Waqif Metro stations but it may be easier to secure an Uber or Karwa taxi to drop you off near the boats instead).

Dhow cruise costs

As a general guide, the greater the number of passengers, the more likely you are able to bring down the initial asking price.

From QAR100 each (about R550), we found a dhow team (all two of them) that was happy with QAR20 each. This boat already had at least 10 adults and as many people children on board.

However, this dhow was not headed across the water to the traditional market as we needed.

In the end, we paid QAR50 each for our 20-minute bolt across the bay from the Sheraton Hotel to Souq Waqif in the middle of the Corniche. 

There were only seven of us on board.

The costs for organised dhow cruises start at about R800 to R1600.  Or you can hire your own boat for at least QAR2435 for the day and drop anchor at Safliya Island. Such ventures are popular, for example, for introducing and welcoming new teachers to their new life in Qatar. 

On board the dhow

Today, most dhows are motorised. So, forget romantic billowing sails.

With the unguided option, there is no signage advising you of costs, departure times, length of the trip or what you can expect to do see.

Instead, think functional and fun. (We had to swop seats to avoid the diesel fumes in the stern.)

The Arabic style seating is situated around the curved sides of the boat. The middle of the boat is free for walking – and dancing.

This we learnt with the sudden introduction of beatbox music, complete with dodgy lyrics and disco lights. Two passengers leapt to their feet to boogie. The transformation from the sound of water lapping against the boat, while enjoying the sea breeze and beautiful vistas, to the loud pop tune was somewhat surreal.

But we soon discovered dhows are popular party places.

I should mention that none of these trips include alcohol since the consumption of liquor is not tolerated in the Muslim faith.

The waters are generally calm. In fact, I have yet to see real waves in Qatar, so it’s fairly easy to move about.

This means you can change places to get those all-important photographs. 

What you will see around the Corniche

A trip along the seven-kilometre, crescent-shaped Corniche by foot or car is great. But it’s even better on a boat … There is just something special about bobbing about on the water with a full panoramic view of Doha.

It’s from the Corniche that you enjoy the mini-Manhattan skyline of downtown Doha, and many other stand-out attractions.

Leaving from the wall-side quay close to the Sheraton Hotel, you will see:

The latter, the Sheraton Hotel, only opened in 1983, but it is the oldest coastal building on the mini-Manhattan skyline. I call it Beacon Isle because of its similarities to the Plettenberg Bay landmark.

In fact, I have given many of the swanky skyscrapers new identities as I do not yet know their official names. There is the Red Pineapple, the Shard, the Blue Tornado, the Yellow Sail …

You can see why I still need to enjoy an official dhow cruise sightseeing tour!

It will also take you past the massive FIFA 2022 statue on Palm Island. You will also see the Doha new old port and the site of Hamad International Airport.

A 30-minute round trip is what you can expect, but of course, the more you pay, the longer your excursion can be.

The importance of dhows

Dhows are also to Qatar what ox wagons once were to South Africa, an ancient form of transport and part of the country’s heritage.

Back in the day, according to an article in the Khaleej Times, there were 4 500 dhows and 74 000 men in the Gulf during the peak of the pearling industry in the early 1900s.

Dhows were key to maritime transport throughout the coastal regions of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea going back to the Middle Ages.

Today, newer, sleaker ones are used for racing.

Dhow is, in fact, a Swahili word. It is a generic term for describing sailing ships that have triangular shaped sails attached to the cross beam.

The ancient craft were more manoeuvrable than the square-rigged Chinese junks and Spanish and Portuguese galleons of the 16^th century.

The Greeks refer to dhows on the East coast of Africa dating back as far as 600BC.  They were treasured for their manoeuvrability – being able to berth at harbour walls and small jetties.

Types of dhows

Traditionally, a dhow is a one or two-masted Arab sailing vessel with lateen rigging (slanting triangular sails).

But, of course, there are variations. My Dr Google research unearthed the following:

• A motorised dhow is called a lanj
• A Jaliboot or Jalibut is a small craft with a two-person crew
• A Sambuq is the largest type with one or two masts
• A Bateel or Battil is a large dhow with distinctive bow and high sternboard

They are the most authentic style of transport in a country where everything from Bentleys to bicycles are commonplace. Check out my post on transport in Qatar.

Katara International Dhow Festival

A highlight on the Qatar calendar is the Katara International Dhow Festival.

The festival usually happens in winter (November through to early December) at Katara, which is still one of our favourite places in Doha.

It’s a celebration of the country’s maritime heritage with displays, crafts, workshops and a focus on the traditional dhows over five days.