I love Souq Waqif. I enjoy it because it encapsulates so much of what I imagined of the Middle East – the rich and colourful sights of people going about their lives, the exotic smells and a cacophony of sounds that are foreign to this South African.

Souq Waqif is a centrally situated traditional market in old downtown Doha (the Mshereib area) and is as popular with Qatari locals as it is with foreigners and visitors. It’s a melting pot of Arabic cultures, which is why this souq is also an ideal place to watch, eat and engage to get a better understanding of the county and its people.

I have been to the souq four times to date, and yet still have so much more to discover (like the gold souq and area for falcons, Arabian horses and camels).

In short, it’s a vibrant, safe destination that is both a feast for the eyes and the tummy!

So, for what it’s worth, as a newbie South African, these visuals and titbits of information are a simple starter or entrée or, as they say here in the Middle East, just a meze or taste of what you can expect.

Back in time

The souq is the only traditional market left in Doha, and even this one is a replica of the original. It was here that Bedouin tribes would meet on the banks of Wadi * Mshereib to trade in goats and other animals among these mud-daubed structures for centuries. But as this traditional way of life changed so the then buildings fell into disrepair.

*A ravine or valley that is dry except in the rainy season.

In 2006, a replica of the labyrinth of shops, interspersed with open areas was reopened. The word waqif, meaning “standing”, is now something of a misnomer, because the days of only having enough time to stand and trade are over. Today, the market is as much about chilling and eating, as it is about trading or haggling in the shops.

Shopping

Whether it’s a simple souvenir or a living, screeching peacock, there’s a good chance you will find it at Souq Waqif. There are wonderful spices and other food stuffs like nuts and dates, Arabic lamps, perfumes, authentic traditional clothing, along with tailors ready to measure you up for your thobe (the white Qatari gown), carpets and all the usual souvenir stalls.

But let the following photographs share the visual story.

Haggling

Bargaining for a better price for your goods is all part of the market experience. In my experience, however, the shopkeepers at Souq Waqif are less intrusive and in-your-face than in other markets elsewhere in the Middle East. This is a bonus. It means you can look at leisure before being jostled into a “best price” transaction.

Eating

There are wonderful Arabic restaurants and a couple of European eating places throughout the main walking area of the souq, offering you tremendous variety. You can literally eat your way through the Middle East without leaving Doha, and much of that sampling is available within the souq. Most of the restaurants have outside seating and so you can watch life pass you by. This is especially pleasant during the warm balmy evenings from March through to May. These restaurants are more reasonably priced too. We paid QAR88 (R352) for two lovely lamb dishes, Arabic bread and cooldrinks. Yes, cooldrinks, since this is a Muslim country and alcohol is generally not permitted.

Safe

As already shared, Qatar is a safe place with Doha being named the second safest city in the world. And so, it is at Souq Waqif too. The best time to visit is probably in the evening when the souq comes alive with a vibrancy that you are unlikely to experience elsewhere in this fast-developing city. I feel completely comfortable wandering up and down the narrow alleyways with their small shops and merchants. They also have mounted police meandering through the cobbled streets on horseback.

As a South African, it’s hard to describe how this actually feels, aside from liberating. I still marvel when people leave their handbags, phones and the like unattended. I hope I will be able to do this too soon.   

Smells and sounds

Roasted lamb, the sweet-smelling shisha pipes, perfumes and spices are just some of the smells that please your nose at the souq. There are other less pleasant smells too, as at the pet section of the souq, but generally the aromas of the market trigger positive reactions. A waft beef or chicken being grilled for a shawarma or kebab, for example, immediately transports me home to a braai on the stoep. Smells can do that to you, can’t they?

It’s the same with the sounds too. It’s a joyous cacophony at the souq, dependent on where you are, but generally it’s the happy chatter and laughter of passersby conversing in different languages or the animated greetings between Arabic friends; the Middle Eastern music; children’s laughter (families stroll through the souq till late into the evening) and implored cries of the merchants seeking another sale.

There’s bird song too from the pet section; the cry of the muezzin calling Muslims to prayer and then the backing sound-track of traffic with the perpetual hooting …     

Getting there

Souq Waqif is one of the most visited destinations in Doha so it is well-signposted and easily accessible via bus, car or the Metro. There is a large underground parking area. We’ve used the Metro and Uber. In terms of the Metro or underground, you can reach the souq via the red or gold lines (it is only QR2 a trip – that’s R8). We use the red line (a three-minute ride) and walk through the transformed, modern Msheireb area with its smart tram and array of museums, offices and coffee shops. Uber is reasonable but there are often traffic jams.

Best time to visit

The souq only really comes to life in the early evening. We once got there at 4pm and few places were open. Eating out in the evening with the temperature between 22C and 30C is a real a pleasure.

The temperature is going to be pleasant when the FIFA2022 World Cup is on from 21 November to 21 December, which means the souq is going to be a magnet for all visitors.

There’s another more laidback souq on the coast, Al Wakra souq …