WATCH: QL Random - 10 top attractions you can't miss in Qatar

We've rounded up the best places to visit in Qatar, whether it's as a newcomer or a long-time resident!

10. Doha's Corniche

Easily one of the most popular locations among walkers, bikers and joggers, the Doha Corniche is a waterfront promenade that reshaped Doha's coastline in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

While it is a popular place for exercising in the morning, it attracts a diverse crowd who are looking for spectacular views of the city's skyline.

During the day, you can admire the incredible colours of Doha's bay; in the evening, you can enjoy an amazing view of a beautiful sunset; and at night, you will be able to see the magnificent colours of the city's lights reflected off the calm water.

9. Villagio Mall, Doha Festival City, Mall of Qatar and more

Villagio, Mall of Qatar and Doha Festival City are just a few of the malls Qatar is known for. Gulf Mall, City Center, Ezdan Mall, The Mall, 01 Mall and Landmark are all names worth noting down. Good shopping ahead, folks!

8. Aspire Park plus The Torch Doha hotel

 Aspire park is one of the largest parks in the Gulf region and is one of Qatar's finest landscapes. It stands as a grand contrast to the typical desert landscapes you'll be used to seeing in Qatar.

It attracts a big crowd daily, especially during the weekends. You'll often see families walking around or having picnics in the lush green environment of the park.

Another attraction the park has to offer is the Torch Tower, or also known as the Aspire Tower. It is an astonishing 300m high building which served as a giant torch for the 15th Asian Games and is now a beautiful hotel. A visit inside is definitely worth it.

7. State Grand Mosque, Doha 

 The state Mosque Qatar is one of the largest mosques in Qatar and has been renamed after the great Muslim theologian, reformer and pioneer of the 18th century “Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab”. Ibn Abdul Wahab (1703-1792) propagated for removing negatives and undesirable innovations in Islam. He admonished Muslims to follow only the original values of Islam as typified by the Salaf and to discard exploitations introduced by bidah (heretic innovations) in his teachings.

The state mosque is located in the Jubailat district of Doha just south of the Corniche, High on a hill overlooking the Qatar Sports Club in Doha's West Bay. Constructed in the first half of 20th century, the mosque features an imposing building with many domes and was built with a fascinating mix of both traditional Arabic and modern architecture which includes sparkling half-moons, a minaret and large open outdoor spaces.

The grand mosque has a very fresh feel with crispy lines besides it preserves some of the traditional Islamic architectural elements and with its distinguishing doomed roof it will be a stunning example of architectural magnificence and landmark construction in Doha.

Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of Qatar Mosque Boualaqbib constructed the state grand mosque in memory of his father. When he heard the death of his father on his return from his military campaign in Zubara in 1878, he decided to build a grand mosque in Doha.

The beautiful, prolific mosque also tells the Doha story with the sandstone facades, the lowly building height and ninety smaller domes impersonate the building constraints present when Qatar was in its early years. The refurbishment work started in December 16, 2006 at a cost of 420 million riyals.

The total area of the mosque is approximately 175,000 sq.m. In the air-conditioned central hall of the mosque, more than 10,000 men can offer prayers and the nearby spacious space overlooking the Men's Area is enough to accommodate 1300 women.

The mosque has three main doors and as many as 17 side entrances. As many as 65 domes cover the outer quadrangle and 28 large domes cover the central hall. Generally, the mosque can house worshippers of as many as 30,000 at a time including the outdoor area.

6. The Al Thahkira Mangroves 

 Far away from all the hustle and bustle of city life, Qatar is home to the Avicennia Marina, also known as the grey mangrove or white mangrove tree, communities of which form several forests around Qatar's shores. These mangrove swamps are home to a wealth of life, including a new species of sea slug that was found in 2007 by a member of the Qatar Natural History Group.

The largest area of mangroves - and the oldest - can be found around Al Thakira and Al Khor.

How to get there

Al Thakira Mangrove is located in the Al Thakira area, accessed by following Al Khor- Al Thakira Road until the last roundabout, then turning left (to the supermarket area) and left again to follow a road leading to the off road track. A few hundred meters later, you will arrive at the mangrove area. The off road track is smooth enough for sedans to make it through to the mangroves waterfront.

5. Katara Cultural Village

 Katara, located on the eastern coast between West Bay and the Pearl, is a cultural village in Doha, Qatar. Its architecture, amphitheater, and family beach draw expats and localsThe buildings and facilities at Katara were purposely arranged randomly to look and feel like a traditional Qatari Al Fereej. Katara is known for hosting huge events such as Doha Tribeca Film Festival, Ajyal Youth, and TEDxDoha.

4. MIA (park and museum)

 Designed by world-renowned architect, I.M. Pei (architect of Louvre pyramid), the Museum of Islamic Art is one monument of a museum. It has the largest collection of Islamic art in the world, collected from three continents over the span of 1400 years. Set in the MIA Park of the Doha waterfront, it stands out as an architectural gem. The interior is no less spectacular as geometric patterns of the Islamic world adorns the whole interior of the museum. This place is a must-visit for any tourist who would like to make their experience in Doha complete.

3. Sealine and the Inland Sea

 One of the top places to visit while you're in Qatar is naturally the desert. There are plenty of desert-based activities you can do while in Doha, and one of those can be found at the Sealine Beach Resort.

The Sealine Beach Resort is an oasis of tranquility located amidst the dunes of the Arabian desert kissed by the blue waters of the Arabian sea.

While you're there, you can rent a dune buggy on the beach near the resort as well as going for dune bashing, which remains a popular sport with both Qataris and expatriates.

2. Souq Waqif

 The Souq Waqif is located just a few minutes away from the Corniche. Well known as the social heart of Doha, Souq Waqif is a great place to shop, explore, have a meal or simply idle time away in one of the attractive local cafes.

The place is normally crowded with tourists walking around the alleys to admire the architectural buildings and the many cultural shops offering everything from embroideries, spices, perfumes and oud (an exotic incense made from agarwood).

It's also a great place to shop for unique souvenirs for the folks back at home.

1. The Pearl

 The Pearl is an artificial, man-made island located offshore of Doha's West Bay Lagoon area. It's known as the first land in Qatar to be available for freehold ownership by foreign nationals.

The name comes from the location in which the island was built on, which was one of Qatar's previous major pearl diving sites. Many would come here to shop in the many high-end retail shops in the area, or simply to walk along the beautiful boardwalk overlooking the marina filled with many international cafes and restaurants.

Image credits:

Cover image - Aditya Sridhar; inline image 1 - The Peninsula, 2 - constructionweek.com, 3 - kuriositas.com, 4 - Aspire Zone, 5 - Jeff epp/Flickr, 6 - goexplore.city, 7 - Qatarliving, 8 - qatar.thoughtlog.in, 9 - justhere.qa, 10 - JK/Qatar Living.