Quiet days, extraordinary nights — a practical guide to Ramadan for non-Muslim visitors.
Ramadan changes the rhythm of Qatar rather than closing it. Days are quiet and slow; nights are the liveliest of the year, with iftar tents, late souq hours and the desert camps at their most atmospheric. If you know the rules, it is a wonderful time to visit.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Daytime | No eating/drinking in public |
| Restaurants | Hotels serve discreetly |
| Tours | Run, later pickups |
| Best hours | After iftar |
| 2027 | ~8 Feb – 9 Mar |
What changes
- No eating, drinking or smoking in public between dawn and sunset — this includes water in the street and chewing gum.
- Most restaurants close in the day; hotels serve non-fasting guests discreetly. Malls open but food courts are curtained.
- Shops and museums open later and stay open late — the souq runs until 1 or 2 am.
- Alcohol service in hotels is suspended or limited after sunset only, depending on the venue.
- Dress a little more conservatively than usual; music in public is toned down.
What doesn't
- Tours run — desert safaris shift to a 3.30 pm pickup so sunset and iftar happen at the camp.
- Museums and Katara are open, usually with later hours.
- Hotels, pools and beaches are normal.
- Transport is unchanged; traffic peaks just before sunset as everyone heads to iftar — avoid the roads 5–6.30 pm.
The things to do
- 1 Iftar at a hotel tent — buffets of dates, soups, grills and sweets from about QAR 150; book ahead.
- 2 Suhoor at Souq Waqif at midnight — the whole city is out.
- 3 Sunset dhow cruise timed to the cannon and the call to prayer.
- 4 Desert safari with iftar at the camp.
- 5 Katara's Ramadan festival: lanterns, calligraphy, night markets.
- 6 Garangao on the 14th night — children in traditional dress collecting sweets; join in at the souq.
Etiquette
Say 'Ramadan Kareem'. Don't offer food or water to locals in the day. Be patient with slower service before iftar — staff have been fasting for 14 hours. Eid al-Fitr, the three-day holiday after Ramadan, is a wonderful time: hotels and tours are busy, so book early.
A Ramadan day, timed
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| 9:00 | Breakfast in the hotel room or the hotel's screened restaurant |
| 10:00 | Museums (MIA, National Museum) — quiet and cool |
| 13:00 | Pool or a rest; the city is sleepy |
| 15:30 | Desert safari pickup, or the dhow's pre-iftar sailing |
| 17:45 | Iftar — at the camp, on the boat or at a hotel tent |
| 20:00 | Taraweeh prayers fill the mosques; the souq starts to hum |
| 21:00–01:00 | Souq Waqif, Katara, Lusail — the best hours of the year |
Iftar tents worth booking
- The Sheraton's tent on the Corniche — the classic, from about QAR 220.
- Souq Waqif's Al Jasra hotel terrace — atmospheric and cheaper.
- Katara's Ramadan majlis with live oud.
- Our desert camp iftar — dates, laban, soup and a barbecue as the sun sets over the Inland Sea.
Eid al-Fitr
The three days after Ramadan are a national holiday: families visit, malls stay open until 2 am, Katara and the Corniche host fireworks and shows, and restaurants are packed. Tours run normally and demand is high — book a week ahead. Say 'Eid Mubarak'.
BookableRamadan desert safari with iftar at the campLater pickup, sunset over the Inland Sea and iftar under the stars — shared or private.Book a Ramadan safariFAQs
In private — hotel rooms, and hotel restaurants that stay open behind screens for non-fasting guests. Eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight is against the law and can lead to a fine.
