IMAGES: QATAR TOURISM
STUDY IN QATAR
PART 2: SPORT & ADVENTURE
Many of the country’s finest facilities can be found in Aspire Zone, the sprawling sporting complex in Doha’s Baaya district. Also known as Doha Sport City, it strives to encourage fitness, nurture talent and foster future champions while its venues play host to international events in sports such as tennis and football, with the country hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Qatar’s well-served universities also offer
high-end sports facilities, with added offerings in the open air, from watersports to gentle strolls or jogs along Doha’s Corniche, with paragliding, skydiving and sandboarding among the more adventurous options. Here’s a look at what’s on offer to those who like to stay active.
Kayaking in Al Thakira Mangroves
BELOW: Golf at Education City Golf Course
Kayaking in Al Thakira Mangroves Located on Qatar’s northeastern coast, near Al Khor, the mangrove forests around Purple Island are one of the country’s most fascinating, surprising and enjoyable ecosystems. A walkway guides visitors through the mangroves to the island, but by far the most enjoyable way to experience their raw natural majesty is on a guided kayaking trip. Navigating the waterways and inlets at high tide enables visitors to get up close among the mangroves’ salt-encrusted pencil roots as they pierce the calm, brackish waters, with ample opportunity to learn about the ecology from the learned guides. While doing so, keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, from fish and crabs to migratory birds such as flamingos. Don’t expect to find local facilities, so pack a picnic to enjoy later on Al Thakhira, one of Qatar’s finest beaches.
Football Football is Qatar’s de facto national sport, with an organised league system overseen by the Qatar Football Association and local teams at all levels found across the country. The massive interest in international teams extends to the ruler of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who owns French team Paris Saint-Germain. Visitors can expect interest in the national team, who play their home games at Khalifa International Stadium and Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, to reach fever pitch ahead of the country’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, following a massive investment in new, state-of-the-art stadiums.
28 Study in Qatar | 2022
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
