Doha is the capital city of Qatar. It is located on the east side of the country. Doha is situated on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Over 80% of the country's population comes from Doha. Doha was founded back in 1820. In 1971, Doha officially became Qatar's capital city. This was after Qatar gained independence from the British. Majority of people living here are Muslims. There are also a significant amount of Christians living here. Among the churches available are St. Isaac and St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Qatar.

Best time to fly from General Santos to Doha

The best time to fly to Doha is from December to March. This is because the weather is not that hot during the day. At this point, the temperature is around 25°C during the day. At night, the temperature can be between 10-15°C. Summer is from April to November. During the Summer, the temperature can reach up to 42°C. You will receive a free visa on arrival at the airport. The visa is in the form of a barcode that will be stuck into your passport. You will not have to fill in an arrival card. Nevertheless, the immigration officer will ask you on which hotel are you staying.

Main airports available in General Santos and Doha

General Santos International Airport – This is the largest airport on the island of Mindanao. It was built back in 1993, funded by the United States Government. The whole cost was USD 48 million. The airport is 14 kilometres away from the city. The airport is named after its location in the adjacent municipality of Sibulan. The airport is classified as a Class 1 principal (major domestic) airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the body of the Department of Transportation and Communications that is responsible for the operations of not only this airport but also of all other airports in the Philippines except the major international airports.

Hammad International Airport - This is the only international airport available in Qatar. Terminal 1 has six concourses. Concourse A has ten passenger gates where it is connected to jet bridges. You will find it in the west of the check-in area. Out of the ten gates, two of them are made to accommodate the Airbus A380. On the east side, you will find Concourse B. Among the facilities available in Concourse B are smoking rooms, family areas, coffee shop and an express duty-free shops. Concourse C has 13 passenger gates. Among the airlines available are Iran Air, Air India, Philippines Airlines and Qatar Airways.

Climate pattern in General Santos and Doha

Doha has a hot desert climate. The winter is mild and the summer is very hot and sunny. The cooler season is from December to February. The hotter season is from April to October. The average temperature in January is 19°C. The average temperature in July is 37°C. There is no rainfall in summer. Rain occurs once in a while between March to May. During winter, the temperature can drop as low as 14°C. During the summer, the temperature can reach as high as 42°C. Bring lightweight clothes if you are travelling to Doha during summer.

Highlights attractions in Doha

Doha has a lot of interesting places to visit. Here are some suggestions.

• Katara Cultural Village - It is located between West Bay and The Pearl. There are so many events being held here. Among them are the TEDx Doha, the Doha Tribeca Film Festival and the Ajyal Youth Film Festival. Appreciate the architecture of the building. It is open 24 hours a day.
• Villaggio Mall - This is the most famous shopping mall in Doha. It is the biggest too. Take the chance to take the unique Gondola Ride. Skate all you want at Gondolania Ice Rink. This ice arena is of Olympic size ice rink. Roller coasters and kiddie rides are available too. The opening hours are between 9 AM until 11 PM. On Thursdays and Fridays, it will be until midnight.
• Desert Trips - This is a must-do while in Doha. Get into the SUVs and experience the thrill of some dangerous car stunts. Take a lot of pictures, try out sandboarding and watch the sunset here.