Originally Posted by
KeepDiscovering
As someone living in Doha for years, I feel sad that people think Souq Waqif as "a local Doha experience". It's just a partial reproduction of a souq, now occupied by many souless cafes and restaurants that attract tourists and expat who hang out at night.
The nightbourhoods near to the airport can show you really how local people live their daily lives, if you are really serious on exploring it.
Well, I live in Doha, too, and I know that the vast majority of people who hang out at Souq Waqif are locals (let's face it, there are not an appreciable number of tourists in Qatar anyway). Do you think that it's tourists buying textiles, other apparel items, cheap manufactured goods from China, housewares, spices, etc. from the souq? And 80% of people who live in Doha are expatriates, so, yes, I count them as locals, too. That's what's nice about the souq -- the restaurants are touristy (and not very good), but besides that it is a local place that reflects modern Qatar.
I agree about Musheireb especially as the old-fashioned local place, and I enjoy walking around there, too. But for a tourist (especially one who has experience in the region), it's not too exciting. The souq is a good balance -- a legitimately local scene that is also interesting for visitors.