Doha to Rajahmundry Flights

  About Doha

Qatar's capital, Doha, is one of the most famous and populated cities in the Middle East. It is nestled along the coast of the Persian Gulf and has brilliant connectivity with several international cities in the world.

Best time to visit Doha

Desert nations often enjoy exquisite winters making them the peak months for tourism. Doha too enjoys the brisk winter winds as it hosts various fun events. December to January is considered the ideal months for a travel pursuit to Doha. The weather is a beautiful amalgam of warm and cold. As a desert, the winter days are pleasant while the nights are cold in Doha. It is certainly inviting as the luxurious setting of the city with expanses of scintillating brown sand would make anyone happy. So much that the hotel prices skyrocket during these months. It would be extremely difficult to find a cheap snazzy hotel in Doha during winter. Unless you make prior hotel bookings in Doha, you might not be able to find the ideal accommodation. The same goes for flights as well, so best would be to book them months in advance.

Winter might be peak season but so is fall in Doha. September through November is actually ideal weather as the city transitions from hot to cold. The experience during the fall in Doha is exquisite. What makes this very convenient is how tourism doesn't reach its peak in these months. You will be able to enjoy the pleasant weather, and at the same time, you wouldn't even have to splurge massively. Prior hotel bookings in Doha always come in handy as it would help you save more to spend in the city. Besides, the flight and hotel deals in Doha ahead of winter are aplenty. You will find many flight deals to Doha online with some room for accommodation combos too. As long as you spend enough time to find the right deal with an exquisite hotel room, your Doha trip would be a good one. Note though that many tourists start planning for a fall vacation in Doha thanks to the climate and the possibility of getting cheaper rates in Doha.

Places to visit in Doha

Doha's popularity doesn't just come with its Middle East heritage but also fancy locales and tourist attractions. To get the feel of Qatari heritage, you should start your tourist endeavours from the Museum of Islamic Art. It is an architectural delight and definitely worth the pursuit. You will be amazed by the exquisite location with its tree-covered facade. Doha Corniche is the second most important tourist attraction of Doha. The location is basically a waterfront which has a fascinating promenade forming the Doha Bay. The Corniche often sees a lot of events and festivities as being an important hub of the city of Doha. You can also make a day plan to visit Doha's artificial island, The Pearl-Qatar. It spans across four kilometres, the island is still under work as the officials wish to stretch the coastline to 32 kilometres. The National Museum of Qatar is located within the city premise and would take you through the history and cultural train of Doha and Qatar. Speaking of history, the AlKoot Fort would definitely catch your fancy as a military fortress that was built in 1927.

You can add Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in your list of places to visit in Doha. The gorgeous infrastructure has been built with modern and contemporary influences of art and creativity. The complex has been recently created and has already managed to rake in a lot of attention and the position of one of Doha's famous attractions. Aspire Park is another interesting place that you can check out. It is located in the southern district of Baaya in the city of Doha. Covering over 88 hectares of land, it is recognised as Doha's largest parks, featuring lovely fountains, green expanses and the view of the Aspire Tower.

Things to do in Doha

The city of Doha has quite a few things that you can indulge in when you visit the place. Some of the tourist attractions are aesthetically pleasing. To make your trip a little lavish, you can head to the Racing & Equestrian Club to check out and bet on horses. Since horse racing is one of the legal gambling scenes in the world, you will be able to get an idea of high-end living. You can also visit the Al Wakrah Public Garden and relish the exquisite spread of colourful flowers and green landscapes that the park boasts. It also has a waterfront, which only adds to the garden's beauty. Oxygen Park is another green spread where you can enjoy some fresh air and lovely vibe of the place. Nightclub hopping is one activity you can take up when you're in the city. Meanwhile, shopping is another fun activity that you will want to do because the city flaunts its Dior and Gucci showrooms like it flaunts the lovely waterfront.

Food and Restaurants in Doha

Doha's diversity in terms of food culture comes from its accommodation of international cuisine. The place has a plethora of international food establishments to cater to the foreign tourists that visit the city on a regular basis. However, while you do indulge in the lovely global cuisine, do not miss out the classic and Qatari food that can be found in Doha. Qatari food is recognised for its exquisite home-cooked styled stews and impeccable delicacies. Much of the Qatari food is heavily influenced by North Africa, Levant, Bedouin and flavours from the Indian subcontinent. Dishes such as Saloona, Warak enab, balaleet, majboos, to name a few, are from the authentic Qatari kitchen. They would certainly leave quite an impact on you. You can find the best of these dishes at food establishments such as Al Jasra, Walima, Al Manchab, Easair Cafe, Shisha Garden and Chai Halib.

While you're indulging in their meals, do not miss their ubiquitous savouries with luqaimat taking the cake. It is a traditional sweet dumpling that is stuffed with flavours of saffron and cardamom and is drenched in sugar syrup. Umm Ali is also a fancy dessert that you should check out when in Doha. Some of the Indian influences in their Qatari dishes include the famous rogag. It is a thin layer of batter, inspired by dosa, filled with minced meat, vegetables or egg. The dish is traditionally consumed as a breakfast item. Shay Al Shoomos in Souq Waqif serves the best rogags, you should probably write down this name in your list of culinary expeditions in Doha. Another interesting savoury by the Qatari cuisine is the kunafa, quite famous in the Middle East belt. To experience the best of Doha's culinary delights, the ideal thing to do would be to check out the Al Souq Street in the city. They are literally swamped with exquisite food joints and establishments.

How to reach Doha (Transportation)

Flight connectivity to Doha from India is excellent and very regular. The city in Qatar has a massive demand in the city with many tourists flocking over on a daily basis. Hence, the number of flights are also excessive, not to mention the connectivity and convenient duration. There are a plethora of direct flights to Doha from India. In fact, many airports have been specifically constructed in India to cater to the demand for Doha and other Middle-Eastern countries. Airlines such as IndiGo, Srilankan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, to name a few, have daily flights to Doha. Even though there are many direct nonstop flights to Doha from India, many often take the international route to Doha from Muscat or Dubai. The flight duration to Doha from India is also quite decent as it takes about three hours to reach the city. This depends on the flight and airlines that you choose. Although the time duration is perfect since it leaves a lot of time in hand to explore the city, it comes with a price.

Flight tickets to Doha range from cheap and affordable to expensive. A majority of how much you spend on booking flight tickets to Doha depends on the airlines you pick and the flight duration. For cheap and inexpensive flight tickets to Doha, you will get them in the range of INR 17,000. However, you will end up spending about nine hours travelling. By adding an extra INR 1000 to the ticket expenditure, you will not just save up on flight duration to Doha but also receive better flight services. Booking flight tickets to Doha come with a plethora of online deals. You might be able to make the most of travel discounts by booking flights and hotels in Doha. Depending on the season, the hotel prices in Doha might vary and hence, to acquire cheap and affordable deals, you should make prior bookings. Interestingly, while Doha is easy and convenient to reach from India, many opt to drive down to Doha from Bahrain as the long stretch of highways in the Middle East are perfect for petrolheads to go on a driving excursion.

  About Rajahmundry

Nestled on the banks of the Godavari River is the city of Rajahmundry, an ancient town in Andhra Pradesh. It is also called Rajamahendravaram and has a rich history, too. It was earlier ruled by the Dutch and then the British. This is also considered as the place where the language Telugu was born. The city has become a popular tourist spot in the state. The Pushkar Ghats that is located along the river Godavari is an important place and is also where the Pushkara festivals take place every 12 years in a grand manner. You must certainly add Rajahmundry to your vacation destination list, if you are planning one to Andhra Pradesh. Apart from dams and bridges, Rajahmundry is also popular for its hills, lush greenery and for being a textile hub.

Best Time to Visit Rajahmundry

Winter and monsoon are the ideal months to visit Rajahmundry. Since summer in the Southern states of India can get pretty intense and gruelling, it is advisable to not travel to the city during these months. November to March is when the city witnesses winter. The temperature drops down to 14 degree Celsius and you can indulge in a lot of activities in Rajahmundry during these months. The city does not experience very cold winters. You can book a hotel in Rajahmundry at affordable rates during this time since it is also peak season. You might even get decent flight deals to Rajahmundry.

April to June is summer in Rajahmundry and the temperature crosses 40 degree Celsius sometimes. The blistering heat will only make it difficult for you to plan any outdoor activities. May is one of the hottest months in the city and even heading to the hilly areas won't help deal with it. The evenings might get slightly better than the days but you won't feel like heading for any activities. Tourists also usually avoid travelling to Rajahmundry during the summer.

The city experiences monsoon from August to October and though it does not receive heavy rainfall, the light showers come as a relief from the scorching heat of the summer. The weather is quite pleasant during monsoon and since it is also off-season, you might get cheap flight tickets to Rajahmundry. If you book at the right time, you might even get good deals on hotel bookings for Rajahmundry.

Places to Visit in Rajahmundry

Annavaram is a popular tourist spot in Rajahmundry. It is situated on the banks of river Pampa and is popular for the Lord Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy temple that is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple sees tourists and pilgrims throughout the year. Devotees perform a specific ritual of the Satyanarayana Vratam to please Lord Vishnu, mostly before wedding functions. Maredumilli is another wildlife project in the city that also houses tribal people. Their hospitality will certainly win you over. Rajahmundry is also a pilgrim spot that has a lot of temples like the Draksharama, Maredumilli, Annavaram, Dwaraka Tirumala and ISKCON temple. You can visit the temples to embrace your spirituality. Papi Hills or the Papikondalu mountain range that runs along the river Godavari is a tourist spot that you must not miss. The scenic view from the hilltop is breathtakingly beautiful.

Dowleswaram barrage, built across the Godavari river is another popular tourist attraction in the city. The view from this spot is simply stunning. On the eastern bank of river Godavari, you'll find the Draksharamam temple, one of the five powerful temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is about 40 km away from Rajahmundry and was built in the 11th century. The Godavari bridge is the second largest road and rail bridge in the country. It is also a very popular tourist destination in the city. In the forests of the Papi Hills, you'll find a picturesque landscape called Pattiseema. The village is absolutely beautiful and the perfect place to seek solitude. You will find a lot of peace in this village. The Goutami Ghat near the ISKCON temple is another place you must spend some time in Rajahmundry. You can even book a hotel in Rajahmundry that is near the ghat. The Dwaraka Tirumala and ISKCON temples are some of the most visited temples in the city.

Things to do in Rajahmundry

Whether you want to soak in the best of nature or go on a historical tour or visit temples, Rajahmundry has everything in store for you. There are quite a few places along the banks of the Godavari river that are perfect for taking stunning pictures. Head to the Dowleswaram Barrage or the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage to catch the magnificent sunset. You will definitely love taking pictures at this spot. Try camping or stargazing at Papikondalu. You will also find a lot of other activities to take up here and the night stay will surely rejuvenate you giving you a lot of memories to take back home from the trip. Get a taste of wonderful tribal hospitality at the Maredumilli. The place promotes ecotourism and is popular for its greenery, pepper and coffee plantations here.

If you are planning to visit Maredumilli, do stop by at Bhupathipalem Reservoir. It is about an hour and a half away from Rajahmundry and is surrounded by forests. You can either go boating or take stunning pictures of the trees and scenery nearby. If you are travelling with a large group, make sure you also go to Water Village by River Bay. The amusement park has rain dance, slides, pools and a lot of activities that will make your day even better. In fact, you can also stay at the riverside cottages that they offer to a lot of tourists. The Godavari Arch Bridge is one of the major highlights in Rajahmundry. The sunset here looks absolutely spectacular. If you love looking at vintage coins, handicrafts, local art forms and so on, make sure that you visit the Rallabandi SubbaRao Archaeological Museum. It's like paradise for history and archaeology geeks. Attending the aarti at Pushkar ghat is a spiritual experience you cannot miss. Rajahmundry will definitely be a vacation to remember. Make sure you plan your travel at the right season and add some of the best places to itinerary for a unique experience. The wildlife and nature experiences will leave you awestruck and you will even return from the holiday with lots of memories.

Food and Restaurants in Rajahmundry

Rose Milk is one of the top-rated dessert places in Rajahmundry and you must definitely try it out. The outlet is pretty small but it has a lot of customers crowding in, waiting for their turn patiently to get their hands on the rose milk. You will find pretty great reviews of this place and it is also recommended by the locals. The service is also pretty good and you won't be disappointed with it. Citrus Restaurant is another place that will fit your bill if you are looking for a fine dining experience. The South Indian cuisine here is mouthwatering and the service is also pretty good. The restaurant also offers a wonderful ambience. Head over to Sitara Coffee House for a refreshing cup of caffeine. Aharam Restaurant is another restaurant that is inside the Anand Regency Hotel that is quite famous. It is a highly recommended place for tourists. Dolphinn's Restaurant and JK Restaurant are also recommended by locals if you want to enjoy a scrumptious meal. Do head to Anand Sweets later for desserts. This place is like paradise for everyone who has a sweet tooth.

How to Reach Rajahmundry (Transportation)

By Air

The Rajahmundry Airport is about 18 km away from the city centre and the flight connectivity from Rajahmundry is quite limited. The airport is connected to cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai. Connecting flights from Hyderabad and Bangalore are the most popular routes to Rajahmundry. Getting a taxi or a bus from outside the airport to reach the city centre is not very difficult. You will easily get a taxi from the airport to reach the city or wherever it is that you want to go. In fact, you can even take a taxi or a bus from Hyderabad airport to reach Rajahmundry. If you book your flight tickets to Rajahmundry well in advance, you might get cheap flight tickets to Rajahmundry.

By Rail

All trains between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam stop at Rajahmundry and since it lies on the Howrah-Chennai main coastal rail, a lot of trains stop here. You will get taxis quite easily from the railway station and in fact, travelling by train is also one of the most economical options to reach Rajahmundry. You will also enjoy the view outside during your train journey.

By Road

Rajahmundry is well-connected to the nearby cities by bus and other private transport. A lot of buses leave from and reach the city regularly. While it is a cheaper option to travel, it might not prove to be the most comfortable option. You can also take a private taxi or drive to Rajahmundry from the nearby cities.

  About Hamad Airport

Hamad International Airport is the only international airport that caters to the state of Qatar and is situated in its capital city, Doha. The airport has replaced the former international airport, Doha International Airport, to be the principal airport that serves the city of Doha and the country Qatar. Earlier, the airport was referred to as the New Doha International Airport, the airport was renamed as Hamad International Airport. It was supposed to open for business and flight operations in 2009. However, due to some cost delays and a series of conundrums, the airport finally reopened in 2014 with a grand ceremony of Qatar Airways' flight landing from nearby Doha International. Following the same, several of Qatar Airways' aircraft and other flights functioning from the old airport were shifted to the new airport, a month after Hamad International Airport opened. The airport has been named after Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar. Since its genesis, the airport has been raking tremendous praise and accolades for being one of the best airports of the Middle East. In fact, it was voted as the Best Airport (in the category of 30-40 million passenger accommodation in a year) and Best Airport Staff in the Middle East in 2020.

Talks about constructing an all-new international airport in Doha started in 2003 with constructions commencing in 2005. Hamad International Airport is located about 5 km the east of older Doha International Airport. The airport is spread across an area of 5,500 acres of land. Initially, the airport was set to only cater to airlines that do not have lounge access to be utilised. The airport was designed to balance out the increase in passenger volume and air traffic witnessed by the city. Initially, the annual capacity of passengers as proposed was 29 million. However, upon completion of the new airport, the capacity also extended to 50 million passengers in a year. Some estimates suggest that the airport has the capacity of accommodating over 93 million passengers in a year, as opposed to the 50 million stated. With this fact, Hamad International Airport becomes the second largest in the region, following Dubai International Airport. The new airport is also set to handle over 320,000 aircraft movement along with 2 million tonnes of cargo in a year.

About Hamad International Airport Terminal

Hamad International Airport only has one terminal but is spread out in about five concourses that have been named alphabetically. These concourses have been designed by the American design, architecture, engineering and urban planning firm, HOK. Meanwhile, the contract to develop the airport was awarded to Bechtel. Here are details of the concourses at the Hamad International Airport.

Concourse A - The concourse has the ten passenger gates that are connected to jet bridges. It is located west of the check-in section of the main terminal. The two gates have been designed specifically to accommodate Airbus A380.

Concourse B - This concourse accommodates ten passenger gates which are connected to jet bridges, located at the east of the main check-in area. Out of the ten gates, two have been reserved to accommodate Airbus A380. Ten airlines operations form the old Doha International Airport has been shifted to Concourse B. Further, some facilities include smoking rooms, duty-free stores and family lounge areas.

Concourse C - The concourse consists of 13 gates which are connected to jet bridges and yet again, two of them are reserved for Airbus A380. The concourse was opened in 2014.

Concourse D - The concourse is divided into two levels, gates 1 - 4's operations being conducted on the first level while gates 18 - 24 have their operations on the ground level. This concourse is fully functional.

Concourse E - The concourse is fully functional and has a similar layout as Concourse D. It has been stated that Concourses D and E are due to be extended with talks of an additional Concourse F that is set to be installed. However, the plans haven't been finalised yet.

The terminal also has facilities of First Class and Business Class lounges installed. One of the biggest highlights of Hamad International Airport's terminal interiors is the prominent gigantic bronze statue of a teddy bear with its head inserted in a lamp. Often referred to as Lamp Bear, the sculpture is the creation of Swiss artist Urs Fischer. It has been put for display at the grand foyer and is surrounded by the airport's duty-free shopping hall. The Lamp Bear statue initially belonged to the Seagrams Building plaza in New York City. However, it was later purchased by a member of the Qatari royal family at an auction for a whopping USD 6.8 million. The structure weighs about 18-20 tonnes and is seven meters tall.

About airport authority

Hamad International Airport is owned and operated by Qatar Airways. The airline is responsible for bringing forth a whole new airport and replacing the old Doha International Airport. The airport authority has been striving to make Hamad International Airport as one of the best in the world by offering world-class amenities and aircraft perks. They aim to create new records and break many more with constant expansion plans. Qatar Airways has also initiated Hamad International Airport to be the first in the world to design structures specifically to accommodate Airbus A380.

The airport authority plans to expand the airport to accommodate the footfall of passengers who will be visiting the city to watch the FIFA 2022 World Cup. It has been speculated that the airport will need to accommodate a massive passenger capacity as the world cup would bring more passengers and travellers from around the world to Doha. Further, as part of their expansion plans, the airport authority also aims to beautify the central building by adding a tropical garden and a 268-meter tall water feature. They plan to emulate the water feature that is found at Singapore Changi Airport's Jewel complex. Qatar Airways also has proposals to expand its lounge space and make it the world's largest airport lounge.

Facilities at the Hamad International Airport

Hamad International Airport has a slew of exquisite and world-class services and facilities that make it one of the best airports in the Middle East. With various facilities such as baggage wrapping, porter services, first-class and business class lounge experience, airline-specific lounge, spas, airport hotels and more, travelling to Hamad International Airport is an experience.

Top airlines flying from the Hamad International Airport

Hamad International Airport caters to a massive number of international destinations by accommodating a slew of airlines. Apart from reserving space for the national carrier, Qatar Airways, some of the airlines that operate from Hamad International Airport include Air India, Air India Express, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, GoAir, Himalayan Airlines, IndiGo, Iran Air, Kuwait Airways, Nepal Airlines, Oman Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Royal Jordanian, SalamAir, SriLankan Airlines, Syrian Air, Turkish Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines. These airlines operating from Hamad International Airport has flights to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kannur, Mangalore, Dhaka, London, Addis Ababa, Bangalore, Kuwait City, Kathmandu, Muscat, Islamabad, Manila, Paris, Venice, Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney, Zurich, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Colombo and more.

How to reach the Hamad International Airport

Hamad International Airport is blessed with a slew of connections to the main city of Doha. Travellers can take public bus services, personal taxi cabs, metro and hire car rentals and chauffer-driven limousines.

By Bus

The bus services in Doha have excellent connections to the airport. The buses are operated by Mowasalat, which is the state's transport company. Some of the routes covered by the bus services also include a route to the airport. You can catch a bus to reach Hamad International Airport at affordable rates and the comfort of an air-conditioned bus. The vehicles are clean and maintained perfectly. Not to mention details of the bus with schedules have been shared on the airport's official website.

By Metro

Hamad International Airport has a direct Metro connection. The airport has fast and frequent Metro services that are available on all seven days of a week. You can reach Hamad International Airport from any of the tourist attractions in the city of Doha. You can also use the Metro line and plan a travel itinerary to check out some of the exquisite tourist attractions of Doha. Live updates of the Metro train as well as their schedules are flashed on the station's monitors.

By Taxicab and car rentals

From booking a car rental to hailing a taxi cab, there are many such transport options that you can avail at the airport. You can even opt for airport shuttle service at the hotel you are staying in (provided they have this facility) to reach Hamad International Airport. Further, to upscale your trip, you can book a chauffer-driven limousine service also. The airport has travel booths where you can figure out the ideal transport facility for your budget.