Relatively unplotted on the typical tourist map, the recent spotlight placed upon Qatar by their FIFA World Cup hosting duties has drawn eyes to the country’s modern attractions and ancient traditions. Its labyrinthine souks fumed with the fragrance of fresh spices and pastel lined lanes leading to the Old Port juxtapose the glass walled giants that soar along the skyscraper skylines, yet many travellers arrive only expecting to see the sterile malls of neighbouring Arab states or a wasteland scene plucked from an outdated Hollywood flick.

I arrived, basing myself in the capital, expecting to find my idea of Doha — a young city, a city still searching for a distinctive character. I didn’t expect to be taken back to the Turkish architecture of Istanbul until I walked under the Abbasid arches of the Blue Mosque of Katara. I didn’t expect to connect to the history of this small strip of once sanded-over land until I walked through the smoothly curved galleries of the Qatar National Museum. I certainly didn’t expect to be reminded of the European mimicries of Las Vegas, or even the original canals that carve through Venice, until I passed by gondoliers in Bretagne strips and straw hats in the Villaggio Mall. Quickly, I abandoned expectations altogether.

One of the first questions I always receive as a solo female traveller prone to long stints in Arabian climes is always “but don’t you have to cover up? Wear a hijab? A chador? Even a niqab?”. It’s extremely rare that that’s ever really needed, especially in the modern cities of the gulf. Long accustomed to donning loose dresses and lightweight veils, I expected the dress code for women to mimic that of Qatar’s southern neighbours in the United Arab Emirates.

Naturally, my modest garb covered my shoulders, elbows, knees, and it helped me to blend to a rather less stylish degree in with the women walking the airy Doha streets. Yet, unlike the luxury lined promenades of Dubai or Abu Dhabi, the fashion here isn’t catered solely to the tourist taste. There were no bikini-clad beachgoers and the sweltering temperatures don’t tempt travellers into donning tank tops in Qatar, and simple, light, modest wares let me blend into the Doha crowds.

Fashion isn’t the only custom that comes to peoples minds when they think about the Gulf. Any traveller familiar with the Islamic world won’t be taken aback by the way that the genders interact in day-to-day life in Qatar, but those who haven’t yet had the pleasure of travelling the Muslim world may be anticipating some of the particularities taken for granted here. Before arriving, I knew I shouldn’t expect to stay in the homes of male friends. That I should expect to interact with women more than men, that the men I did interact with in formal settings wouldn’t approach me to shake my hand and would show a respectful amount of distance in public spaces. However, interactions between men and women that are conducted with respect are perfectly normal in Qatar and are not seen as an issue.

The fact that it’s a predominantly male nation may make many of my fellow female travellers nervous of visiting, but safety and security almost never crosses my mind when exploring the region in general. Respect is paramount, and is expected to be reciprocated from male and female travellers. Follow the lead of the locals and you’re unlikely to stray into any etiquette errors on your Qatar trip.

Another element of Qatari culture that remains relatively occluded to the outside world is their culinary scene. The ultra-high-end spots with the swanky seating and Michelin nods catch headlines, but I’ve never been one for the finest things. I prefer to waft around the souk, spying the ingredients I’ve come to know from my routes through the Levant, Africa’s Mediterranean coast, and even the Indian spice trails. When I sat to order steaming cups of thick, rich coffee in the midst of fruity shisha smokers I found more than the sticky sweet treats I had come to expect.

Qatar has its own unique dishes on offer, many of them based around the fish plucked fresh from the surrounding bay. I gained a taste for the tangy tomato base of saloona stew and the saffron tinted sugar caramelised on sago halawa. The complex spices of machboos, Qatar’s national dish, are less surprising to travellers who have spent any time diving into aromatic bowls of chicken biryani.

Another point that will come as no shock to frequent flyers to the Near East, though may be an adjustment for Brits abroad, is the limited access to areas where alcohol is available. Unlike some Muslim nations, alcohol is not illegal in Qatar, but public drinking and flagrant intoxication are both considered serious offences. If you want to steer clear of any trouble or major fines, it's wise to stick to drinking in specially mandated spots. International hotels typically come with licensed bars and there are even nightclubs pulsed by late night beats in Doha. For me, alcohol rarely came to front of mind when mingling with the local crowds. It’s not common to drink in Qatar, but it’s easy to soak in the city nights with a fragrant cup of tea and a spiral glassed shisha pipe smoked streetside for prime people watching opportunities.

The best way to travel to Qatar is to travel with an open mind, rid of preconceptions. Explore the history, art, cuisine, and culture of a fascinating slice of the Gulf without having to concern yourself with the myths that shroud the region.