Nur-Sultan (Astana)

Dates Visited: April 16 – 19, 2022

    Introduction

    Nur-Sultan, née Astana, is one of those cities that leaves you wondering “Where are all of the people?” as you’re walking around. There’s grand institutions, flashy skyscrapers, giant sculptures, big monuments but after the dust settles – there’s really very little signs of Kazakh culture or soul in the city. Giant avenues with perfectly manicured roads coupled with flashy futuristic architecture criss-cross the city with vehicular traffic flowing in an almost utopian sense with little to no pedestrians or signs of cosmopolitan life on the streets. Can this really be the capital city of Kazakhstan?

    A bit of history – Almaty used to be the capital city of Kazakhstan (or the Kazakh SSR back in the Soviet days) before Astana became the capital in 1997. In 2019, the city was renamed to Nur-Sultan in honor of the first president of Kazakhstan. Officially on paperwork, the city is called Nur-Sultan. However, on the streets locals will still refer to it as “Astana” – much easier to remember the two cities as “Astana” and “Almaty” in Kazakhstan.

    Arriving

    Nur-Sultan International Airport (NQZ)

    Nur-Sultan’s airport mainly serves domestic connections to Almaty along with the occasional international flight to hubs such as Moscow, Doha, Dubai, and Istanbul. Arriving at 2:20AM.

    Immigration/Customs

    At the time, Qatar offered visa-free entry to most nationalities. The process was simple – wait in line, get stamped in and a barcode attached to your passport page, and you’re all good to go. Efficient and seamless process – it took about an hour of waiting though just because of the sheer volume of long-haul flights coming in at that time of day.

    Lounges

    There is one Priority Pass accessible lounge at DOH and that is the Al Maha Transit lounge. Nothing too special to write home about on the food side and beverages are typical of any premium airport lounge. Centrally located and fulfills the purpose though.

    Currency

    Qatar uses the Qatari riyal which comes in banknotes of 1,5,10,50,100, 500 riyals. ATMs and currency exchanges were readily available at the airport and within my hotel. Credit cards (Visa/MasterCard) were accepted at most, if not all stores and restaurants in my experience.

    Taxis/Rideshare/Local Transportation

    I recommend downloading Careem, a Middle Eastern version of Uber. While Uber does exist in Qatar, I found that prices on Careem were much more competitive. Functionality and behavior between the two applications are similar. I used Careem to get around during my layover, and had no issues. A few months after my visit though, Doha launched the new metro system with 3 lines and 37+ stations. The country is building up new infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup so things will be evolving fast!

    SIM Cards/Wi-Fi

    Since my stay in Qatar was so short, I used a one-day roaming pass from back home and public Wi-Fi to survive. I did see SIM card kiosks at the airport though, so you can check those out.

    Sightseeing

    Doha offers many great museums, malls, theme parks, and more that are usually open during the day (10AM – 4PM) but due to my short layover (5PM to 11AM) I wasn’t able to see much of these sights. Here’s a list of 24-hour/outdoor/nighttime sights you can visit though if you have a short night layover like me.

    Doha Corniche
    A nice waterfront area for pretty skyline photos and nice walks – come take in the beauty of the Doha skyline at night.

    CityCenter Mall Doha
    Closing as late as 10PM or 12AM during the weekends, this mall was conveniently located across the street from my hotel. A standard indoor shopping mall with food courts, movie theater, stores, et cetera. There is a Carrefour supermarket which I found very useful for late-night snack runs.

    The Pearl Monument
    Located near the Doha Corniche, this is a monument in the shape of an oyster with a pearl. Seemed to be a popular photo spot with tourists.

    Souq Waqif
    Growing up having watched lots of Anthony Bourdain travel shows, many episodes of which are set in the Middle East – I was always fascinated by bazaars, markets, and souqs. Doha’s Souq Waqif – although mostly closed at night is a good way to experience colorful Middle Eastern markets selling everything from spices, food, snacks, souvenirs, and even falcons.

    Food/Drink

    Turkey Central
    This spacious restaurant serving delicious Turkish food quickly rised up among “cheap eats” in Doha during my online search. The food looked amazing in the photos and definitely did not disappoint in flavor and quality in real life, not to mention prices were quite cheap for the area. During my visit, the restaurant was about 95% locals – which is a good sign! I would recommend the appetizer sampler and the mixed grill. These two items are more than plenty for two people and just about sufficient for four people. Cash only.

    Abajour
    After a good night’s rest, I was on the hunt for breakfast options near my hotel in Doha. Sadly, the hotel breakfast was overpriced and did not look too appetizing. With few options open at the hour, I quickly found one and Careemed over to Abajour – a Lebanese establishment. Abajour specializes in “Lebanese street food” and while most of their menu was not available until lunch – I did try their pita, hummus, and scrambled eggs. The pita was as fluffy as pita bread could ever get – but the real star of the show was the hummus. Back home, we often think of Zahav or Dizengoff as the best hummus but Abajour blew both out of the water – best hummus I’ve ever had. Prices in general are OK but not the cheapest. Cash and credit cards accepted.

    Accommodation

    The Intercontinental Doha – The City
    My one night stay here was comped by Qatar Airways as part of their Discover Qatar free stopover program. If they are still running the program, I definitely recommend booking an eligible flight and taking the free hotel offer – every hotel part of the program tends to be a 4 star or 5 star hotel. First impressions of the hotel were generally positive – the staff gave me a nice corner view room with a breathtaking skyline sight. The hotel building is over 40 stories tall, with a gorgeous swimming pool at the top and the location is across the street from the CityCenter Mall. Comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms, and large windows – overall, a typical 4-star hotel experience from the Intercontinental chain.