Whether it’s a stopover, or a trip you’ve been planning for some time, Dubai is an incredible city to visit in the Middle East with so many things to do, and places to see. On our trip, we spent four wonderful days exploring the city and want to share with you our recommendations for your next visit, or stopover in Dubai.
Day One
Hotel
Find your feet, with a stay in a hotel in the centre of the city, close to the incredible Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. We stayed at the Address Downtown and were blown away by the jaw dropping views of the Burj Khalifa right from our balcony.
The hotel is luxurious and well located with a bridge connecting to Dubai Mall. The bedrooms are extremely spacious with luxurious touches, such as remote controlled TV, AC and lighting with your very own iPad, a white marble bathroom with bathtub, and high end amenities and appliances such as a nespresso machine and dyson hairdryer.
We ate our evening meal at the beautiful Zeta restaurant at sunset, and dined on some of the most delicious sushi i’ve ever tasted, while enjoying unobstructed views of the Burj Khalifa, and the water displays that take place every 30 minutes. It was truly one of the best dining experiences of our lives.
Burj Khalifa
With the Burj Khalifa holding the title as world’s tallest building, you can’t pass up the chance to get a view from the top. Visit the Burj’s famous observation deck, At the Top, through the Dubai Mall. Start out a little earlier than you need to, as Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world, so might take you a little longer to walk there than you think!
For another perspective on the Burj Khalifa, head over to the Wings of Mexico, a very cute stand with wings, with a beautiful perspective on the Burj in the background.
Day Two
Dubai Frame
We love the Dubai skyline and were desperate to see it from another perspective. The Frame is a relatively new addition to Dubai. It’s 50 meters tall, covered in gold leaf paint with incredible views of the city from the top. From the observation deck, you can walk along the transparent glass at the top if you’re brave enough.
Al Marmoom Bedouin Experience
The highlight of our trip to Dubai was the Al Marmoom Bedouin Experience in the desert. The Bedouin people were the desert dwellers of the Middle East. They lived and survived in the desert for hundreds of years.
This day trip brought us to experience the life of the Bedouin, starting with a camel ride through the desert at sunset, followed by an explanation on the importance of Falcons and dogs to hunt and gather food.
After the sun went down, our guides brought us through a typical camp to explain how they lived and so we could understand and appreciate their ways and customs.
The evening finished with a delicious traditional meal and star gazing experience.
Day Three
Al Shindagha Museum and Perfume House
Learn about the history of Dubai, how this extraordinary city went from being a modest dwelling to one of the most built up cities in the world in just a few decades.
Around the corner you’ll find The Perfume House which brings you through the main ingredients of Perfume in the Middle East, the customs and traditions and the history throughout the ages.
Both museums are brand new and interactive, incorporating futuristic technology to deliver the information to the visitors.
Spice & Gold Souk
Take a trip to Old Dubai on a traditional Abra, costing just 1 durham to cross the creek. Arrive at the Spice Souk to wander the streets, taking in smells, colours sounds and the life of a traditional middle eastern market. Ship for souvenirs while you sample chocolates, figs and teas over the colourful display of spices.
Just down the road is the Gold Souk. Every storefront will have impressive displays of elaborate gold jewels costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Half Desert Road
Once a large and ambitious building project outside the city, it was later abandoned due to the power of the desert.
No matter how much upkeep there was, they couldn’t control the desert consuming the land and roads through it.
So they decided to concede and let the elements take hold. Now it’s a fantastic spot to fly your drone, take sand dune pictures, see the local clubs use the area for a sunrise game of cricket or motorbike rides.
Half Desert Road is an accessible place where you can truly appreciate the true power of nature. If you’re really lucky, you’ll find wild camels walking across the roads. Just make sure you have your way back organised before getting out of your Uber as you don’t want to be stuck in Dubai’s desert.
Day Four
Hero Dubai
See Dubai from a totally new perspective with a morning on the water. Captain your own Hero speedboat, which requires no driving experience, along the iconic waterfront and take in famous sights like the Burj Al Arab, Atlantis the Palm as well as the impressive Dubai skyline.
The Lost Chamber, Atlantis the Palm
Whatever your age, a visit to The Lost Chamber at Atlantis, the Palm will surely wow. Before you enter, you’ll see a chamber filled with sharks, stingrays and so many tropical varieties of fish, you’ll be mesmerized where you stand.
La Perle Show
Known as Dubai’s most spectacular show, and for good reason. La Perle is a completely unique aqua-stage based live show, featuring a total of 65 artists. You can see a blend of acrobatics doing aquatic stunts, aerial stunts while the music and imagery combine with technology to create a fully immersive and unique performance that you’ll never forget.
