Dubai Highlights

Dubai is the most populous country in the United Arab Emirates and there are many places to explore. Here are my Dubai highlights.

Hot Air Balloon over Dubai

I have traveled to Dubai every year for business meetings and participated in a variety of activities, and for me the best Dubai highlight is the Hot Air Balloon ride kindly organized by Vertime. There are many Hot Air Balloon adventures like this one operated by Viator. 

The day starts very early, before dawn, with a hotel pick up and a scenic ride to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve outside the city. After a scenic drive, we arrive at the launch site, and watch as our hot-air balloon is inflated. 

After landing, we are picked up and taken to the Falconry demonstration.

Falconry

Falconry is part of the desert life for centuries and the cultural heritage of the United Arab Emirates.  Graceful birds of prey are trained to swoop through the sky to catch small game. Dubai is famous for the skill of falconers and their trained birds

We watch falcons fly up to 4,000 feet (1219 meters) above the Earth in a trained demonstration. 

It’s pretty impressive.  You can read more about it and book a Falconry tour through this link.

 

 

Desert Safari Tour

On another trip to Dubai, we have also booked a separate Desert Safari Tour via Viator, which includes camel ride, sand boarding and buffet dinner with a cultural show.

We also try sand boarding for the first time.  Definitely Guido J. is better at it, but it’s a lot of fun nevertheless…

Jumeirah Beach

Jumeirah Public Beach is a long stretch of clean white sand by the Persian Gulf warm turquoise water.

It’s a great place to relax or participate in the many water sports on offer. When you get too hot, there are many hotels and cafes lining the shore where you can cool down with a cold drink.

The Heritage and Diving Village

Dubai’s architectural and maritime heritage is showcased at the Heritage and Diving Village. Many exhibits portray Dubai’s historic economic mainstays which are pearl diving and dhow building.

 

Traditional Bedouin and coastal village life scenes are recreated, as well as Persian homes, traditional coffeehouse and a small souk and handicrafts being made.

 Abra Ride

 

The quaintest way to get a feel for life in Dubai is riding an abra, or traditional wooden boat. The boats transport locals and tourists between Deira and Bur Dubai. It’s cheap and the best way to beat traffic!

 From there we stroll around the souk and enjoy refreshing fruit juices.

Dubai Creek

Dubai Creek separates the city into two towns, with Deira to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. 

The creek has been a key element in the growth and prosperity of Dubai, attracting settlers here to fish and pearl dive. 

At the Wharf, you can watch the bustling activities of loading and unloading of the dhows.

On the Bur Dubai side of the creek, you can take the waterfront promenade in the Al See district and visit a floating market.

The Bastakiya Quarter which used to be a fishing village, is the city’s historic district. It’s a charming neighborhood with art galleries and outdoor cafes like the famous Arabian Tea House.

Jumeirah Mosque

The Jumeirah Mosque is the only mosque welcoming non-Moslems and is considered to be the most beautiful mosque in Dubai.

As a replica of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque, which is eight times its size, the Jumeirah Mosque is a fine example of Islamic architecture in the medieval Fatimid tradition, and built with white stone.

Atlantis – Aquaventure Water Park

To cool down from the extreme desert heat, we decide to go to the Aquaventure Water park based at Atlantis, The Palm on the Palm Jumeirah – Dubai’s famous man-made island development.

Aquaventure offers more than 30 slides and attractions. With a 42-acre site, it also boasts the emirates’ longest lazy river

There’s a long line for each ride and attraction, and we enjoy a few thrilling water coaster rides.

The best adrenaline pumping slide is the Anaconda.

The Aquaconda, the world’s longest water slide; a nine-story-tall slide, aptly named the Leap of Faith; It’s so exhilarating that we line up again to have another go!

There’s also underwater safaris using Sea TREK helmets as well as a 700-meter sweep of white-sand beach.

Address: Crescent Road, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

The Burj al-Arab

The Burj Al-Arab is the world’s tallest hotel, standing 321 meters high on its own artificial island on the Dubai coastline. 

Designed to resemble a billowing dhow sail, the exterior of the building is lit up by a choreographed, colored lighting show at night. 

No expense has been spared to decorate the opulent 7-star hotel which ranks among the most expensive hotels in the world.

It’s a bit too ostentatious for my taste but I must say that their dinner buffet has the best delicacies from all over the world.

The Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world standing at 828 meter (8900 feet) tall, and has a set of thrilling high-speed elevators.

Tickets tend to sell out fast, so make sure to book ahead of time. The entrance fee allows access to the 124th and 125th floor, but you have to pay extra to go up to the 148 level with the highest Observatory in the world. Since the tickets are quite expensive, to make it worth it, schedule the visit around the sunset for a spectacular vista.

There are tours to skip the line and access the Observatory with “At the Top SKY” ticket, and enjoy coffee at the plush Skyview Bar like this one offered by Viator, and enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

The Shopping Malls

.Dubai boasts the most phenomenal shopping malls with amazing attractions such indoor ski run at Mall of the Emirates.

Dubai Mall is the city’s premier mall and the best place to shop and visit a Dubai highlight, the Dubai Aquarium which houses 140 species of sea life in a huge suspended tank.

There is also an ice-skating rink, gaming zone, cinema complex and many restaurants for more entertainment and dining options. 

Where to stay in Dubai

During my many visits to Dubai, I have stayed in many hotels. For brief stays, the Dubai International Airport hotel which is located in Terminal 3 inside the airport is a great option as some of my business meetings are at the airport. It’s modern and comfortable and even has a spa and swimming pool

For longer stays, I have stayed both downtown which is quite practical but if it’s your first visit to Dubai, I would recommend staying by Jumeirah beach. The area is really beautiful and in the evening, you can take a pleasant walk along the beach and  pick where to dine among the many world-class restaurants.

After staying in several hotel resorts in Jumeirah Beach, some of them really luxurious, my favorite resort is the Royal Meridien Jumeirah Beach for modern comfort, great value and friendly service.

It has a phenomenal view, several swimming pools and direct access to a private beach.

The breakfast buffet is excellent with great variety of cold and hot dishes. Maybe it’s the French in me, but I just love a great brioche or croissant along with my morning coffee.

Want to find out the best places to eat in Dubai? Read this post “Eating out in Dubai”.

Also check out my Middle Eastern recipes like the Vegetarian Couscous and Lamb Couscous.

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