Dubai For A Weekend
A 7 to 8 hour flight and a 4 hr time difference for 3 days away. Crazy? Well maybe just a little, but then again it’s always fun being in a different city and emmersed in a different culture. Plus if you haven’t quite figured it out yet, I am just a little travel addicted. Ok… ok… maybe a lot travel addicted but hey what could be better than that.
So what is there to do in often referred to sand pit (and a beautiful one at that)? A lot actually but it really does depend on you. Having visited the city about three times prior with my first visit in 1995, I was really keen to re-visit the old parts of Dubai and of course enjoy the finer fun filled luxuries that Dubai has to offer. Here's a look at what I got up to with my other half:
Old Dubai
Of course the first place that we ventured was the souks (traditional markets), where haggling is name of the game. We started at the famous Gold Souk where all that glitters actually is gold! Next, we headed to the Spice Souk which was next filled with an array of exotic aromatic fragrances.
After some time, we found ourselves at the Dubai creek. A casual stroll at night showcased not only the beautiful view of New Dubai in the distance but the opportunity to see the traditional wooden dhow boats with carry cargo to be transported to to Iran, Oman, India and beyond. A startling contrast between old and new.
Along the creek, there are various water taxi (also known as abra) stations allowing one to cross the creek from Diera to Bur Dubai. As can be expected we caught an abra from Sabkha Abra station to the Dubai Old Souk Abra station, where we wandered through the Old Textile Souk.
Exploring Old Dubai is a must if you plan on immersing yourself in the city.
Beach
The beach is always on the list of things to do. Previously we visited the beach at Juemriah beach hotel which is lovely, however this time we went somewhere slightly different albeit walking distance to the previous beach we had visited.
The Cove Beach club was phenomenal! Great food, great view, great music… what more could you possibly ask for?
Dining
Food is always an important part of our travel. Previously we dined at Pier Chic at the Madinat Jumeraih which has not only wonderful seafood but a great view and overall dining experience. As much as we wanted to go back, it was fully booked. So if you do wanna book, don’t try to do so on the day cause you will find yourselve out of luck.
Of course there are many dining options in Dubai with a lot of my London favourites in Dubai. So it was no surprise, that we drawn to Zuma. Once again, they were fully booked too. Needless to say we were bummed, but tried our luck anyway by going in person and managed to get a place at the counter. Score!
The food was incredible as always, but the absolute stand out was the roasted boston lobster in shiso-ponzu butter. Phenomenal doesn’t even begin to describe how amazing it was. Honestly, I would fly back any time just to have that dish again!
Bars
Once again there are so many bars in Dubai. However we only managed to find our way to two.
The first for a relaxed afternoon drink (or tea in my case) at the Bahri Bar at Jumeirah Mina A'Salam with a beautiful view overlooking the Burj Al Arab. Do note though that it does get quite packed on a Friday evening and the once relaxed atmosphere turns loud very fast.
The second for an evening drink at Atmosphere located at the Burj Khalifa (the tallest buidling in the world) on the 122nd floor. The view is quite something and definitely a must. Just be sure to make a reservation, otherwise you risk not being able to get in which would be a real bummer.
Dubai Fountain
The world’s largest musical fountain set on the Burj Khalifa Lake. To describe this, all I can say is wow. You honestly need to experience it for yourself. One tip though, view it at night.
Shopping
Frequently dubbed a city for shopping, its no surprise shopping made its way onto the list. Not to mention that Dubai houses one of world’s largest shopping centers (Dubai Mall) and also takes the concept of a mall to new heights with an indoor ski center at the Mall of the Emirates.
With regards to the shopping itself, I know my fellow fashionistas are curious to know whether its worth while shopping for designer goods in Dubai. The honest answer from a price perspective is no, however from the range of goods available, a definite yes. For example, if you are miss big foot like myself you will know that getting a size 42 in Loubitouns is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Its beyond impossible! However, the store in Dubai actually stocks a fair number of options in a size 42.
What are your favourite places in Dubai? Let me know by posting a comment below.