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Dubai:
Dubai is like nowhere else on the planet. Often claimed to be the world’s fastest-growing city, over the past four decades it has metamorphosed from a small Gulf trading centre to become one of the world’s most glamorous, spectacular and futuristic urban destinations, fuelled by a heady cocktail of petrodollars, visionary commercial acumen and naked ambition. Dubai’s ability to dream (and then achieve) the impossible has ripped up expectations and rewritten the record books, as evidenced by stunning developments such as the soaring Burj Khalifa, the beautiful Burj al Arab and the vast Palm Jumeirah island – testament to the ruling sheikhs’ determination to make the city one of the world’s essential destinations for the twenty-first century. Modern Dubai is frequently seen as a panegyric to consumerist luxury: a self-indulgent haven of magical hotels, superlative restaurants and extravagantly themed shopping malls.
Perhaps not surprisingly the city is often stereotyped as a vacuous consumerist fleshpot, appealing only to those with more cash than culture, although this one-eyed cliché does absolutely no justice to Dubai’s beguiling contrasts and rich cultural make-up. The city’s headline-grabbing mega-projects have also deflected attention from Dubai’s role in providing the Islamic world with a model of political stability and religious tolerance, showing what can be achieved by a peaceful and progressive regime in one of the planet’s most troubled regions.
For the visitor, there’s far more to Dubai than designer boutiques and five-star hotels – although of course if all you’re looking for is a luxurious dose of sun, sand and shopping, the city takes some beating. If you want to step beyond the tourist clichés, however, you’ll find that Dubai has much more to offer than you might think, ranging from the fascinating old city centre, with its higgledy-piggledy labyrinth of bustling souks interspersed with fine old traditional Arabian houses, to the memorably quirky postmodern architectural skylines of the southern parts of the city. Dubai’s human geography is no less memorable, featuring a cosmopolitan assortment of Emiratis, Arabs, Iranians, Indians, Filipinos and Europeans – a fascinating patchwork of peoples and languages that gives the city its uniquely varied cultural appeal. The credit crunch may have pushed Dubai to the verge of bankruptcy but pronouncements of its imminent demise proved wildly premature, and the city remains one of the twenty-first century’s most fascinating and vibrant urban experiments in progress. Visit now to see history, literally, in the making.
Things not to miss in Dubai
At the Top Burj Khalifa
No visit to Dubai is complete without a visit to the top of the world's tallest building. Even the journey upwards will entertain and educate you as you watch a multimedia presentation chronicling Dubai's history and the development of the Burj Khalifa. After ascending 450 metres to the At the Top observation deck in a high-speed lift, you'll be greeted by breath taking, unobstructed 360-degree views of the city, desert and ocean. You can also walk the floor-to-ceiling glass-walled perimeter or step outside onto the open-air terrace, where special digitally powered telescopes provide virtual time travel with real-time views of the past and the future.
The Dubai Mall
If you're devoted to shopping, you'll find retail heaven takes the form of The Dubai Mall. Located at the foot of the Burj Khalifa and stretching across 1.1 million sq/m, it is the world's largest shopping, entertainment, and leisure destination. You can shop at more than 1,200 retail outlets, from Armani to Zara, or visit the Dubai Aquarium, children's theme parks and the Dubai Ice Rink. Whether it's books, electronics, candy or high fashion you're after, The Dubai Mall probably has it. For haute couture, check out Fashion Avenue, where you can sift through the latest collections from top designers like Stella McCartney, Versace, Burberry and Alexander McQueen.
Ski Dubai - Mall of the Emirates
Mall of the Emirates is one of the city's most famous malls with the spectacular (and surreal) Ski Dubai facility inside. The indoor ski slope is complete with chairlifts and a penguin enclosure, all at a continuous temperature of -4 degrees Celsius. There's also a cinema complex and a family entertainment centre with a whole host of rides aimed at both the big and small. The shopping opportunities are boundless, as are the eating options, offering every conceivable world cuisine.Discover Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East! An amazing mountain-themed wintery set-ting where you can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, take part in many snow events and meet and play with Ski Dubai's newest residents; the Snow Penguins!
Experience rolling down the Giant Ball run, jumping a 10ft. ramp, spiralling down the tube slides, sightseeing in the chairlift or just relaxing over a hot chocolate at minus 4 degrees…So enjoy real snow, all year round in a winter world of exciting events. Themes and sports for the whole family! Ski Dubai is located in Mall of the Emirates.
Dubai Dolphinarium
Monday to Saturday at 11am & 06pm
Get up close and personal to graceful bottlenose dolphins and playful seals at the action packed shows. These interactive extravaganzas showcase these amazing animals’ astounding skills. Watch in wonder as the dolphins and seals perform incredible acrobatics, dance, sing, juggle, play ball, jump through hoops and even paint! The show is around 45 minutes in duration.Family Fun For Everyone!
Dubai Miracle Garden:
(http://www.dubaimiraclegarden.com/ )
Dubai Miracle Garden is the world’s largest natural flower garden which guarantees a soothing beauty to your eyes with more than 72,000 square metres of land filled with some 109 million flowers planted in here. Not only that, it also has the world’s largest flower wall which has a circumference of 1 Kilometre. The beauty of the garden is taken care of by recycled water and drip irrigation method, which serves the purpose of uniqueness.
IMG Worlds of Adventure:
This theme park, near Global Village, is immersive entertainment at its finest and has thrills and spills for both kids and big kids. With one zone devoted entirely to Marvel's iconic characters; another to dinosaur-themed rides; and a zone where the Cartoon Network takes the helm, with gentler rides and activities for younger children, there's something here for every age. Whether you want to help the Avengers battle Ultron, scare yourself silly in a haunted house, or join Spider-Man as he swings through the city, this is heaven for families looking for a fun-filled day out,Famous as the world’s largest indoor theme park, IMG Worlds of Adventure has four theme zones namely Marvel, Cartoon Network, IMG Boulevard and Lost Valley Dinosaur. This park covers an area of 1.5 million square feet indoors and the temperature of the entire place is well-controlled. The rides here prove to be spine-tingling for everybody.In addition to the thrilling rides, the IMG Worlds of Adventure is also famous for hosting various live shows with some awesome acrobatics, music and some spectacular dancing too. It is certainly a world in itself!.
Address: Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road
Official site: www.imgworlds.com
THE DUBAI FOUNTAIN
Right next to Dubai Mall you will find the Dubai Fountain. It has shows every evening starting at 6 p.m (every half an hour). It easily rival anything that the Bellagio in Las Vegas has to offer. Get a table outside from one of the many restaurants bordering the fountain. Like this you can have fabulous food and enjoy the shows away from the crowds. Address: Downtown Dubai.
FERRARI WORLD:
Ferrari World is the first and only Ferrari Branded indoor theme park ever made in the world. It was opened on 4th November 2007, covers an area of 86000 square meters. The logo on the roof is itself a marvel, Ferrari largest logo ever made. It has the world’s fastest roller coaster named “FORMULA ROSSA”. It has total 20 rides which belongs to specific category and available for all age group such as Old, Kids & Others.
Global Village
Global Village is Dubai’s leading family entertainment and cultural attraction with a unique shopping experience at 30 pavilions each representing a different country. Global Village also offers a variety of dining options from different cuisines, along with thrill rides and children rides at the Fantasy Island. Launched in 1997, Global Village was first based on the Creek side then Oud Metha then Dubai Festival City, until it found a permanent home in 2005 on Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road Exit 37.
Desert Safari
A Dubai must-do is a four-wheel drive excursion out into the sand dunes. They might stop to let you discover some of the wildlife. More likely, the drivers will race each other dizzyingly up and down seemingly impossible slopes. The day’s excitement ends with a barbecue under the stars.
PALM JUMEIRAH
This strip of sandy white bliss is the number one beach destination for Dubai visitors. Hotels are strung out all along its length, with this being one of the most popular places to stay for tourists. The beach has excellent facilities, with plenty of sun loungers, restaurants, and water-sport operators offering jet skiing.
While in the area, brush off the sand for an hour and visit the Majlis Ghorfat Um Al-Sheef, just a short hop from the beach. Built in 1955, this was the summer residence of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum. The residence, made out of gypsum and coral-block, has been restored and maintains much of the original beautiful decor, giving you a better understanding of the opulent lifestyle of Dubai's rulers. The Majlis Gardens feature a reproduction of an impressive Arab irrigation system and many shady date palms.
Location: Jumeirah Beach Road
Skydive Dubai
Website: www.skydivedubai.ae
If you have ever thought about skydiving or parachute jumping than this is now or never. Dubai offers one of the most magnificent views in the world. Do not miss the chance and be ready to be amazed.
The Tower Of Arabs (Burj Al Arab)
Website: www.jumeirah.com
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. Decadent in every way possible, the Burj Al-Arab is one of the most expensive hotels in the world, with the most luxurious suites costing more than $15,000 for one night.
For those without unlimited credit, the way to experience the over-the-top opulence is to go for dinner at the underwater Al-Mahara restaurant, where floor-to-ceiling glass panels in the dining room walls allow you to view sea life while you eat, or you can enjoy lunch at California-style fusion restaurant Scape. For the ultimate panoramic views over the city, book afternoon tea at the Skyview Bar (a minimum spend is required) on the 27th floor.
If you are not staying at this hotel there is only one way to get inside; to book breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea, lunch or dinner at the restaurants inside the hotel. It doesn’t come with a cheap price since this is the only "seven-star" hotel, but it will definitely be worth the money. Burj Al-Arab has even become a signature landmark in Dubai.
Wild Wadi Waterworld
Located in Dubai and situated in front of the stunning Burj Al Arab, Wild Wadi offers 30 rides and attractions for all the family. Wild Wadi is themed around the tale of Juha, a known character from the Arabian folklore. Relax and enjoy meter high waves of Flood River and long, lazy river of Juha's Journey.The little ones will love the kids activities at Wild Wadi which include racing slides and water guns!
Aquaventure Waterpark
This waterpark, based at Atlantis, The Palm on the Palm Jumeirah - Dubai's famous man-made island development - is a great place to cool off after a few days of hectic shopping and sightseeing. The water slide action here is excellent and world-class, with the Aquaconda, the world's longest water slide; a nine-story-tall slide, aptly named the Leap of Faith; and water coaster rides. There's also underwater safaris using seatrek helmets; a dedicated water play area for smaller children with slides; and for when all your energy has been used up, a 700-meter sweep of white-sand beach to chill out on.
Address: Crescent Road, Palm Jumeirah
Official site: www.atlantisthepalm.com
