How to spend a fruitful day in Dubai

Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. It is rather like an independent city state and is the most modern and progressive emirate in the UAE, developing at an unbelievable pace in the tourist and trade sectors especially.

The only way you can get into this amazing city is via Dubai international Airport. The largest hub in the Middle East and the home base of Dubai’s flag carrier Emirates. The airport is famous for its duty-free shopping. However, the prices in the airport’s duty-free stores are usually the same or higher price than what you can find in the many malls of the city.Once you passed through the customs, you will be captived by the beauty of the interior design of this spectacular airport.

I understand many people (including myself), usually Dubai is a transit place and will not spend too many days in this super hot city! (you know what I mean by “hot”). So right now let me introduce you what are the things you can do in Dubai within a day! 🙂

1) Visit the highest building in the world – Burj Khalifa (Before Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Tower overtake as the tallest)

How wonderful to experience the tallest building in the world! From the moment you arrive at the attraction everything is organised with such fine precision. Staff were very friendly and there waiting time was not long for the lifts. The lift was very fast in an amazing speed and before you knew it you were there at the top! 🙂 The views were breathtaking in every direction and you could stay as long as you want. One tip – book your tickets well in advance or else you could be disappointed. I booked mine 2 weeks earlier in Singapore via online bookings. When I showed up on the day there were signs everywhere saying that every session was sold out for the next day or so, so thankfully I had booked it way in advance or else I would not have been able to go up the tower. Overall a breathtaking and an amazing experience – highly recommended or I should say a must do when you visit Dubai! 🙂

Even taking a full photo with the tallest building in the world (at the moment) is difficult. haha

2) The Dubai Creek

Don’t miss out the traditional side of the country by visiting the Dubai Creek! Trading by sea has been a part of Dubai’s history for hundreds of years and the dhows that continue to ply the waters of the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean still load and unload cargo at the dhow wharf. Just strolling along this waterfront is fascinating with cargo piled into the wharf with no security – it wouldn’t last long in many other parts of the world. Spend some time absorbing the sights and smells of an historic trade.

3) Dress up like an Arab man – try a thawb or thobe

The Thawb is the traditional local Emirati and other Arabs wear in the Middle East. The thawb is a long flowing robe, which is used as daily wear by the Arabs and is made of cotton or silky wool. The style of the thawb varies slightly among the various regions within the Persian Gulf. The sleeves and the collar can be stiffened to give a more formal appearance. You can wear a thawb and a keffiyeh, it is comfortable in the hot weather.

The thawb is also worn over male tourists with shorts and sleeveless shirts if they are visiting a mosque that is allowed for visit to tourists.For formal occasions, local Emiratis and other Arabs put a long black robe around the thawb, called a besht, to make the wearer more formal.

4) A stroll along the Dubai Marina

Dubai Marina is a district in Dubai. Dubai Marina is an artificial canal city, built along a two mile (3 km) stretch of Persian Gulf shoreline.

In order to create this spectacular man-made marina, the developers brought the waters of the Persian Gulf into Dubai Marina, creating a new waterfront. There is a large central waterway, excavated from the desert and running the length of the 3 km site. It also includes almost 8 km of landscaped public walkways.

The Dubai Marina Walk is an incredible place to enjoy a stroll along the man-made marina while admiring the stunning architecture. My favourite building is the twisted looking building – Cayan Tower. There are also some wonderful restaurants, cafe’s, and shops that are sprinkled along the walk as well as the fancy yachts moored at the marinas around the walk.

I enjoyed the marina walk both during the day and especially in the evenings. This is a wonderful place to stretch the legs, ride a bike, take some exercise or just sit, relax, and people watch while having a beverage.

5) Have a fun afternoon and evening at the desert safari

Nothing can be more exciting and relaxing than going on a desert safari in Dubai. Embark on a thrilling journeys deep into the heart of the desert, driving through spectacular dunes and dramatic desert terrain. You can explore the unique desert surroundings in a four-wheel-drive or on foot with the help of a safari guide. You could conquer all the most popular activities such as photo with falconry, camel treks, horse riding and experience the modern day thrill of sand-skiing.

At sunset, experience a traditional dune dinner in a comfortable Bedouin encampment and dine on grills, fresh salads, Arabic sweets and selected beverages. There are also options to enjoy the aromatic shisha, or have your hands painted with intricate henna designs, while being entertained by a belly dancer accompanied by Arabian music.

Full coverage on a separate post… 5 Things To Accomplish In Dubai Desert Safari Treats

“Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.” – The Dhammapada