Other Sights
Aside from the obvious trip to the Burj Khalifa, below are the recommendations I have on how to spend your time in Dubai - some are more do-able than others based on different budgets!
In Dubai’s over-the-top fashion, the Dubai Fountain is no exception - it is the largest music fountain in the world, and offers a free show multiple times/day. The show lasts around 5 minutes, and is every half hour between 6-11pm & at 1/130pm in the afternoon (except Fridays when its at 130/2pm). Water climbs up to a height of 150 m, and dances in tune to music and an accompanying light show. The most popular spot to watch the show is from the Waterfront walkway just outside of the Dubai Mall or from cafes and restaurants within that are ideally setup for watching the show. Wherever you’re watching from, be sure to get there a bit early as crowds are common!
If you want to check out the man made archipelagos in Dubai, there are a few to visit, 7 in fact. The Palm Jumeirah is a part of a series of developments that make up the Palm Islands, and is the largest artificial island in the world. Take a walk around to check out many different hotels (the Atlantis Resort & Waterpark is here), restaurants and shops. The World Islands are situated 4 km off of the coast of Dubai, and are a series of islands built to resemble the shape of a world map. Developments of a significant portion of these islands failed to start due to the financial crisis in 2008, so many of these islands don’t have much to see.
The World most luxurious hotel is (naturally) located in Dubai - The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. When the hotel opened in 1999, they called themselves the first 7 start hotel in the world. Set on its own island in a sail shaped building standing tall over the sea below, is one of Dubai’s most famous landmarks, this hotel is truly like no other and is over the top in every way possible. Unfortunately, this hotel is private, so you can’t just stroll in to check the place out. The obvious way in is to book a room, but for many of us who aren’t married to a billionaire or Saudi Prince, this will be well out of our budget. For a more ‘reasonable’ price (its still hella expensive), there are two other options to see the hotel. You can book yourself into a ‘Sky High’ tea in the afternoon for AED 635 pp ($230 CAD), which is hosted in the Skyview Bar on the 27th floor with a spectacular view overlooking the Palm Jumeirah, World Islands, the coastline and the Burj Khalifa in the distance. The other option to check out the hotel, though without the view of being in the Skyview Bar, is making a reservation at one the hotels restaurants. There are many within to choose from, but don’t expect this to be a cheap dinner either. Some will have minimum spend requirements, or their meals are extravagantly price that you have no choice but to paying top dollar (albeit i’m sure delicious) for a meal.
If you’re into Shopping:
For hundred of years, goods travelling along the Silk Route were traded in these energetic regions and these traditional markers are known as ‘Souks’. It is a place where you will find everything from textiles, gold, and fresh fruit & veggies, to spectacular spices that will have your nose and taste buds leading your way around. Spend some wandering around and chatting with the shopkeepers, take in the electric atmosphere and try your hand at haggling!
There are many different Souks within Dubai to check out. Head to the Deira side of the Dubai Creek where you will find the Gold Souk, the spice Souk and the Perfume Souk all within walking distance of one another. The gold Souk is probably Dubai’s most famous Souk, and is considered one of best areas to shop for gold, jewelry, gems, etc. and is one of the largest gold markets in all of Arabia.
If you’re looking for more of the shopping that you may be used to back home, you’ve also come to the right place. With a diverse influence of many international brands and designers, as well as some of the largest malls in the World, Dubai is a hot spot for shopping. The 2 main malls in Dubai are the Dubai Mall, and the Mall of The Emirates. You can’t go wrong with either, and both of these have more than just shopping under their roofs.
The Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world based on land area, but tied with West Edmonton Mall for actual retail space. It sits at the base of the Burj Khalifa, and at over 12 million ft² (50+ soccer fields), there is no shortage of stores, restaurants and more to check out. Within the mall there are over 1200 stores (many of which are high end brands), an Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, 76000 ft² virtual reality centre, 22 screen movie theatre, a haunted house, and a kids ‘edutainment’ theme park, just to name a few. The Mall of the Emirates is smaller than the Dubai Mall, but no less extravagant. It still has over 600 stores, the worlds largest indoor skiing facility - Ski Dubai, a 20 screen movie theatre, and the Magic Planet family entertainment area.
For the More Adventurous:
A very popular day trip (or spend a night if you like) is a safari trip into the Arabian desert. You will be able to clamp in the desert that surrounds Dubai, go for a camel ride, dune buggying, sand boarding, quadding, etc.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie like me, maybe you’ll have a hankering for hopping out of a plane. A sky dive in Dubai will give you the birds eye view over the city, including incredible views of the Palm & World Islands, the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, and the desert landscape surrounding the city. Like everything else in Dubai, this isn’t a necessarily cheap option, but can offer up a unique view of the city for the thrill seekers out there.
