Dazzling Dubai

Dubai is a place I’ve longed to visit for years – people always rave about this dazzling, cosmopolitan city and I’ve been very keen to see what all the fuss was about. So the recent opportunity to stopover there as part of our recent trip to Europe was exciting to say the least. And Dubai certainly exceeded my expectation!

The UAE’s vibrant city of Dubai is an amazing spot to visit – and there is something there for everyone. Even though Dubai is fairly compact it is a place like no other; filled with five star opulence, thrilling theme parks, mega shopping malls, stunning beaches, luxury spas, glamorous restaurants and nightclubs… the list just goes on.

There is Arabic culture galore sprinkled with unique sights, including the 4WD Desert Safaris/Camping, the spectacular Atlantis the Palm at Jumeirah Beach and Ski Dubai which is located within one of the prestigious shopping malls. The Dubai Museum and Old Fort are great and ‘downtown Deira’ is fast becoming the place to be seen.

Visit the renowned Burj Al Arab Hotel, they serve a fantastic High Tea there which needs to be pre-booked as is immensely popular (for over 18’s only), and be sure to check out the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building.

There’s plenty of action for the kids – the Atlantis Waterpark and Wild Wadi Waterpark are great for the adventurous, and everyone kept talking about nearby Ferrari World. Ski Dubai is also popular and a lot of fun!

Dubai is definitely a place to ‘shop till you drop’ – Mall of the Emirates is home to a myriad of shops, featuring all the well known brands from all over the world. And for more traditional / local shopping, stops at the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk are a must, as they are great to see and experience.

We only had a couple of days in Dubai so we were conscious of fitting in as much as possible in the time we had. We hired a driver for four hours – which cost around AUD90.00 – and he took us absolutely everywhere, which was sensational. Definitely a great way to explore and gave us the flexibility to do whatever we wished.

My favourite highlight was the 4WD Desert Safari, which was fantastic. As I was travelling with two boys, they loved the 4WD sand duning and we ate a scrumptious dinner whilst enjoying camel rides, belly-dancing, henna tattooing etc. It was a great night out and I highly recommend!

I loved Dubai and cannot wait to return. There is accommodation to suit all budgets and restaurants to suit all tastes. Dubai also holds a huge calendar of events each year – sporting, entertainment and cultural, so there is always something exciting happening.

Definitely a place to visit ; so why not consider spending 3 to 4 days in Dubai when you are next heading to UK/Europe? You won’t be disappointed and it’s well worth the stop!