After dozens of stopovers in Dubai, I finally decided to leave the airport to visit it. I found it all too much.
Of course, I already knew that Dubai involves sand, oil, and unlimited budget surplus, but I was thinking of finding a soul… I felt that the historic part of the town would preserve a bit of its past linked to the desert, but I couldn’t find it.
I stayed three days and a half, during which I visited all I could, took taxis, boats, big jeeps, and metro lines, passing from the old souk to the Marina, the huge malls, the artificial palm-shaped island, and the desert. In short, I have tried to live all that Dubai has to offer, avoiding only purchasing a villa with a private beach, a Lotus or a Cartier ring 😉
Things I liked in Dubai
The desert safari. The package costs 200 Dhs, but I felt that, in reality, it is not a fixed price. It’s very touristy, sure, but the magic is there. The light, the colours, and the feelings between the dunes are unique, and I recommend you experience this. I’ll give you more details in a dedicated post.
The Hatta Mountains. The package costs 100 Dhs, but even in this case, the price changes from agency to agency without the offer being different, so it is better to check these offers before booking carefully! It is a half-day excursion up to this ancient village in the Rocky Mountains, and it’s really worth it.
The tourist side has compulsory passage through the souvenir market, but the Heritage Village and the fantastic nature are worth it, not to mention the natural swimming pools!
The Al Fahidi Fort and the Dubai Museum are inside it. Entrance costs Dhs 1, and the tour lasts about an hour.
In addition to its defensive function, this fort of the late eighteenth century has, over the years, hosted the seat of government, the governor’s residence, and prisons. The fort is now surrounded by modern buildings and gives the impression of being very small, but it still keeps its charm.
Inside are various exhibition areas tracking ancient habits and local customs. The halls are in the basement and made me think of an attraction in Disneyland style—a bit like “Pirates of the Caribbean,” for instance. Still, it is a common feature of all the city’s museums (Maritime Museum, Heritage Village, etc.).
In the last hall, a video is projected in the loop, showing Dubai’s evolution from 1950 to 2030. It is very self-celebratory but interesting.
The historical souks in Deira. These are three distinct souks, but you walk through them without interruption just a few meters from the pier of the barges-ferries called Abras along the Dubai Creek. There is a Perfume Souk, a Spice Souk, and the most famous Gold Souk. What won me over is the spice one, reminding me of Marrakech. I left it with a good supply of cinnamon, ginger, bulk incense, myrrh, and several mixed spices for cooking.
The Diwan Mosque is behind the Al Fahidi Fort. Simple and recently built, it can be visited only by booking a group tour with the SMCCU Heritage Tour.
The most famous and magnificent Mosque is the Jumeirah, in the homonym district. It is open only from Saturday to Thursday at 10.00, and you must book in advance at the Cultural Center Sheikh Mohammed. I missed it, so if you go there, let me know how it is!
The Dubai Aquarium is inside the Dubai Mall. The entrance costs 110 Dhs, including the Underwater Zoo and a boat ride over the shark tank.
Having lived for years in Valencia near the Oceanographic and now only a few miles from the Genoa Aquarium, I must say that this visit is nothing special and is certainly not cheap. However, I still enjoyed the tour backstage, which included exciting explanations from the experts. If you have not been to other large aquariums, go ahead and purchase the ticket 🙂
Things I didn’t like that much in Dubai
If I write “the whole city,” I lose my critical thinking in a second, but I must say that I would write something that comes from my heart …
I love big cities, megalopolis, modern or not. I love their energy and multi-ethnicity; the cultural offers are always varied, including the wide sidewalks and public transportation.
In Dubai, however, everything has been built so quickly that there is no real downtown, and between one district and the other, there is usually nothing. The cultural offer here does not fail due to festivals of all kinds that follow one another, but the artists do not live in the city, and this does not live nor improve thanks to them. The sidewalks are often non-existent or narrow because Dubai is not meant to be lived; for this, you have the malls … everything happens inside them, and the heat is not enough motivation for me.
I love architecture and innovation, but not being my profession to see skyscrapers is not enough motivation for a trip. They are certainly impressive, but in my opinion, there is a lack of aesthetic harmony in the city.
Back to us, here is what I have visited without actually appreciating it:
- The dancing fountains are installed in the artificial lake before the Dubai Mall. I found them very kitsch and poorly theatrical.
- The Burj Khalifa is the tallest skyscraper in the world, with 828 meters of glass, which you can climb by taking the elevator in the basement of the Dubai Mall. I didn’t go up because, as you might have noticed, this kind of view did not make me dream. Still, if you intend to do so, I recommend you book on the official website to avoid never-ending lines.
- The Burj Al Arab is the famous 7-star sail-shaped hotel built on an artificial island. Architecturally, it is beautiful. The lighting at night evokes
- the mythical Jumeirah island, the palm tree-shaped artificial island crossed by the futuristic monorail leading from the Marina to the mega hotel theme park Atlantis. A true marvel of engineering that has ruined the marine currents by forcing further increased artificiality on the beaches of Dubai
How to get around
As written before, you can not walk around! The only nice walk I suggest is along Dubai Creek on the Deira side to watch the traditional cargo loading and unloading sessions.
From Deira, you can cross the river on an Abras and reach Dubai. The crossing takes five minutes and costs Dhs 1, payable onboard.
On the boat’s side, two ferry lines connect the Dubai Marina to Palm Island and the Dubai Creek to the beaches of Jumeirah. Tickets cost 50 Dhs and can be purchased on the piers.
The two metro lines through the city, crossing Union Square and BurJuman, are easier to change. The red line is pro-tourists and links the various attractions of the city. The green line serves Deira and is used mainly by locals, and you can tell even from the different rules! Men and women can not stand in line together or use the same sliding doors on the latter. The tickets do not have a fixed rate and can be purchased at the ticket office of each station.
Oh, trams are linking the Dubai Marina to the beaches of Jumeirah and the monorail, but I didn’t take any.
Accommodation
As I waited for the flight in Colombo, I booked at The Traders in Deira. I booked there because it was close to the airport (35 Dhs by taxi), in the “historic” Dubai, and the bedroom was not even $100. It is a chain that I know well, and I have never disappointed myself.
It certainly lacks the charm of a small typical hotel, but the international standards are high, and the service and cuisine are excellent.
Useful visiting tips
- Dress properly or cover your legs and shoulders, whether you are male or female, out of respect for the different cultures and local faith and to feel at ease.
- Restrict effusions in public to a minimum or to hold hands.
- If you are a woman, check with the hotel that single women are admitted to the bar/restaurant. In some hotels, this is impossible, and you would be forced to have meals in the room. Some hotels do not even accept single women 🙁
- If you don’t have time, arrange a guided full visit with Big Bus Tours, whose ticket includes virtually any site or stage of interest in and around the city. Related advertising is everywhere, and if you stay in a 4- or 5-star (or 6 or 7!) hotel, you will certainly be offered their services at the excursion counter.
Useful info
- The currency is the Dirham (on February 1 € = 4.12), which is listed both as AED and DHS.
- The official language is Arabic, but the most widely spoken is English because approximately 80% of the local population is made up of expatriates. Add to this some millions of tourists and a huge number of business visitors.
- The time zone in winter is 4 hours and passes to 3 when we pass to summertime.
- To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old, your license must be valid for at least one year, and you must submit your passport. However, if you want to rent a luxury car, 21 years is not enough! You must be 25.
- The weekend runs from Friday morning to Saturday evening.
Would I go back to Dubai? I’d say no.
Will I go back to Dubai? Definitely, because flying with Emirates is an excellent option. Asia is in my heart, and I can not avoid it for too long.
What will I do next time? I’ll return to the desert, booking a horseback safari and a falconry lesson.
And you? If you wish to learn more about Dubai, I suggest you read the posts written by Liz! (for Italian-reading people only).
Maas-Salaama!
