The tremendous burning temperature outside, which reached the peak of 50 degrees Celsius when I was there, almost made us collapse on the equally fiery ground. So what’s the most vital thing I learned from this short vacation? Try to schedule your trip to Dubai during the winter or spring season because it is much, much colder. Don’t expect snow to fall right out of the sky, though. This is still Middle East, after all.
Another important thing I learned? Do not be too ambitious with your itinerary. It could sometimes feel like the things to see here are endless. You’ll never really have enough time to fully unfold the awe-inspiring veiled treasures of Dubai, so best to just stick to a few and enjoy those to the fullest.
One important thing to always consider when traveling is the accessibility of the metro station to your hotel. For our family, we bought four day passes that expire before midnight, because we didn’t want to experience the hassle of running out of load.
If you’re staying longer, you can purchase the blue card, silver card, or gold card, which you can reload when your balance is insufficient to ride another train. The Dubai Metro is the cheapest and fastest way to wander around the city; however, you can also flag down a taxi!
Grab a copy at the information center!
If you and your travel buddies are scared to bathe under the sun, you may immediately proceed to The Dubai Mall, one of the world’s best shopping malls and entertainment destination. There, you can check out the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo!
“King Croc is faithful to a single female who he has lived with for the last 20 years,” the sign says. Buti pa crocodile, loyal!
Otherwise, if you want to save that for later, you can also take a quick picture of the Emirates Towers, where you can find the Emirates Office Tower and Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel.
Are you truly, madly, deeply in love with shopping? Try to walk around the Mall of Emirates too! There are many fascinating shopping malls in Dubai where you can unwind and pour out your soul (and money!).
Then, hire a taxi to take you to Jumeirah Beach. Since you are not allowed to enter the premises of the Burj Al Arab hotel, except if you have a reservation, you may have a look at the astounding exterior. Ask the taxi driver to hang about until you get your pictures taken because it is risky to flag a taxi in that vicinity. Taxis only arrive at that point periodically.
Don’t forget to buy your tickets for the tallest building in the world—the Burj Khalifa—ahead of time. Particularly a month or a few weeks before your arrival! It is cheaper to purchase your tickets online using your credit card. It only costs approximately $35 (125 AED) for adults, compared to the $136 (500 AED) if you buy it over the counter. Also, the prices of the tickets depend on your ideal time. We chose the 5:00 pm time slot and reached the 125th floor at 5:30 pm since the line was extensive.
We yearned for the remarkable sight of Dubai in the morning and evening; we got what we prayed for! By the way, you are also allowed to stay at the 125th floor as long as you like! There is free Wi-fi, even though there are no tables and chairs. We enjoyed the short show of the Dubai Fountains that started at around 6 pm, and happened every thirty minutes.
You are also permitted to walk down the stairs leading to the 124th floor, which gives you the privilege to come into contact with the fresh and humid air. As you go up and down the structure, you may get preoccupied with the short production about its history. It is actually a trick to not get lightheaded and panicky. Plus, the air pressure penetrated everyone’s ears!
If you’re into ancient history, find time to visit the Dubai Heritage House and Dubai Museum. After reaching the nearby metro station to that attraction, ride a taxicab and ask the driver to take you there. You will see a bunch of superb artworks in the Dubai Heritage House!
The Dubai Museum is a few meters away so you may just saunter going there. The ticket costs at around 1 dollar (3 AED) per person. It elucidates the ancient life, Muslim culture, and the expansion and growth of Dubai. There is a small souvenir shop at the end of the tour, but I think it’s pricey compared to the simple shops outside the malls.
There are many more tourist destinations in Dubai that we weren’t able to explore, but the three-day stay was worth it! Positively, there is a valid reason to come back, preferably during the winter, and for a longer vacation!
Mall of Emirates
The Dubai Mall
This strange evangelical feeling you get whenever you travel is beyond measure. You ascertain a new culture, knowledge, and, sometimes, even identity. You go home, nothing has changed, but you just know—something about you has.
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
– Ibn Battuta
