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Dubai
- Thread starter GOV1
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It's not a place you can do on the cheap, so allocate a generous budget if you want to enjoy yourselves.
Taxis and food can be cheap so don't just stay in your hotel.
Taxis and food can be cheap so don't just stay in your hotel.
Kryten
Warrant Officer
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Been many times...if you have kids a trip to the Atlantis hotel on the Palm is worth a trip just for the sight of the aquarium they have there. I'd also recommend going down to the Creek and getting an "abra" (water taxi) across it to Old Dubai - lots of desert forts and stuff to see, and the Dubai Souq is nearby. I'd also recommend a trip to the Dubai Mall purely because its at the base of the Burj Khalifa - which is a truly amazing sight!
If you are staying where I think you are and you like a bit of alpine skiing, then the Emirates Mall has the indoor ski slope and is quite nearby - can't remember how much it costs but last time I went a group of people went for a few hours...it was pretty bizarre as it was 42 degrees outside...
If you are going to get a car I'd also recommend driving to Fujairah, which is on the other side of the peninsula. It's not as "in your face" as Dubai is and has some really great beaches.
But as Busby said, it's not cheap - some of the stuff you find in the malls is pretty expensive, most hotels have bars and they can be pretty pricey. Taxis are pretty cheap, but if you are hiring a car from memory the police were cracking down pretty hard on bad driving...
If you are staying where I think you are and you like a bit of alpine skiing, then the Emirates Mall has the indoor ski slope and is quite nearby - can't remember how much it costs but last time I went a group of people went for a few hours...it was pretty bizarre as it was 42 degrees outside...
If you are going to get a car I'd also recommend driving to Fujairah, which is on the other side of the peninsula. It's not as "in your face" as Dubai is and has some really great beaches.
But as Busby said, it's not cheap - some of the stuff you find in the malls is pretty expensive, most hotels have bars and they can be pretty pricey. Taxis are pretty cheap, but if you are hiring a car from memory the police were cracking down pretty hard on bad driving...
kilted_sparky
SAC
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Went for my honeymoon and stayed all inc in a hotel outside Dubai but went into Dubai 2/3 times.
We done the afternoon tea at the Burj al Arab which was fantastic you really do get treated like royalty when you go even as a guest for something to eat and the food is fantastic. Not like anywhere I have ever been before, they tend to come around with 2/3 helpings as well. If I was to go back I would definitely go again as a treat and the views are beautiful. It is about £100 pp though but if you are going to make it special its well worth it.
The light/water show at the Dubai mall (at the base of the Burj Khalifa) is also an amazing sight and this cost nothing. It is designed by the people behind the Bellagio water display in Las Vagas. Also like stated already go up the Khalifa its got an amazing view, we went at night to see the city lights which was really nice.
The Dubai Mall itself is a nice place to spend a afternoon but make sure you don't go on 'pay day' as we found out and ended queueing for about an hour and thirty minutes to get a taxi back to the hotel......trust me it wasn't cold even at night haha!
We also done a sand dune safari type thing where you are picked up in a Range Rover (or similar, seen a few Hummers do this also) and then meet up with the rest of the convoy and hit the dunes (as a passenger) then there is usually a evening show and dinner included (and a camel ride).
All in all you will have a great time, the weather is stunning (make sure you wear sandals by the pool side unless you want burnt feet).
We done the afternoon tea at the Burj al Arab which was fantastic you really do get treated like royalty when you go even as a guest for something to eat and the food is fantastic. Not like anywhere I have ever been before, they tend to come around with 2/3 helpings as well. If I was to go back I would definitely go again as a treat and the views are beautiful. It is about £100 pp though but if you are going to make it special its well worth it.
The light/water show at the Dubai mall (at the base of the Burj Khalifa) is also an amazing sight and this cost nothing. It is designed by the people behind the Bellagio water display in Las Vagas. Also like stated already go up the Khalifa its got an amazing view, we went at night to see the city lights which was really nice.
The Dubai Mall itself is a nice place to spend a afternoon but make sure you don't go on 'pay day' as we found out and ended queueing for about an hour and thirty minutes to get a taxi back to the hotel......trust me it wasn't cold even at night haha!
We also done a sand dune safari type thing where you are picked up in a Range Rover (or similar, seen a few Hummers do this also) and then meet up with the rest of the convoy and hit the dunes (as a passenger) then there is usually a evening show and dinner included (and a camel ride).
All in all you will have a great time, the weather is stunning (make sure you wear sandals by the pool side unless you want burnt feet).
Dubai is one of my three favorite places in the whole world.
A must is a visit to Karama shopping centre. Its off the beaten track and is a haven for bargain hunting for genuine fakes from handbags to sunglasses.
Bartering is key here. Also if you are invited to view the "other" goods then it is highly recommended that you go, even if it is just for your own curiosity. You will be taken into the nearby apartments where the really good gear is kept. I'm a designer handbag fiend and even I was impressed with the quality (They keep them away from the shops as they frequently get raided by police and the goods get confiscated).
I concur with watching the fountain show outside Dubai Mall (go and see the aquarium inside too). There is a lovely steakhouse which overlooks this lake but I cant remember the name of it. Its good value and a nice meal to boot.
I'm very very jealous right now
A must is a visit to Karama shopping centre. Its off the beaten track and is a haven for bargain hunting for genuine fakes from handbags to sunglasses.
Bartering is key here. Also if you are invited to view the "other" goods then it is highly recommended that you go, even if it is just for your own curiosity. You will be taken into the nearby apartments where the really good gear is kept. I'm a designer handbag fiend and even I was impressed with the quality (They keep them away from the shops as they frequently get raided by police and the goods get confiscated).
I concur with watching the fountain show outside Dubai Mall (go and see the aquarium inside too). There is a lovely steakhouse which overlooks this lake but I cant remember the name of it. Its good value and a nice meal to boot.
I'm very very jealous right now
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Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi tend to have something on most weekends between the two of them, recommend the F1, concerts at the Du Arena and I'm going to pop over for the rugby 7s in December which should be great time.
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There's 2 water parks there which are enormous and scary if you have kids - I hate the things but there you go; you can spend the day there quite easily. The mall is also good, and the ice skating rink on the lower level is a hoot with families.
You won't bump into me - I'm up the road a bit with the yanks
You won't bump into me - I'm up the road a bit with the yanks
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I particularly liked Barasti Bar at Le Meridien. A place you can chill out on a cushion on the beach, smoke a Shisha pipe and eat BBQ food. I also found a few restaurants do military discount so its worth an ask because its not the cheapest place.
Kryten
Warrant Officer
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If you can it's worth a trip to some of the nearby Emirates - Sharjah as I recall has a pretty modern souq and some good beaches, and if you want to keep abreast of the rugby then a trip to the Sharjah Wanderers Rugby club is also recommended....