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Planning a long layover in Dubai soon, or want to make it a focus of a longer trip in the near future? After using Hotellook to book your stay, cobbling together an itinerary will be the next task facing you.
To save you the trouble of doing extensive web research, we have pulled together five wonderful ways to make the most of your time in Dubai. Check them out below…
1) Ascend Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is the biggest reason why most travelers visit Dubai. This needle-shaped skyscraper is presently the world’s tallest building, piercing the sky at a peak height of 830 metres above the earth.
This feat of modern engineering is a must-see for visitors, as it gives even its most sure-footed visitors a serious case of vertigo when looking out over Dubai from its observation deck.
Even if you don’t want to part with the £76 that it will cost you to access the highest platform during non-peak hours, the views of this building from its base are just as stunning, and it won’t cost you a single pence to snap photos from this vantage point.
2) Have afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab Hotel
Fancy a spot of tea while in Dubai? Do it in style at the Burj Al Arab, which has proclaimed itself to be the world’s first seven-star hotel.
Note that this activity will not be a cheap endeavour, however, as reservations for this event will cost you in excess of £120 per head.
However, the richness of the cakes on offer, its location in the Skyview Bar (on the 27th floor, 200 metres above the ground), and its privileged view of the Burj Khalifa may make this splurge a great value for those that are prepared to drop some serious cash.
3) Go shopping at the Dubai Mall
Feel like indulging in some retail therapy? Satisfy your consumer desires and escape the desert heat by exploring the many stores of the Dubai Mall.
The largest in the world by total area, this shopping centre is home to 1,200 shops, a 22-screen cinema, an aquarium, a skating rink, a theme park based on SEGA mascot Sonic the Hedgehog, and an underwater zoo.
Feel free to purchase more than you would back home, as there are no sales taxes levied on goods purchased in Dubai.
4) Saunter around the gold souk
If you are looking for a shopping experience that is rougher around the edges, head over to the Gold Souk, located in the older parts of Dubai.
Filled with more than 300 dealers that peddle gold, jewelry, gemstones, pearls, and other fine items, it is a tempting place to bargain if you are seasoned at the practice.
Although the sheer quantity of sellers means that there are deals to be struck, know that these merchants are wily negotiators, putting those that come unprepared at a disadvantage.
Even if you don’t plan on buying, riding over here on the Dubai Metro is still worth it, as the mass amounts of precious metals and stones here (it is estimated that there is ten tons of gold in the souk at any given time) is a gobsmacking sight you won’t see anywhere else in the world.
5) Head out on a desert safari
Located at the eastern edge of the Empty Quarter of the Arabian Peninsula, there is plenty of desert located a short ride from the centre of Dubai.
As such, outdoor and adrenaline lovers should not turn down the opportunity to go on a safari into these arid dunes.
The main attraction here is dune bashing, which consists of taking Land Cruisers up and over these sand hills at terrific speed. It may sound hazardous, but the skilled drivers behind the wheel will ensure that you enjoy yourself while piloting the car you are in within its limits.
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