As those of you who read my previous post about my favorite cities know, Dubai is pretty high up on my list of favorite places to visit. I have been plotting my return to the UAE ever since my first visit in January, 2014. There is so much to do in Dubai and the neighboring cities that I still feel like I have a lot more of the region to explore. The city has everything that I look for in a vacation and more, and I have yet to meet anyone who has travelled to the area who hasn’t fallen in love. Although my trip to Dubai was a while back, I keep all of my travel itineraries complete with lodging information, restaurants, and activities and take notes of my favorites. Since the UAE is a popular travel spot these days thanks to fantastic flight deals, I’m excited to share how to travel well in Dubai. Stay: During my visit to Dubai, I stayed in a lovely 2 bedroom apartment at The Address Downtown Dubai. I absolutely loved the location of the flat, as it had an amazing view and was walking distance to The Dubai Mall. I would definitely recommend this area for travelers looking to shop. I also visited a lot of other hotels during my stay, and they were all really nice (it’s Dubai – so I wouldn’t expect anything less). Depending on your budget and whether you are looking for a hotel with beach access or not, I would also recommend Atlantis Dubai, the Westin, and, for you high-rollers, the Burj Al Arab.
Breathtaking views of Dubai from our apartment’s balcony (photo courtesy of The Hideaways Club)
Dine: Dubai is a foodie’s paradise. They have all of the big name restaurants that haven’t even made it to the United States yet (or are only open in New York or Los Angeles). I would recommend making dinner reservations sooner rather than later, as we had a hard time getting into some places even when we tried to reserve a month in advance. My top picks for a fabulous meal in Dubai out of the places we were able to dine are as follows:
Al Mahara – this restaurant is pricey, to say the least, but a trip to Dubai is not complete without at least one visit to the Burj Al Arab and who doesn’t want to dine “under the sea” surrounded by exotic fish.
Bubbalicious Brunch at the Westin – I love a good brunch and this goes down as the best brunch I’ve ever been to. They take bottomless brunch to a whole different level and there are literally 3 different rooms filled with 10 live cooking stations and a plethora of different food choices. Plan to spend the whole Friday afternoon eating then take a nap afterwards, because you will definitely have “the itis.”
Shop: GO TO DUBAI IN JANUARY!!!!!!! I cannot explain how happy shoppers will be if they travel to Dubai during their annual shopping festival, held every January throughout the city. I have never experienced sales like I did on this trip and am dying to go back during the same time to indulge again. Literally every store had sale items, even high end brands that don’t typically go on sale here in the States. The grey suede Christian Louboutin pumps I snagged for 60% off during the shopping festival are still one of my favorite pairs of heels. My favorite spot for shopping in Dubai is The Dubai Mall. It is huge and has every brand under the sun. If you’re looking for a more traditional shopping experience, be sure to visit the Gold Souk.
Play: There is so much to see in Dubai and the neighboring cities, such as Abu Dhabi, and I still feel like there is a lot I didn’t get to do. It’s one of those places where you could spend an entire week and still want to go back for more. During my visit, my mom and I had a private Dubai city tour in which we saw all the major sites and visited the Gold Souk. It was an awesome experience and we got to learn about the city from a local perspective and take a lot of cool pictures. I would highly recommend that travelers do something similar if you want to see a lot of Dubai but don’t have a whole week to spend in the city exploring on your own. My absolute favorite Dubai experience (besides the Bubbalicious Brunch and 4-hour spa treatment afterwards at The Address Spa) was hands down the Sundowner Safari Tour. We got to explore the desert at sunset, ride camels, smoke sheesha, have henna painting done, and enjoy an authentic BBQ meal while being entertained by bellydancers. I really stepped out of my comfort zone and tried every food and experience offered and I’m glad I did.
Great photo-ops during our private Dubai city tour
Ready to explore the desert during the Sundowner Safari Tour
My Rating: A+ (F meaning I would never, ever, under any circumstances want to go back and A meaning I love this place and would go yearly if I could)
Explanation: Dubai is amazing and I would never turn down any opportunity to visit. On top of that, Emirates is by far the best airline I’ve ever flown, so even traveling to the UAE is a good experience. The fact that I spent 5 days in Dubai and still feel like there is a lot I didn’t see or do is a good thing in my book. I can’t wait to plan my next trip!
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