The Making of A Prolific Traveler: Visit to Dubai, UAE
First Impression of UAE
Not going to lie, my senses were not prepared for the awesome bucketlist experience I had in Dubai. Everything in Dubai is of the finest quality, the entire city is designed around tourism and spared no expenses. Dubai currently holds 186 world records, check out my UAE bucketlist below. My first visit was a 3 day visit. Since I was working in East Africa at the time, it was a short 4 hour direct flight. Out of all the “20 Countries in 18 months”, Dubai surprised me the most, continue reading to find out why.
I couldn’t stop bragging about this trip to my family. So, I did what any respectable daughter would, I booked a 7 day all expenses paid trip for my mom and I to experience Dubai and Abu Dhabi at Christmas time. Talk about shop ‘til you drop. We explored the gilts and glam, riding camels in the dessert, visiting the only mosque in Abu Dhabi that allows non-muslims to visit. The tour guide provided abaya (loose-fitting black dress) and shayla (the black scarf which covers head) for the women. We had a traditional lunch at the cultural center, where locals explained the muslim faith and their way of life. I highly recommend you visit Dubai during the suggested months below. After all, UAE is still a desert and off-season temperature get into the 3 digit degree Fahrenheit.
Dubai
Dubai is the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which has allured the attention of the world through large construction projects, and hosting major sports tournaments. It is the world’s eighth safest city with lowest crime rates. Getting around in Dubai is fairly easy. You can hop in Uber, taxi, train, or abras “water taxi” to cross the creek that separates Bur Dubai from Deira. On the train, there are sections/seats that are strictly for women and children. The locals have no problem pointing this out to tourist males that cross this line. Regardless of how you like to travel, there is something exciting and extraordinary for everyone to do. For those multigenerational vacations (grandparents, parents, kids of all ages), you will find lots of hotels with adjoining rooms set up for such vacations. There are tons of kids events at Dubai Mall, the amusement parks at Wild Wadi Waterpark, Acquadventure Waterpark at The Palm hotel to name a few places.
The souks in Dubai is the quintessential feeling and experience of an Arabian open air markets. The hustling and bustling, languages from all around the world, and the price haggling, my absolutely favorite part. The souks are made up of traders and settlers from around the world that brought with them various exports. Even though today, the souks are shadows of their former wonder, they are still an absolute delight. Dubai has a number of souks scattered throughout the city. These souks are bright, colorful and fascinating like any other market place. I’ve picked some of the best souks you should explore.
The Gold Souk
Gold Souk is the largest market of Gold in the world. Each shop’s window is overstuffed with gold necklaces, rings, earrings and brooches. There are a variety of designs available in different shades of gold like pink, white, yellow or green. Dubai gold souk is worth a visit even if you have no interest in buying them; when is the next time you will be surround with such wealth?
Spice Souk
Spice souk is located just next to gold souk of Dubai. When you enter the souk, you are greeted with smells of wonderful spices in the air and colorful collections of incredible spices. This is the place where you’ll find all varieties of spices from cardamom to cloves and from basmati rice to nuts; including tea, shisha and tobacco, pottery as well as baskets.
Perfume Souk
Perfume souk is located just east of the Gold Souk, consisting of thousands varieties of fragrances. Throughout my travels around the world, I found that women from different parts of the world have a proclivity for certain fragrance in their perfume. A woman from the US may prefer a fruity fragrant, one from France may prefer a floral fragrant, and women from the Middle East may prefer spicy fragrant. But regardless of your test, this souk is where you will find them all. The shopkeepers are fairly verse in helping their customers select perfume. The can tell you about the collection of traditional Arabic Ittars (means perfume) and latest perfumes around the world. You can also buy incense from perfume souk, sold in the form of sticks, powder, crystal, rock and wood.
Textile Souk
Old souk / Textile Souk lies over the Creek in Bur Dubai, it consists of a line of redesigned sand-colored stone buildings, covered by wooden roof. Here massive fabrics are offered with wide varieties including silk, cotton, wool, etc. If your hobby or profession is in the fashion space, this is a must for you. The textile Souk can be reached by crossing the water on abra from the Deira.
Meena Bazaar
Dubai is also famous for its intercultural community living together in peace. Indian minority is the biggest in Dubai playing role in the businesses of Dubai. Meena Bazaar is a great marketplace where Indian people can get anything coming from their homeland. Important goods include traditional Indian jewelry, watches, Indian textile and Indian furniture, these are a dozen things being sold in Meena Bazaar but this place will really make you feel as if you were in India.
Dubai Fountains
Dubai Fountain is the world’s largest performing fountain, offering you the opportunity to absorb yourself in a charismatic water, music and light experience. These are submerged within 30 acre Burj Lake, powerful water jets are laid out strategically over an area equal to the size of two football grounds. Every colorful, brighten jet sways in time to music, fountain fire, and classical music plays in sync with the show which takes place every 30 minutes from 6PM daily. Its unique design features five circles of jets which shoot water to remarkable heights which can be observed from over 30 kilometers away, with an addition of thousands of lights and over 20 color projections. Set sail on an abra to the lake to enjoy this iconic water show up close and personal, a scene of visual masterpiece. Other places to view the show will be from any of Dubai Mall stores with balconies facing the fountain. During my first visit, I viewed the show from the balcony of the Apple Store. The second time I visited, I viewed the show from Level 125 of the Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world).
Jumeirah Mosque
Jumeirah Mosque is not only a religious significance in Dubai but is also an essential landmark of the city. The mosque gives insight to Islamic culture and religious values. It is the most photographed landmark especially when lit up in evening. Tour is offered to the non-Muslims for six days a week from Saturday to Thursday at 10:00am. No reservation is needed, but must be modestly dressed and arrival at the main entrance to the mosque at 9:45am. The tour lasts about 75 minutes. Photography inside the mosque is allowed, you can bring a camera for that.
Spa Treatment
So there is one experience on by bucketlist below that deserves an explanation. Before I went to Dubai, I didn’t know what a hammam spa was. But I scheduled one anyway, and I must say, it was a great experience overall. Hammam spa, is very common in the UAE, depending on where you go, it can be Turkish or Moroccan style; but the process is generally similar. Overall process is that you first soak in a pool or sit in a steam room naked or with a bikini, then someone of the same gender will rinse, exfoliate, and massage you. My experience took about 75 minutes. The establishment I visited had a private steam room for just me, but the public ones will have several people of the same gender.
“The best time to visit is between mid-November and early April; December and January is high tourist season. Between May and October months experience 3 digit degree weather during the day. As glamorous as your visit is, you are still in a desert. So hydrate hydrate hydrate!”
BucketList Accomplishment
- Camel Ride in the desert
- Dinner and an Arabian dancing entertainment in the desert
- Dhow dinner cruise on the creek
- Experience on an abra (water taxi)
- Witnessed the largest collect of Gold market in the world
- Visited the largest mall in the world, Dubai Mall
- Visited the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa
- Watch the water fountain show, at Dubai Mall
- Stay at The Palm Hotel
- Walk through 150 million flowers, Dubai Miracle Garden
- Visited Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
- Buy gold from the Gold Souk
- 4×4 drive on the desert dunes
- Naked hammam spa
