If you don’t know why I was only in Dubai for 24 hours, check out my earlier post explaining what prompted this adventure…
We arrived to Dubai on a 113 degree balmy day during Ramadan. Basically, for us as tourists, Ramadan meant that we needed to dress more conservatively than we usually would have to in Dubai during any other time of year (no shoulders or knees showing), and that we could not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public from sunset to sunrise. By the time we got to our hotel it was nearly 8pm, so we figured we would try to go out and find a place to have a nightcap. This wasn’t as easy as one might think given the religious holiday. Eventually, after we asked around, we found an Irish bar that was open, served alcohol and was filled with ex-pats now living in Dubai.
The next morning, we rose early so that we could get a full day of sightseeing in before heading to India. After walking around a bit and getting our bearings, we decided to take a boat ride to cool down.
On our boat ride down the Dubai Creek
The Dubai Creek runs through the city and there are many boats waiting for tourists to hop on for a ride. We chose one we liked, negotiated a price and off we went! Since it was so hot (and we couldn’t drink water outside because of Ramadan) the breeze felt great. After walking around the city, the heat (and lack of water) began to get to us so we headed to the world famous Dubai Mall for some window shopping (and air-conditioning).
Fountain inside the Dubai Mall
The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest mall housing over 1,200 stores as well as an aquarium and an ice rink. Near the mall, you can spot the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest man-made structure at 2,722 feet tall.
Burj Khalifa
After some window shopping and taking obligatory pictures in front of the Burj Khalifa, we headed to another “record holder”, the Burj a la Arab, a hotel that touts itself as the “most luxurious hotel in the world” and a “7 star hotel.” The hotel itself was not anything how I imagined it would be… I anticipated Ritz-Carlton-esque decor with chandeliers and gold leafing. I was surprised to find the decor to be almost garish in my opinion, resembling a fun house straight out of the 1980’s.
Lobby at the Burj a la Arab
You’re unable to check out the hotel unless you eat a meal there, so we opted for the cheapest option and had afternoon tea at the hotel (that came with a hefty price tag of about $100.00 per person).
Tea at the Burj a la Arab
This said, it wasn’t your typical tea – it was eight courses of deliciousness with a spectacular view. You could even see Dubai’s man-made Palm Island (literally, in the shape of a palm tree) from the tea room.
View from the Tea Room
Following our tea time, we had just enough time for a quick visit to the gold souk and spice souk before heading to the airport.
Spice Souk
Quite honestly, 24 hours was enough for me to realize that Dubai and I just didn’t click. I’m typically one that travels for culture and beauty. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but personally, I don’t find beauty in tall skyscrapers and large shopping malls. Thus far, Dubai has been my least favorite travel destination. Granted, we didn’t visit Dubai during the best time for tourists since it was Ramadan, but I think if I were to head back to the UAE I would be more prone to plan a trip to Abu Dhabi over Dubai.
Have you been to Dubai? How did your experience differ from mine?
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January 25, 2015
It’s amazing what a wonderful job you did putting together an article after visiting a place for only 24 hours. I spent most of 2011 living in Dubai as a government contractor . I stayed at a luxury hotel near the Mall of the Emirates. I know exactly what you’re talking about with Ramadan. A person can be arrested for sipping orange juice in daylight hours if done in public. Despite all this, Dubai does have some noteworthy places of interest. You just have to keep in mind that it’s a city that was literally a desert wasteland only a couple decades ago . Great post!
John Cutler recently posted…Zipping Through the Gorge
January 25, 2015
That’s true! And, I know that there’s a LOT I didn’t get to experience.
February 9, 2015
A friend of mine felt the same way about Dubai when she traveled there. I can definitely see where you’re coming from. It sounds like you still got a good understanding about the city in a very short time.
Kacy recently posted…DC: Anju at Mandu
February 9, 2015
Yes, it seems it’s a city that most people tend to love or hate. Even though I was just there for a short time, it was long enough to tell it just wasn’t “my type” of place!
February 25, 2015
I still have mixed feelings about Dubai. I didn’t love it but I didn’t exactly hate it. I was there for about 10 days last summer and I just felt like I was in the tiny bubble, away from reality. Just like you, I don’t find any beauty in skyscrapers or malls but I was just in awe at how wealthy people seem to just spend money of ridiculous things just because they can. I did go to the other emirates as well and it’s completely different! Definitely worth a visit!
Nussaibah Raja recently posted…10 Reasons Why My Workaway Experience in Northern Cyprus was Incredible
February 25, 2015
Yes, it certainly seems like an entirely different world, doesn’t it!?
March 2, 2015
I think the lure of Dubai has to be in the love of the amazing architectural feats that have been created. Is it a place where you wander through the streets interacting with the locals, perhaps not. However I have had Dubai on my list forever due to my incarnation as an Architectural Photographer, Location Scout/Manager and now finally Travel Writer. I think I’m pretty prepared for what I will experience so I’m not expecting to be let down…..unless of course those pastries weren’t any good 😉 So do share, how was tea…besides the high price tag.
March 2, 2015
The pastries (and the whole tea experience) was spot on, Nancy! And yes, I agree with you that the modern architecture is fantastic if that’s what you’re going for. 🙂
March 29, 2015
I just found out my brother is moving to Dubai! :/ I had to read your analysis…
Hope all is well, lady! xoxo
March 30, 2015
I only had a quick day there, so you’ll have to let me know how he likes it (or, how you like it if you visit him). Hope all is well with you! 🙂
May 29, 2017
Oh wow, thank u so much for those Tipps. I was so happy to see rose apples on the intro picture…My favorite ones. I didn’t now that I can get them in Indonesia. What do you think how many days I should stay in Jakarta. I am in lombok now, but my plane will leave in 3weeks from Jakarta. Thank you