The whole world travels to Dubai. This is at least the impression that I have. Recently, we also decided to make this trip for the first time; not because everyone goes, but because we thought it would be fun with the kids. And we were not disappointed!
Dubai (Arabic دبي Dubayy) is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai and the largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the Persian Gulf. Since 2013, Dubai has been one of the most visited cities in the world with up to 14 million foreign tourists annually.
Since our older one (9 years old) is a huge car fan and knows every single car model and its specifications from a felt distance of 1 km, already the ride from the airport to the hotel was an absolute highlight. Supercar garages as far as the eye can reach. Also the ultramodern architecture of the skyscrapers is absolutely fascinating.
We stayed at the legendary Atlantis, situated on the Jumeirah Palm. I knew that it will be big, but - as everything in Dubai - it is just huge. It was quite impressive to drive there in the evening, where you could see the monument from very far away, nicely illuminated and enthroned at the very front of the Jumeirah Palm; like a castle. The theme of the hotel is the lost city of Atlantis. It was the first hotel on the artificially built Palm Island and was opened in September 2008.
Although I prefer smaller and more familiar hotels, it was an experience to be in this hotel. You can choose between about 20 different restaurants, you can conquer the world’s largest waterpark Aquaventure and also explore the stunning Lost Chambers Aquarium …
You could spend days in this hotel only and never get bored. But then you would miss a lot of sights and adventures which are worthwhile. Just to mention a few:
Burj Khalifa: with 828 m currently the tallest building in the world.
Desert Safari, including camel ride, buggy tour and an evening BBQ at a desert camp.
The Dubai Frame: the 150-meter-high structure is shaped like an oversized picture frame. The bridge at the top has a 25m2 glass floor.
Dubai Mall: one of the world’s largest shopping malls.
Deira Gold Souk: one of the oldest markets in the Emirates with a huge selection of jewellery from around the world.
Al Seef: lively neighbourhood on Dubai Creek with lots of restaurants, shops and bars.
Show La Perle which we unfortunately missed.
We have been in Dubai during Ramadan and therefore thought that the city would not be so lively. However, in the evening, the city comes to life and Muslim people celebrate Iftar, the traditional festive dinner with which the fast is broken after sunset.
Best time to visit Dubai is from November to April. We were there in April, but with 48 degrees in the desert it was already borderline.
Dubai is a great experience, also for westerners. Only downside: It is very expensive also for Swiss standards.
Comments