Do you want to be on top of the world, literally ? Do you want to explore the glamorous city life and unleash your shopaholic self ? Then Dubai is exactly what you’re looking for !!! It balances both the contemporary and conventional worlds together in its cradle. From the glistening city lights, one stop shops, unbounded deserts to the glittering gold souks, Dubai encompasses all of this and much more within its arena and beyond. Dubai is a perfect holiday destination because of its proximity from India, hassle-free visa procedures and other formalities, being extremely kids friendly when compared to other foreign destinations.
1. Burj Khalifa
As you are about to land in the heart of the Middle East your inquisitive eyes instantaneously seek to see the tallest structure of the world that stands tall with pride which will make you feel like you have arrived in Dubai. If Dubai is the heart of the Middle East then Burj Khalifa is undoubtedly its heartbeat. It is this iconic structure that exclusively defines its presence among the other structure which look relatively smaller. Burj Khalifa being the tallest building stands at a height of 828 meters and holds a world record of being the tallest building since 2008. If you want to go on the observation deck situated on this magnificent structure to get a birds eye view of Dubai city alongside vast spread deserts then you need to pre-book your slots well in advance on AT THE TOP. Booking in advance will secure your slots and you should not miss out on this opportunity of being on the top of the world !!!
My Suggestion : The observatory decks are situated on 124th, 125th and 148th floor so you can decide as per your choice and budget. Also look out on their website for their prime hours as they are subject to change.
Ever since I planned on visiting Dubai, being at the top of the world was my foremost priority in my Dubai itinerary. Burj Khalifa is situated in the Dubai mall premises so you need to walk for a considerable distance through the Dubai mall for entering the Burj Khalifa building. After passing through the security checks you are divided into groups and directed towards the elevators through a passage that displays a story, facts, people involved and the making of the structure. The elevator takes you upto your respective observatory deck in less than a minutes time and here you are at the terrace of the dreams. The observatory deck made of glass panes offers you 360 degree view of the entire city of Dubai. I visited during the day time likewise you can book your slots to witness the night view as well. The deck is breezy and spacious enough to accommodate good number of people. After the euphoric moment you can get yourself clicked by the professional photographers at a predefined cost. There is a small section dedicated to a souvenir shop wherein you can purchase some Burj merchandise for your own memories or gifting someone back home.
2. Dubai Museum
8.30am to 8.30pm : Saturday to Thursday
2.30pm to 8.30pm : Fridays
It is located in the Al Fahidi Fort being the oldest construction in Dubai. The museum displays life sized statues of the local community and it is set up in such a way that it depicts their way of life in relation to their livelihood, business activities, dressing style and the general culture of the Emirates. Entry free for adults is AED 3 that is approximately INR 54 and for children AED 1 which is INR 18.
3. Dubai Mall
Being one of the biggest malls in the world it is enormous in size encompassing numerous luxurious brands ranging from cosmetics, bakery, food, clothing, handbags, jewelry, shoes, perfumes and much more.
Apart from shopping it also serves other activities Dubai Aquarium, Underwater Zoo, SnowPark, Cinema experience, cafes and kids friendly zone.
The Aquarium has more than 300 species of Marine Animals including sharks and the underwater zoo makes you feel as if you are walking under water surrounded with fishes.
Dubai mall also has Skii Dubai, an indoor ski resort that gives you an experience of a snowy destination in a desert country. The temperatures are maintained between -2 to -4 degrees and there are many rides that you can enjoy the foremost being skiing. They provide you with all the clothing and equipment to sustain and enjoy the freezing temperatures. The Penguin show that happens at fixed times is a delight for kids as they get to interact and be-friend Penguins. It is a must activity if you are travelling with kids.
The timings for Skii Dubai are Sunday to Wednesday 10 am to 11 pm
Thursday 10 am to 12 midnight
Friday to Saturday 9 am to 12 midnight. For the prices please visit their website as various combo offers are available.
The Dubai fountain situated at the very junction of Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa is a delightful fountain show to experience in Dubai. The fountain sprays out water in different patterns and combinations in the air on some catchy music. The fountain is lit with bright lights which enhances the beauty of dancing water. It is free of cost and the show happens every 30 minutes from 6pm to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm to 11pm on weekends that is Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The show goes on for 15 minutes which can be witnessed from every point of the lake promenade and the surrounding buildings.
4. Desert Safari
One of the most popular activities of Dubai is the Dune Bashing or commonly known as the Desert Safari that can be experienced in the Al Avir desert. You need to make prior bookings to ensure slot availability and you will be picked up from where you are located in Dubai City. This is an evening activity starting around 4 pm which goes on approximately till 11 pm which includes complimentary camel ride, henna tattoo making, hookahs, traditional performances like belly dance, tambola dance, fire stunts, etc. All these activities can be enjoyed with dinner which is included in the safari cost itself. The food served in the desert camp is not up to the mark and tasteless for Indian taste-buds so if you wish to carry some light snacks or ready to eat food please do so. Reach well on time for the safari camp activities because the place gets very crowded later in the evening.
Suggestions :- Ensure that you have a light lunch before the Desert Safari to avoid any motion sickness and take necessary precautions if you suffer from the same. Since you will have to walk around in the desert sand avoid wearing shoes. If you suffer from back issues or pain in the spinal cord then prefer sitting in the middle seats of the land cruisers. DO NOT miss out on the beautiful desert landscape when the sun sets.
5. Miracle Gardens
9 am to 9 pm Sunday to Thursday;
9 am to 11 pm Friday and Saturday
True to its name, maintaining worlds largest flower garden with over 110 million flowers in the dessert city of Dubai is a breathtaking miracle. As you enter you will be left awestruck with the blast of various colours attracting you attention.The garden offers a treat to your eyes with mega floral structures like peacocks, a huge clock, castles, boats, floral canopies with umbrellas, heart shaped archways, teddy bears, owls, trains, cards, butterflies etc and the most iconic floral structure that bagged the guinness world record was of the shape of Airbus 380. Miracle gardens can be the best photoshoot hubs for flower enthusiasts. As the garden is spread over 7,80,000 square feet you can hire polo cars that will take you around the garden if you don’t wish to walk but the polo cars do not stop for any photo sessions. Miracle garden is operational from October to April only. Due to the unfavourable weather conditions during summers it does not operate from May to September. Outside eatables and beverages are not allowed but the garden has its own in-house cafes and restaurant services. The unique thing about miracle garden is every year they come up with varied floral structures so you never know what is in store for you when you visit.
Entry fee : Adult 45 AED / INR 810
Child below 12 yrs 35 AED / INR 630
Below 2 yrs : Free entry
Suggestions :- To get good pictures and not get camouflaged with the beautiful background avoid wearing floral prints.
6. Butterfly Garden
Open all days from 9 am to 6 pm
Adjacent to the Dubai Miracle garden is another beautiful area dedicated to butterflies and insects being one of its kind in the world which includes thousands of species of butterflies sourced from various locations. Its a closed area and the best time to visit is morning or afternoon. It is a delightful experience for children as they can hold and click pictures of the butterflies and also feed them. You will be happily surrounded by swarm of butterflies flying all over the place
Rates : 55 AED / 990 INR
Entry is free for children below 3 years and physically disabled
7. Atlantis-The Palm
Atlantis-The Palm is a luxury resort property located at the crest of The Palm Jumeirah Island. Palm Jumeirah Island is a man-made wonder of Dubai. The island is in the shape of a Palm tree with branches protruding out and these branches accommodate some luxurious homes and villas each having their own private beach and also a few hotels and shopping complexes. Few villas belong to some famous celebrities of the world. The best way to visit Atlantis The Palm is by taking the monorail. This monorail runs between gateway station in Al Sofoun to the Atlantis Hotel and Aquaventure Waterpark. As the Dubai metro and the Plam Jumeirah monorail is not connected directly, the best intermediate way to reach the monorail station is by taking the Dubai tram. The advantage of riding on a monorail is that, it stands tall at a considerable height and distance from Atlantis the Palm which gives you an opportunity to gaze around the impressive architectural infrastructure of this beautiful man-made island. Likewise to reach Atlantis you can either book local city cabs which are easily accessible.
The monorail ticket for one way is costs AED 15 / INR 270 and return ticket costs AED 25 / INR 450. The monorail operates between 10 am to 10 pm everyday.
Aquaventure Dubai – If you are a water junky and wish to experience some water rides like aquacado, zoomerango, and a must do leap of faith etc and activities like Atlantis dive discovery, dolphin encounter, marines animals and exhibits and much more then Aquaventure is a place to spend an entire day and make the most of the holidays.
The park is open daily from 10am to sunset and for tickets please check their website as they have various combo offers.
www.atlantisthepalm.com
The food at Aquaventure is included in the ticket cost itself.
8. Bollywood Park
Saturday to Wednesday 2 pm to 10 pm
Thursday and Friday 2 pm to 11 pm
“Agar Bollywood Park ja rahe ho to jee rahe ho tum”
– Emraan, ZNMD
If you wish to fulfil your yearning dream of being in some of your favourite Bollywood movies and experiencing the rides themed on some iconic bollywood movie stories then you have to visit this park which is exclusively about all things Bollywood.
“Gyarah mulkon ki police jis don ko dhoondh rahi hai, woh don tumahra intezzar kar raha hai Dubai keBollywood park mein”
– Don
As we want you all to experience the rides at Bollywood park your way and not reveal the secrets each ride offers, we would like to recommend you two of our favourites and must do rides being Ra.One and Krrish.
“Ham tum mein itne ched karenge ki confuse ho jaoge ki is ride mein baithe ya us ride mein”
– Chulbul Pandey, Dabangg
The two iconic shows that take place in Bollywood park are the stunt show based on Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s movie Dabangg and cinematic journey from the sets of Zoya Akhtar’s movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. These are the only two shows that happen on fixed times throughout the day so if you want to experience this keep the time slots of the respective shows free for the same. You can also enjoy rides based on the movies like Lagaan, Sholay, Don etc. There are Bollywood shows and dance performances going on all day long. The Bollywood park as a whole is an entertainment package which is worth all the time and money. Food served at the restaurants is good and reasonable which is included in the entry ticket itself.
Cost of the tickets for 1 day is AED 175 / INR 3150 (per person)
9. Global Village
Thursday and Friday 4 pm to 1 am ;
Saturday to Wednesday 4 pm to12am
Global Village true to its name is truly Global as you can experience the culture of at least 27 countries at a single place. It is one of the Dubai’s “ALL IN ONE” place for entertainment, shopping and dining. The entertainment includes concerts, dance performances and some traditional stunt shows that you can enjoy while you shop and wander around this massive area assigned to different countries of the world. It is one of the world’s largest tourism shopping, leisure and entertainment project. You can shop for some authentic spices, dry fruits, traditional textiles, footwear, handbags, jewellery, artefacts, souvenirs, sweet meats, etc. All the things on display are usually sourced from their respective countries for which huge stalls are allotted. You can also experience Thai Spa therapies at an area dedicated to Thailand. The Yemen area is popular for its Spices and the China stall serves authentic chinese cuisine and so on for other numerous countries. There is a little boat ride that can be taken around the Global Village which gives you the feels of Venice. There is a corner allocated for funfair activities for children. As this place is very widespread it may be a little difficult for senior citizens to walk around but it is worth exploring as much as you can. Families with small children can take prams on hire available at the counters. There are food stalls dedicated to different cuisines all over the world so you can select from a variety of spread according to your taste and preference.
Global village usually runs between the months of November to April every year with a minimum admission fee of AED 15 / INR 270 and it is free for children below 3 years and senior citizens.
10. Gold Souk
Gold Souk i.e. the gold market is located in the Dubai’s commercial district, Deira. Dubai is very synonym to gold so if your budget permits then you can definitely go on a gold shopping spree at the Gold souk consisting of over 300 retailers. Even if you don’t wish to purchase gold you can just take a stroll around the old gold market and be spellbound by the bling around you. You can take any local transport to reach the Gold souk. We took the traditional boat ride to cross the creek from Bur Dubai to reach the Deira district of Dubai.
11. Dhow Dinner Cruise
To witness the glittery panoramic night life of Dubai you can board onto the Dhow cruise for your one of the most happening Dinner evenings in Dubai Marina. You can enjoy your Dinner while cruising through the fascinating tall structures decorated with sparkly rides making the town look gleamy and glamorous. The dinner cruise offers amazing buffet dinner with variety of desserts and some local dance performances and live singing jam as entertainment. The cruise begins around 8pm in the evening and it cruises you around the Dubai Marina for a good two hours. You can board the cruise from Deira creek behind National Bank of Dubai and next to the Sheraton Creek Hotel. Every Dhow cruise operating at Dubai Marina is priced differently as per their standards and hence you can book your preferred cruise online as per your budget.
12. Visa Procedures
As of 1 May 2017, Indian nationals holding a normal passport valid for a minimum of six months from the arrival date, and a visit visa or green card issued by the USA which is valid for a minimum of six months, can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 14 days for a charge of AED 120 / INR 2,160 (subject to change). They can apply to extend their stay for an additional 14 days for AED 250 / INR 4,500 (subject to change)
Visa formalities and requirements keep changing at different intervals of time, so please keep yourself updated with the visa procedures during your time of visit to the UAE.
To know about the latest visa procedures visit http://www.dubaivisa.net/online/
Sheraton Creek Hotel. Every Dhow cruise operating at Dubai Marina is priced differently as per their standards and hence you can book your preferred cruise online as per your budget.
Visa Procedures
As of 1 May 2017, Indian nationals holding a normal passport valid for a minimum of six months from the arrival date, and a visit visa or green card issued by the USA which is valid for a minimum of six months, can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 14 days for a charge of AED 120 / INR 2,160 (subject to change). They can apply to extend their stay for an additional 14 days for AED 250 / INR 4,500 (subject to change)
Visa formalities and requirements keep changing at different intervals of time, so please keep yourself updated with the visa procedures during your time of visit to the UAE.
To know about the latest visa procedures visit http://www.dubaivisa.net/online/
