If you’re thinking about your next holiday then the UAE is an amazing choice – as far as unique destinations go, few cities can beat Dubai, so check out our suggestions for some once-in-a-lifetime experiences you won’t forget in a hurry.
Stuff To Do
- Even if staying at one of the hotels is a little out of your budget, you simply must visit the The Palm on Palm Jumeira. 240m above ground, the observation deck offers phenomenal views of the island, the sea and the unique city skyline. Perfect for taking those awesome holiday snaps!
- Deep Dive Dubai is truly one of the most unusual and exhilarating experiences in the city. You can go scuba diving in the world’s deepest pool, that’s been designed to look like a sunken city. Often used by film studios, have fun exploring the different rooms, nooks and crannies and have your own underwater adventure.
- If underwater isn’t your thing, then there’s plenty to enjoy above water. Dubai is renowned for all their fun water sports and Nemo is the place to do it. Rent a jetski, try your feet at flyboarding or enjoy a bit of paddle boarding. Whatever you do, you’re bound to have an awesome adrenalin rush. But if you’d prefer something a bit more chill, you can go for a water tour enjoying the sights of Dubai from the water.
- Water is a bit of theme here, but with good reason. As you’re probably aware, Dubai gets very VERY hot. So unless you hide indoors with the air conditioning, the only other fun way to stay cool is through water activities. And if you’re travelling with kids, then this is perfect – Laguna Waterpark. Little kiddies won’t be able to do stuff like flyboarding so this is the ideal way for them to have their fair share of fun too. Spend the day enjoying the splashy attractions and spend the night by camping under the stars!
- On the flip side of the scale, there’s really no excuse for coming all the way to the desert and not really seeing it! And there are so many fun options for how to explore it – camel riding, a 4×4 safari, quad biking, sand-surfing or enjoying a stunning sunset over the dunes from the vantage point of a hot air balloon.
Things To Eat
- When you’re on holiday, eating shouldn’t be just eating, but a whole new experience. With that in mind, you simply must try the TimeOut Market. This huge food court has everything, from local delicacies, to pizza, to vegan, to wine. Take a gander and try a bit of everything, just don’t fill up too much because…
- …Dubai has some amazing dessert options. Street x Gossip makes dessert an entire spectacle and watching the sweet yummies get made is almost as fun as the eating part! For a more local flavour, you should try the Pistachio and Saffron Sundae at the Sugar Factory or the ultimate traditional dessert – Gulab Jamun – delicious, light sweet fried dough balls and if you try them at the Farzi Cafe, they come with a unique side of liquid nitrogen frozen whipped cream!
- For a truly unforgettable dining experience, you should try the Sonara Camp. This conservation reserve offers you breathtaking views of the desert as you enjoy an exquisite feast. You can reserve a standard table at their restaurant or arrange a private, bespoke experience, further out into the desert. Enjoy a luxury private picnic, sit by the fire under the desert stars and if you’re bushed after your meal, why not camp out in a fabulous nomadic style tent, with all the amenities of a fancy hotel.
- If there’s one word that comes to mind when it comes to the UAE, it’s extravagance. This is not a holiday for the subtle! Besides the dozens of fine dining restaurants throughout the city, including Al Mahara, Nobu and Zheng He’s – check out Squaremeal to see what perks up your appetite – but there’s a particularly unique treat that you can only try in this part of the world. The famous Burj Al Arab hotel serves their legendary 24-carat gold cappuccino! Yes, you read that right. It’ll be the most expensive coffee you’ll ever have, but for £25 you’ll get to enjoy one of the most decadent beverages in the world, complete with legit cold flakes sprinkled on top. They even throw in a boozy marshmallow! The Burj Al Arab restaurants do have a pretty strict dress code, but if you’re coming to drink literal gold, you’re not going to want to rock up in shorts and trainers, are you!