Dubai isn’t just about glitz, glamour and shopping. It’s one of the most unusual destinations on earth, with a hard and fast focus on the biggest, tallest and most expensive – and that includes buildings, hotels, malls, skating rinks, aquariums… you name it, it’s bound to be bigger in Dubai! But there are a tonne of things outside of shopping that make it a fabulous, diverse and eclectic place to visit.
Ski on real snow
Yep, in the middle of the desert you can enjoy real snow skiing all year round at the astoundingly majestic Ski Dubai indoor ski complex – find it in the Mall of the Emirates shopping complex. Ski Dubai has five runs, including the world’s first indoor black run. It is, of course, the largest indoor snow park in the world at 3,000 square meters and offers fun for all the family, beginners and experts alike.
Image source: The Playmania
Go to the very top with the Burj Khalifa experience
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you’ll have heard of the Burj Khalifa – officially the world’s tallest building at 528m high. Travel up to the 124th floor and experience for yourself what vertigo really feels like on its Observation Deck.
During the journey to the top you’ll be entertained by a multi media presentation on Dubai’s history and the story of the Burj Khalifa itself. The Observation Deck itself is made entirely from glass, giving you a 360 degree view of Dubai, the surrounding desert and ocean. There is also an open air terrace if you want to get a different vantage point.
Eat at the world’s highest restaurant
A couple of floors down on floor 122 of the Burj Khalifa, the At.mosphere restaurant offers guests an exclusive fine dining restaurant and lounge – if you can stomach the views! At 422m altitude, the world’s highest restaurant will give you views over downtown Dubai and the world’s tallest performing fountains.
Ride horses in the desert
Join the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club for a hack into the desert and enjoy the sight of the sun rising or setting over the endless dunes. The Desert Hack set off into the desert either early in the morning or late in the evening and give you a once in a lifetime chance to come face to face with the wildlife of the area, including wild gazelle.
Take a seaplane over Dubai
Seawings offer aerial sightseeing tours of Dubai on a seaplane – experiencing takeoff and landing on water is a first for most people and a totally exhilarating way to see Dubai.
Experience Dubai’s Al Dhiyafah Road
Here you’ll find restaurants catering to the city’s many less affluent residents. You can take your pick from food from Lebanon, Iran and the Indian subcontinent. Succulent lamb and fresh seafood straight from outdoor grills, or try Ravi Restaurant, one of the city’s best regarded curry houses.
Haggle for gold
A stroll through the Gold Souk is a must. The stores also stock platinum, diamonds and sometimes silver, and as the government keep tight control over the quality of all the merchandise, you can know for sure it’s genuine. But make sure you barter.
Experience traditional Dubai
A lot of the original city has been demolished in order to build, build, build, there is one neighbourhood left that is reminiscent of the quiet fishing village Dubai once was. The Bastakia Quarter, in between the Dubai Creek and the Bur Dubai district, is a maze of towered buildings. Some of these are now art galleries and cafes and it’s well worth a visit. You can see contemporary art from across the Gulf at the XVA Gallery and then take a walk through the textile souk.
To help you organise all of the above:
Once you’re in Dubai, the easiest way to organise everything you want to do is with a local Dubai SIM card. This gives you a local phone number as well as local rates for calls, texts and data, making it cheap and easy to get the most out of your trip to the weird, wonderful world of Dubai.
