Dubai
Dubai is a land of jaw-dropping excess. A settlement that hardly existed 100 years ago today boasts the world’s tallest building, man-made islands, desert skiing, and the world’s first self-proclaimed seven-star hotel.
Activities and Attractions:
Everywhere you look in Dubai you see shimmering modernity and opulence. Luxury hotels and business centers are seemingly everywhere. But traces of the old Bedouin life can still be found in the historic Bastakiya District. In addition, the Al Fadihi Fort, Dubai’s oldest building, has stood sentinel over lonely dunes since 1799. At the Spice and Gold Souks (markets), you can explore frankincense-scented passageways and haggle in the traditional way over spices, souvenirs, and fine gold jewelry. (Be sure to check the price of gold before you go so you have an idea of where to start negotiating.) You can also get an overview of the area’s cultural history at the Dubai Museum.
For a view of how life is lived today in Dubai, head for the (blissfully air-conditioned) mall. Shopping is practically a national sport in Dubai. There is even a Shopping Festival that stretches from December to February, during which malls stage fireworks, entertainment extravaganzas, and free raffles to lure shoppers. The Mall of the Emirates is the largest in the Middle East, and offers many high-end brands. For architectural razzle-dazzle, visit the Ibn Battuta Mall, where each wing is devoted to a different national architectural tradition. A perennial favorite is Deira City Centre, with 1.2 million feet of retail where you can purchase everything from a movie ticket to a Lexus.
It might surprise you to discover that this Middle-Eastern enclave is crazy for Western sporting events. The emirate hosts the Dubai Tennis Championship every winter, which usually attracts the biggest names in the game (Roger Federer and Andre Agassi once staged an exhibition match on the roof of their hotel.) It’s also home to the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, where every year the greats of the game vie to see who can come in second to Tiger Woods.
Naturally, there are plenty of opportunities for amateurs to play golf and tennis too. You’ll also find some other sporting options you might not have considered, like off-roading on sand dunes, sand-boarding, camel racing (a spectator sport), and perhaps most surprisingly, skiing: No matter what the temperature outside, the sprawling Mall of the Emirates offers indoor skiing and snowboarding on man-made snow. (Admittedly, the 200-foot vertical drop is not exactly black-diamond territory.) The generally calm waters of the Persian Gulf make for excellent boating, and scuba diving around wrecks and reefs is also possible.
Insider Tip:
Timing is everything in Dubai. Many travelers plan their visits to miss the summer months, when daytime temperatures can top 120 degrees. In addition, you may want to think twice about visiting during Ramadan, when public daytime eating and drinking are strictly forbidden for an entire month, even for non-Muslims. (Ramadan follows an Islamic lunar calendar, and takes place at a different time every year.) Finally, when planning weekend activities, remember that the traditional days off in Dubai are Thursday and Friday.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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