The world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, dominates Dubai’s cityscape.
A city of records
Soon after arriving in Dubai, you will find that nothing in the city is small. If something is built, it must be the largest, finest, or most special in the world.
When Ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has announced his plans in connection with various projects, many have doubted their realization. Now even skeptics can admire the realization of these dreams.
The city’s most famous landmark is the Burj Khalifa, which opened in January 2010. Rising to the Arabian sky, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. A stunning 828 meter high skyscraper can be seen all over Dubai.
Dubai also has five of the world’s tallest hotels. The tallest of the hotels is the Marriott chain JW Marriot Marquis Dubai, which hurts 355 meters. Built in 2012, the hotel has 77 floors.
Five star hotels are almost commonplace here. That is why the city also has a rare seven-star hotel. The luxurious Burj Al Arab is a once in a lifetime experience if you want to know how the Beckhams live while visiting the city.
Nor can the construction of a palm-shaped artificial island be considered quite normal. The list of records and specialties is endless, and there is no end to the new construction projects planned either.
Shop all week long
For the shopper, Dubai is like heaven. The city has dozens of giant shopping paradises, alongside which our domestic shopping malls feel like convenience stores. The malls are so huge that some of the locals are jogging inside the air-conditioned center when the weather is at its hottest.
Many of the malls are open until midnight. There is anything from discounted items to all the luxury brands in the world.
Although Western goods are priced at European prices, oriental rugs, gold and diamonds, for example, are relatively inexpensive. When buying gold, the power of compromise should not be forgotten. Tailor-made clothes are also cheap and of high quality.
For example, the Mall of the Emirates has just about everything between earth and sky. In addition to hundreds of shops, the center has, for example, an indoor ski center, cinemas and numerous restaurants.
The Mall of the Emirates is the most active of the city’s shopping malls and is well suited for families with children, for example. The site is also conveniently accessible by the new metro.
The largest shopping mall in the world is the Dubai Mall. Its selections are staggering thanks to over a thousand stores. It’s not worth bothering the mall for a little while. Going through it is a huge task that requires a lot of time. It is also worth investing in good shoes, as walking can easily take up to ten kilometers.
The new and interesting shopping center is the Festival Center which is located in the new Festival City area. There you can eat in quality restaurants, shop in numerous shops and have a coffee, for example in the interesting Cafe Ceramic, where you can paint your own pottery and then pick it up the next day.
For the shopper, the absolute best time to travel to Dubai is December-January, when the Dubai Shopping Festival is held, or summer, when it is the turn of Dubai Summer Surprises.
During the festivals, many stores also have huge discounts on branded products. Also open during the Dubai Shopping Festival is the Global Village, a kind of amusement park and trade fair combination. The Global Village has pavilions in different countries where products from that country are sold.
For example, the fragrant Spice Market brings exoticism to the holiday, offering tourists more than tasty flavors. The mood of the market must be experienced by all the senses.
Eating in Dubai
Dubai is one of the rising cradles of culinaryism. In the city, you can eat, for example, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Verre Restaurant or Robert de Niro’s Nobu. There are options from Michelin-level restaurants to low-cost fast food restaurants.
There are many inexpensive buffet options available, with even a larger family eating inexpensively. For less than ten euros, you can eat out and choose from a variety of restaurant options.
Festival City
Festival City is a giant leisure center and just like its own district. Festival City has several different types of residential areas, quality hotels, as well as comprehensive Festival Center shopping services, cinemas and venues for world stars. There is also a quality golf course in the area.
Luxury, style and ease of living are the keywords for Festival City. There is plenty to do in the area, even for the whole holiday.
Glamor The Walkilla
The Walk is Dubai’s number one venue. The magnificent promenade follows the beautiful Jumeirah beach next to skyscrapers and quality hotels.
There are hundreds of shops and numerous good restaurants along the street. In the evening you can sit down for a drink and watch the Ferraris and Porsches flying past.
Jumeirah Beach is a free and free-to-use beach, so it’s nice for The Walk to come and spend the day, even if you don’t live in street hotels.
Desert golf courses
Golf in the middle of the sandy desert sounds amazing, but true it is. There are several really high quality golf courses in Dubai. The city has grown into a popular destination among golfers.
In 2001, Dubai was awarded the Emerging Golf Resort of the Year award. Since then, the development has been tremendous, and in 2008 the city was the golf destination of the year in Africa and the Middle East.
The whole long winter weather is guaranteedly warm and rainless. Those going on a game trip will not have to worry about whether it will rain during the whole holiday and whether they will get on the field at all.
Burj Khalifa touches the skies
Opened in early 2010, the Burj Khalifa is by far the tallest building in the world. Rising more than 800 meters, the tower may not be suitable for a workplace or home that creeps high places.
Tourists have the opportunity to admire the scenery from the observation deck on the 124th floor of the building. From an altitude of more than 400 meters, impressive landscapes open up over the city.
Navigating to the foot of the Burj Khalifa is easy, but because of its size, it also brings its own challenges to the tourist: how can a 828-meter-high tower fit into one image?
Vegas-style fountain
In the evenings, at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, there is a commotion, and the cafes on the sides of the pool in front of the tower are filled. The Dubai Fountain water show, set by the same company responsible for the famous fountain show at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas, is about to begin.
The defiant water columns rising from the center of the large pool rise to a height of 150 meters. The spectacle is completed by 6,600 lights and music adapted to the performance. Water Shows can be admired every night every half hour from 18 o’clock.
In addition to the poolside cafés, a great place to watch the show is the stylish The Address Hotel’s pool bar, which offers great views of the whole area.
The Palm Island
What to do when the shoreline is running low? An artificial giant palm island is built to multiply the amount of the city’s shoreline. One of Dubai’s most famous landmarks is The Palm Palm Island, a palm-shaped island built of sand and stone into the sea.
Its leaves are sprinkled with magnificent houses, each with its own private stretch of beach. In the rampart surrounding Palm, you will find more magnificent hotels such as The Atlantis, which also has a water park and giant aquarium.
The palm tree is so huge that it is best seen from the air. But if the helicopter ride doesn’t fit your budget, you might want to hop on the monorail subway, which runs along the palm trunk all the way to Atlantis Water Park.
THE BEST OF DUBAIN
The sail-shaped Burj al Arab Hotel stands out among the city’s skyscrapers.
The largest in the world in Dubai
- Burj Khalifa – the tallest building
- Dubai Mall – the largest shopping mall
- JW Marriott Marquis Dubai – the tallest hotel
- Dubai Fountain – the largest fountain
The best attractions in Dubai
- Burj Khalifa
- Burj Al Arab hotel
- The Palm Jumeirah
- Atlantis the Palm Hotel
These and other best Beach Ball tips can now also be found in the Wowanders app. Wowanders is the world’s smartest travel diary with tips on hotels, attractions and restaurants. Wowanders also automatically creates a travel diary of your own trip.
