Dubai – A completely fun destination
Dubai is a city of the world, to say the least, and a city that loves to create records so that the world takes notice. From the world’s tallest building to the largest mall in the world, Dubai has it all. Within a few years, Dubai will have yet again re-invented itself in time for the 2020 World Expo. It’s a city that people should see at least once. And then experience it again, perhaps after a few years.
There is much more to Dubai than just the shopping and the gravity-defying, concrete and steel experiences. There are plenty of things to do in Dubai that are not only a lot of fun but also sometimes unavailable or inaccessible in many countries. Some of the best things to do in Dubai that are vastly different from each other:
1 Take a ride in a Limo
If you’ve never been in a limo, this will be an exciting ride for you. My incredible sightseeing experience started from in front of the Dubai Mall in a black Hummer Limousine that can accommodate 12-14 people. Apart from standard limo amenities, the Hummer limo comes with impressive interiors containing everything that one would anticipate from a top-notch private club. We just sat back and revelled in the stunning sights, as we were regally driven past a blend of avant-garde, historic and traditional sights. However, don’t be mistaken as people outside are not ogling at you, but rather at the Hummer Limo, which surely knows how to attract attention, even in a city that is not a stranger to big and fancy vehicles.
2 Navigate in a Yacht
We cruised out of the stylish man-made Dubai Marina on a yacht into the open waters of the Arabian Sea with a number of other guests on board and the captain. Glued to his commanding position at the wheel, he took us around the iconic Palm Jumeirah to see sights such as the Atlantis Hotel and from there across to the 7 Star Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The yacht was halted very close to the Burj Al Arab for us to soak in the beautiful marvel in all its glory. Soon after sun set, we were heading back and passed by a couple of huge, majestic yachts 100s of feet in length with multiple decks and wondered if this journey could never end.
3 Ski in Dubai
Ski Dubai, located in the Mall of the Emirates, is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. Like everything in Dubai, this mountain themed wintery setting is also huge with 22,500 square meters of indoor ski area. At -4 degrees, we enjoyed sightseeing in the chairlift getting one of a kind bird’s eye view of the entire park, spiralling down the tube slides, snowboarding, tobogganing, and meeting the Snow Penguins. Fun for the whole family, the world’s largest indoor snow park provides an unforgettable experience while skiing through fresh snow all year round.
4 Ice skate like a pro
It is not so easy to let go of a fantastic opportunity to experience the thrill of ice skating for the first time, and that too in a beautiful setting of the Dubai Mall. Having prior experience in ice skating is not a must – one can rent the pair of skates and clothing and go on the ice rink slowly progressing around and staying close to the boundary wall for occasional support. After a few minutes, when you get inspired by the numerous tiny tots skating like pros, you can venture into the middle while always maintaining the right balance. The Olympic-size Dubai Ice Rink has become one of the key leisure attractions of Dubai.
5 Diggin’ the Dunes with confidence
Our afternoon excursion took us off-road in a 4×4 SUV for a rollercoaster ride through the desert sands not too far from Dubai city centre. As we watched the tyres sink in the sand and the SUV picking up speed to match our rising confidence, we enjoyed panoramic views of the desert through the twists and turns of the shifting sand dunes. The exhilarating evening ended with a traditional Bedouin meal under the stars while watching belly dancers and the mesmerizing Tanoura dancer twirl and twirl before our eyes.
We spent a week exploring the city and found that it is truly a jaw dropping, fun destination.