Several months have already passed since we visited the Middle East in November 2016. Our complete itinerary consisted of five days in Dubai, a day trip to Abu Dhabi and then a couple of days in Oman. Today, I give you a succinct overview on the things we explored, the places I can recommend to eat as well as how to get around. This is by no means a complete list of things one can do in Dubai. However, I hope to give you ideas and point you to a few lesser known places that you can put on your Dubai travel list.
What To See And Do
The Dubai Mall is the largest mall in the world (by area). There are tons of shopping, dining and entertainment options there. It’s like a little village with artificial lakes. You could easily spend five days in Dubai without ever leaving this area, although I certainly wouldn’t recommend that. At night, it can get very, very crowded though. However, I would still recommend going at night where you can watch the water games in front of the blinking Burj Khalifa.
The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. We didn’t go to the top but you certainly can. Beware though, it oscillates!
If you’re tired of all the fancy architecture and the hustle and bustle, go to Creek Park. It’s a rather quiet park along the creek – perfect for a little stroll along the water or a leisurely picnic.
The Jumeirah Mosque is probably the most famous and most photographed mosque in Dubai. It’s also the only mosque in Dubai non-Muslims can visit. I didn’t go inside but it’s definitely worth to visit just to marvel at the beautiful building.
Go to Dubai Old Souq Marine Transport Station, visit the textile souq there if you’re looking for fabrics and then take one of the several little ferries over to the other side of the creek. I have to say that this was probably my most favorite thing I did in Dubai. This little ferry ride felt special and as if I was in the “old” Dubai – a truly special moment.
Once you’re on the other side, check out one of the souqs selling gold, spice or perfume. It’s not really my thing because shop owners are insanely intrusive and there’s no chance you can look at something without someone approaching you and trying to sell. But if you’re into that sort of thing and take pleasure in the act of higgling, go for it, you may have just found your heaven.
Dubai City Walk is an outdoor mall with lots of changing art installations, galleries and some eateries. A great spot to take photos, wander around (especially at night around sunset) and soak in some art.
The Ibn Battuta Mall is special because of its six different courts who are designed after countries the great explorer Ibn Battuta visited on his travels. It’s fun to walk through Tunisia, Egypt, Persia, India, China and Andalusia.
Alserkal Avenue is a design hub consisting of warehouses remodeled into little galleries, creative stores and little eateries. It’s an interesting place. Unfortunately, I visited at night where most of the spaces had already closed for the day.
Eat
Omnia Blue is great for a relaxed and quiet dinner. They have vegetarian and gluten free options and a nicely designed interior. I would recommend sitting outside though and overlooking the quiet Jumeirah Fish Harbour. It’s very off-the-beaten path and you won’t find any tourists there.
Ping Pong Dim Sum in the Dubai Mall is great if you’re craving Asian food. They have a separate vegetarian and gluten free menu and an-all-you-can-eat offer on Fridays.
Comptoir 102 is a hip place combining a concept store, vegan cafe and organic grocery market. It’s a nice place to hang out, take some photos for Instagram and sip a smoothie. The food is ok too but the portions could definitely be bigger.
La Farine at the JW Marriott (the hotel we stayed at) saved us on our first day. We arrived later in the evening and were starving. Most restaurants are closed around that time and so we got very lucky that this French restaurant is open 24 hours. We had the quinoa salad with added salmon and the sweet potato fries. Delicious and life saving.
On Getting Around
Dubai Metro is the only public transportation I can/would recommend for getting around in Dubai. It’s relatively new and easy to use with just two lines. That said, it is mostly good for traveling larger distances in Dubai. I wouldn’t rely on the metro only if you want to explore the many things Dubai has to offer. The stations are very modern and clean. The thing I liked about them the most was that they were all equipped with public restrooms!
Buses are not as reliable as the metro in my experience. The one time I wanted to take the bus I waited for it for approximately 30 minutes and then gave up. I don’t know if this was just an exception though.
Uber, taxis or renting a car is probably your best option if you want to be independent and explore the area on your own schedule. It’s also a great way to beat the heat.
Dubai is definitely not a city where you can do a lot of walking. If you’re in certain areas like downtown you can indeed walk for stretches. However, distances in Dubai tend to be very far and the infrastructure generally doesn’t allow for pedestrians as there are almost never any sidewalks.
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After our stay in Dubai we rented a car and visited Abu Dhabi and then went on our difficult and adventurous road trip to Oman. Stay tuned for upcoming posts!
Have you ever been to Dubai or another country in the Middle East?
