Last year I fulfilled one of my ultimate dream travel destinations: Dubai. As I entered my 30s, I had a sudden realization, that from then on, I wanted my trips to be bigger and better. Not that anyone cared. It was all on me and my wanderlust mind to make-up any excuse to travel. But Dubai was the perfect destination to cure a fake ailment.
Lucky for me, my best friend is a former UAE resident and Middle East expert. I took advantage of this connection, and I was very fortunate to travel to Dubai, and experience it beyond the tourist traps and also see it as a local.
My Dubai Top Five:
1 The Desert
I’m a beach girl and I am obsessed with islands and coastal towns. Pretty much anywhere with water in sight. But when in the Middle East, one MUST see the beauty of an Arabian desert, and I’m glad I did because this was the moment I fell in love with Dubai. My first real desert. It was everything I expected and more.
2 The Landmarks
Every great city usually has an iconic landmark or famous structure. London has Big Ben, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Greece has the Parthenon, to name a few. For me, Dubai has Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa. These images have been all over social media, from tourists to celebrities to travel bloggers. When you travel to Dubai, you must see these two majestic landmarks.
- Burj Al Arab – I loved this structure not only because of how cool and unique the building is (and expensive) but also because it is situated on Jumeirah beach! Another way to view it is from the popular tourist spot, Souk Madinat Jumeirah. I’m usually not a big fan of tourist traps, but I wouldn’t mind being trapped in this awesome place! I didn’t even mind overspending. It was one of those ‘I feel like I’m in a movie’ moment. So go ahead, make sure you visit Souk Madinat Jumeriah, overrated or not, it’s definitely worth it.
- Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. Talk about world-class! I cannot even put into words the grandeur of it and no photograph can give it justice. The best time to view this building is at night when it is all lit up. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go up the observation deck since you need to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets were already sold out during my ten-day stay. I definitely will have to do this on my next visit. However, my favorite part of this tour was the Dubai Fountain. This fountain is located just outside of Burj Khalifa. It is by far the best fountain I’ve ever seen and I am a big fan of the classical and contemporary Arabic music that accompanies the dancing waters.
And you thought the Bellagio Fountain was awesome.
3 The Culture
The best part of traveling is discovering new things and meeting new people. I’ve read a lot about Dubai and the Middle East, and watched countless movies and documentaries about the people and culture. But nothing beats experiencing it. Traveling around Dubai does require some knowledge of their culture. It is important to respect the rules and abide by them. Lucky for me, I had local friends and I was able to prepare myself especially when visiting certain places with a strict dress code. Dubai is a pretty modern city but there are still some local areas where the old traditions are still very strong. Below are some of the important things to be mindful about when visiting Dubai and the UAE:
- Call to Prayer
- Dress Code
- Alcohol restrictions
- Curfew
- Being loud
- Public display of affection
- No swearing
- Be mindful of your photography (especially of the people)
- LGBT – UAE is still a pretty conservative country.
4 The Miracle Garden
The Miracle Garden is another one of Dubai’s word-class tourist attractions. Not only was it created to attract tourists but to also create a positive impact on the environment. Its AMAZING flower garden is one of a kind and truly spectacular. During my February visit, the garden’s theme was clearly about Valentines Day and all I can think of was that this must be what the Queen of Hearts’ palace would look like.
For more information please visit Dubai Miracle Garden.
5 Festivals, Fairs & Food
Surprise, surprise, a three-way tie. Dubai is full of many great things and I cannot possibly fit them all in my top five. But I think these three go hand in hand. There are many festivals and fairs all throughout the year but my favorite one has got to be the Global Village!
- The Global Village is a cultural attraction that opens in November and ends in April. This was everything I wanted in one place. And I mean EVERYTHING. The Global Village has more than 30 pavilions representing a different country. It is open to all and provides cultural entertainment, local cuisine, shopping, and so much more! Although, be mindful of certain days like family day where you cannot enter if you’re by yourself. Also, you are not allowed to wear short skirts and shorts inside the village.
No matter how long I stay in one place, there’s just never enough time to fully immerse in the culture and savor every thing this beautiful city offers. I still have a lot of stories and memories to share but that will have to wait for another post. Dubai is definitely a dream destination fulfilled and one heck of a travel memory. One for the books. Shukran, Dubai. And shukran to my Dubai friends and family for being such gracious hosts.
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Jen is a Chicago-based traveler and creative. She is a full-time development & communications executive specializing in non-profit organizations. Originally from the East Coast, she created The Jetsetter as a place to share her travel stories and photos with friends and family. Now, it is a place for adventurers and dreamers. Its purpose is to inspire and encourage busy professionals to see the world and achieve a better work-life balance.