Aloha Dubai!

Dubai, one of the UAE’s most stunning and renowned emirates, proudly holds the title of being the second-largest city after Abu Dhabi. It exudes a remarkable charm through its awe-inspiring architecture and extravagant style, effortlessly combining rich heritage with a modern cultural wonder.

Essential Information:

Language: English, Hindi & Arabic
Currency: Dirham
Climate: In summer, the daytime temperature can reach up to 38°C, dropping to below 28°C at night. During winter, the daytime temperature will be around 26°C, with nights below 22°C
Dress Code: Some attractions may require both men and women to be dressed in covered outfits from head to toe.

Dubai has a wide range of attractions and activities, but not everything will necessarily align with your interests. That’s why planning a customized itinerary is the best approach. Here’s what my itinerary looked like:

Welcoming Stay at Novotel – World Trade Center:

A great location with close proximity to the metro station. The hotel staff, rooms, and food exceed expectations. I was extremely satisfied with the spacious, neat, and clean room, excellent room service, and the overall value for money.

Bhurj Khalifa & The Dubai Mall:

This magnificent structure, towering 800 meters in the heart of Dubai city, offers an incredible experience. Begin your journey at the ground level of the Dubai Mall, where you will be immersed in the captivating history of Dubai. Brace yourself as a high-speed elevator whisks you away to the 124th and 125th floors in no time. From the deck, a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city awaits, allowing you to capture stunning photos and acquire souvenirs to cherish as a memento of your remarkable Dubai trip.
On your way out, don’t forget to explore the Dubai Mall – a city within itself. Inside this air-conditioned city, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep you entertained. The highlight is the massive glass wall that allows you to peer into the giant aquarium. It’s completely free and always attracts a crowd. For a closer, less crowded experience, you can pay to walk through the sea tunnel where you’ll see sharks, stingrays, and other incredible sea creatures.
Another amazing feature is the four-level mall’s cascading waterfall.
Fancy a break from the heat? You can buy a ticket to skate on the Olympic-sized ice rink for 90 minutes, including skates and thick socks.
Finally, make sure to catch the fountain show at the mall. It’s held every 30 minutes from 6-11 pm.

Qsar Al Watan (The Presidential Palace) – Abu Dhabi:

A remarkable cultural and architectural treasure nestled in Abu Dhabi’s Presidential Palace complex.
Its beautiful interiors are decorated with stunning calligraphy and artwork, showcasing the diverse cultural heritage of the country.
Visitors can fully experience the captivating journey of the nation’s rich history and governance through a diverse range of exhibits and galleries
Inside, you will find a variety of captivating attractions waiting to be discovered. Don’t miss the awe-inspiring Presidential Banquet Room, the exquisite Qasr Al Watan Library, the intriguing Presidential Gifts Room, and, of course, the Great Hall.
The prestigious Great Hall, adorned with beautiful chandeliers and exquisite craftsmanship, hosts national events and diplomatic receptions.
The Presidential Gifts Exhibition features UAE leaders’ gifts from foreign dignitaries, reflecting strong diplomatic ties.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – Abu Dhabi:

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is a captivating masterpiece of architecture, boasting a lavish ambiance and extraordinary design.
The first glimpse at the mosque gives the feeling as if the mosque is covered with snow, so pure, so white!
Dress code: Being a functional mosque, the dress code needs to be strictly adhered to. Men are required to cover their knees and shoulders, women are required to wear long sleeves, long trousers & a scarf.
The grand mosque has the capacity to accommodate over 40,000 visitors at once, of which 10,000 can fit in the main prayer hall alone.

The Dubai Frame:

The Dubai frame is so well place encapsulating the contrast of old & new Dubai.
The idea behind this frame was to make the structure look like photo frame, a frame that captures Old Dubai and New Dubai from both sides. This can experienced from the observatory
The glass bridge atop the Dubai frame offers visitors an unforgettable experience. Enjoy the adreline rush while walking on the glass bridge, 93 meters high!

The Miracle Garden & Global Village:

Dubai, known for accomplishing the impossible, has set yet another standard with the Miracle Garden.
The Miracle Garden is the biggest flower garden in the world housing over 150 million flowers.
Everything is just so pretty that you end up taking hundreds of photos. If you like yourself getting clicked, this is the place to be!
All the attractions in the garden are placed in a circle which makes it impossible to miss anything.
The Miracle Garden also holds two Guinness World Records: the largest vertical garden in 2013, and the world’s largest floral sculpture in the shape of an Airbus A380 in 2016.
From the Miracle Garden, within a few kilometers lies the Global Village
Global Village is a multi-cultural park that encompasses 90 countries in one place.
Indulge in a wide range of cultural and entertainment shows. The global village has enough entertainment for adults & children.
Here you will find ample opportunities to fill your shopping bags at each pavilion you step in.
It will take you a good 3-4 hours to explore most pavilions inside the Global Village.
You can either spend your evening shopping or just sit and relax on the lawn.

IMG Worlds Of Adventure

An adventure lover’s paradise. Taking you inside the world of Marvel comics & bringing together cartoon network figures, is the largest indoor theme park in the world – IMG World Of Adventures.
There are 4 zones based on the world’s renowned & much-appreciated entertainment brands.
Every ride in each zone takes you through a journey that best fits the theme.
Amongst all, the Marvel Zone was my personal favourite, rides such as Avengers – Battle of Ultron, Hulk eplison based 3D & The Thor Thunderspin are worth trying.
Quick tip: Buy your tickets ahead of time and it will be wise for tourists to arrive at the park early to beat the crowd and explore every nook and corner of the park at leisure.

Ferrari World – Abu Dhabi

Find that Ferrari feeling as you ride the world’s fastest roller coaster – Formula Rossa. The acceleration from 0 – 250km/hr within 5 seconds gives an adrenaline rush to every inch of your body
With 40 thrilling rides, Ferrari World is a paradise for hard-core adventure seekers and speed junkies.
The Flying Aces rollercoaster is claimed to be the highest rollercoaster loop on the planet. The rollercoaster flies through the loop at a whooping speed of 120km/hour.
If you are big fan of rollercoasters like me, Ferrari world should be on the top of your itinerary while travelling to Dubai.

Museum Of The Future

The motto of the museum is to “see the future, create the future.” It allows the visitor to experience how the future beholds.
This museum’s facade has beautiful Arabic architecture that exhibits many promising concepts that can influence the way we live in the future.
Museum of the Future was built to inspire people to think about the unknown and how they can make it better.
This museum will work as a platform for scientists and researchers from various fields to showcase and share their ideas to create a brighter future, hence the name – Museum Of The Future.