Every year for one reason or another, the city that enters the Guinness Book of World Records is Dubai from the United Arab Emirates. Many people may remember the dialogue “Dubai jamu teka dao,” meaning “Give me money, I will go to Dubai,” in a drama on our childhood. After listening to this dialogue, many people will think that going to Dubai is required a lot of money. To be honest, Dubai is really an expensive place. It is a dream and attractive tourist city for travelers from different countries around the world. Upon entering Dubai, one can easily visualize the luxurious images of skyscrapers, dazzling colorful lights, rugged deserts, artificial islands, and luxury urban living. There are many things to enjoy in this city of desert country. One of the elite airlines in the world, Emirates, attracts millions of passengers to Dubai every day. From natural sightseeing options or infrastructural marvels, Dubai offers something for everyone. If you want to witness the world’s tallest buildings, glittering shopping malls, and an abundance of luxury all around, then Dubai is the best destination. Today’s article is based on my experience traveling to Dubai just before the outbreak of Covid 19.
Preparation:
Even if I plan to travel to Dubai due to having a transit in Dubai to travel to Egypt, the attraction of Dubai is not less for me. For me, it was actually killing two birds with one stone. That’s why I don’t have to book a separate flight ticket. However, due to the Covid 19, I had to spend some extra money to cut the Egypt-Dubai and Dubai-Dhaka flights by three days to shorten the trip and return home early. Although the trip to Dubai was planned before leaving for Egypt, my preparation started after finishing my trip to Egypt. After traveling with Nawshad Bhai’s group in Egypt, I also decided to travel with them to Dubai. However, on the first day of my arrival in Dubai, I met a distant Babul uncle who is a resident of Dubai. After spending a day with him, I joined the Nawshad brothers at the hotel the following afternoon. Everyone took complete rest that day, and the next morning we started to explore Dubai.
Sightseeing:
While Dubai is known for its great infrastructural splendor, Dubai is also blessed with natural beauty that can be enjoyed for free or at minimal cost if chosen wisely. The city is famous for many exciting places and adventures, including Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Dubai Mall, Palm Jumeirah Island, Skydiving, Desert Safari, Marina Cruise, Miracle Garden, Quranic Park, and Promise Bridge. Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah are the biggest attractions of Dubai, and many tourists repeatedly fly from their home countries to Dubai to enjoy these two places. If you want to go to Dubai, Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah are central to your dreams and interests.
Burj Khalifa: Burj Khalifa is known as the landmark building of Dubai, which is famous for being a seven-star hotel, mosque, entertainment center, nightclub, apartments, offices, and the world’s highest observation deck at the same time. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens and artificial fountains, including the world’s tallest artificial fountain, the Dubai Fountain, modeled after the Bellagio Fountain in Las Vegas. It is currently the tallest artificial structure in Dubai and the world. Also known as Dubai Tower, it is undoubtedly the most spectacular and attractive place in the UAE for tourists. The building rises so high off the ground that people here can see the sunrise and sunset at different times even though they are in the same building. Not only the height, the nobility and eye-catching architecture of Burj Khalifa will captivate you in an instant.
The Dubai Mall: The Dubai Mall, located next to the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, is a dream destination for shopping lovers. Dubai Mall is impressive, and all shops and interiors are eye-catching. You will stop again and again as you go around. You are bound to wonder how it was made, how many days it took to make this thing, and how much it cost. You will find all the world’s famous big brand stores here. Although the price is a little high, you can buy something.
Burj Al Arab: Burj Al Arab, the world’s only luxury seven-star hotel, is built on an artificial island in the sea next to Jumeirah Beach, much like a sailing ship or a whale. This luxurious hotel’s state-of-the-art royal interior, spectacular aquarium, and exquisite interior design will leave you in awe. Renowned worldwide for its extremely high level of service, the hotel’s silhouette, reminiscent of a vast fleet, has become a towering metropolitan beacon.
Palm Jumeirah: Dubai’s Palm Island is one of the world’s most famous artificial islands. Three artificial islands have been created in the ocean to develop the tourism industry and attract tourists, one of which is Palm Jumeirah. The island on the sea is arranged to look like a palm tree from above and visible from space. Such an attractive island cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Skydive: Worldwide, many countries have Skydive; however, ‘Dubai Skydive’ is an exception compared to others. Book online 2-3 days in advance if you want to skydive in Dubai. Skydiving means you get to experience the beauty of the world differently. After jumping from the plane, the view of Dubai from the top of Palm Jumeirah is impressive.
Dubai Gold Souk: The country where pure gold is available at the lowest price in the world is the United Arab Emirates, and Dubai residents themselves claim it as the land of gold. If you are interested in getting lost in the kingdom of gold, you should go to Deira Dubai’s Gold Souk, the world’s largest gold market. One of the specialties here is that the items made of gold are undoubtedly pure. The best things are available here at the lowest prices.
Quranic Park: The Quranic Park has been built to present the beauty and miracles of the Qur’an to people of other religions and cultures apart from Islam. The park has all the plants and biodiversity mentioned in the Quran and impressively depicts the miraculous events described in the Qur’an.
Miracle Garden: In the poet’s words, ‘with love and care, flowers can bloom even in the desert.’ However, this famous saying also has reality in Dubai, where love and care have made the impossible possible. In the hot sands of the desert, where trees are hard to find, flower gardens have been developed and named ‘Miracle Gardens.’ This world’s most extensive flower garden, made of nature’s flowers and leaves, is like a paradise for nature lovers. You can’t understand how many wonders and beautiful structures can be created with flowers without seeing the Dubai Miracle Garden. Even entering here, no one can tell whether they are in a desert country or an evergreen garden.
Desert Safari: Dubai Desert Safari is remarkable and enjoyable to visit the natural landmarks of Dubai. It is a unique experience introducing the tourists to the local lifestyle and natural beauty. Locals and tourists from different countries travel around the desert by renting a car called Desert Safari in Dubai. You must book in advance to take this ride which is great fun for anyone. Later, they will pick you up from the hotel and drop you back at the hotel after completing the Desert Safari. Although it may seem like a luxury in the Bedouin way, you will witness a great experience on this ride.
Cost:
Initially, the cost of a trip starts from booking the flight. While booking your ticket, you need to choose the flight carefully. As I was traveling to Dubai on my way back from Egypt, I did not need to book a separate ticket to Dubai. However, it cost me 12000 BDT to advance the date by three days. Since Uncle Babul is a bachelor, I stayed in a hotel in Deira Dubai on the day I met him, and the rent in that hotel was 250 dirhams. The hotel I stayed in with the Nawshad brothers was 100 dirhams per person daily. If you want to get Dubai’s authentic taste, flavor, and culture in one dish in a genuine Dubai setup, then you must visit Old Dubai. Moreover, at least 12-15 dirhams per meal can be eaten in budget Indian restaurants. Dubai is known for its world-class infrastructure. The city has excellent low-cost transportation options, such as the metro system.
Some Essential Tips for Dubai Tour:
- The best season to visit Dubai is from April to August, and airfare is at its lowest during this time. However, the heat is bearable from November to February.
- Book your plane tickets at least one month before departure for a discount. Early-morning and late-night flights tend to be relatively cheap.
- Finding and booking budget hotels wisely while booking travel plans in Dubai is essential.
- Hiring a private taxi or cab in Dubai is very expensive. So using the metro will be the cheapest to travel anywhere within Dubai.
- Be smart when choosing food, and Indian restaurants are great if you want to eat cheaply.
- The temperature in Dubai is very hot, and you will be very thirsty. There are many vending machines on the roadsides where you can collect water.
- If you go to a shopping mall, definitely take a whole day because you can’t see much in 2/4 hours.
- When you go shopping, forget the shame and ask about the discount. Shopping from Al Karama Market is the best option for a low budget.
- Research and find out the various discount offers available in the city.
- Like all developed cities, Dubai is very clean. If you litter here and there, you can be fined heavily.