Dubai: Sun Sand and Skyscrapers

Rising from the barren landscape of the Arabian Desert and flanked by the Persian Gulf, Dubai is a city of ridiculous extravagance and unbelievable opulence. Outside the architectural smorasborg, a mere 30 minutes will take you to the desert where exhilarating adventures are aplenty. Regardless of your political or social beliefs, this is a cool city. Here's what you need to know.

Getting around:

Taxi

This is what we used most of the time around the city. Prices are reasonable, and cabs take cash only. Some did accept US Dollars, which was nice, especially on our first day in the city before we went and did some exchanges.

Uber

We never used Uber, but it is available in Dubai if you'd need to use it. But Dubai is weird in the sense that it isn't necessarily pedestrian friendly, and the areas that are tend to be further from main streets, so I feel like there could definitely be times where Uber would be somewhat challenging. 

What To Do:

Desert

No trip to Dubai would be complete without experiencing the Bedouin lifestyle of the desert. We did this experience completely wrong though. We booked a tour which was advertised as one with camel riding, sand boarding, quad biking, dune bashing, and dinner. What we got was essentially a shuttle taking us from one tourist trap to another, culminating in a dinner experience with literally thousands of other tourists. And to top it off, the sand boarding and camel riding were add-ons to the trip and we would have had to pay extra along with wait in long lines to experience it. Suffice to say, I was very frustrated with the tour we booked (got it through Viator, here's the link so you know what NOT to do: https://www.viator.com/tours/Dubai/Dubai-30-Minute-Quad-Bike-Ride-with-Evening-Safari-Sand-Boarding-and-BBQ-Dinner/d828-31687P20 ). 

Instead, I would recommend spending the extra money and doing a more personal desert tour, such as Platinum Heritage tours. On the bright side of things for me, this gives me a VERY strong reason to return and truly experience the essence of the desert rather than a touristic facade of what this beautiful region has to offer.

Burj Khalifa

Check out my post on my dining experience at At.mosphere to see how to experience being on top of the world while also enjoying a great meal and skipping the long lines, but for those who don't care to pay the extra money, be prepared for what looked like a miserable time, at least from the outside. We walked by the place where you would buy tickets and wait to go to the top and let me tell you, it was an absolute zoo. Regardless, going to the top of the world's tallest building is simply a must when you visit Dubai, and learning about the construction and architecture of the building is definitely interesting no matter what your background is.

It's tall. Very tall.

Dubai Mall

This is something to simply to walk through before or after your visit to the Burj Khalifa. Check out the fountains outside to see how Dubai just dominates Vegas in terms of going big or going home. Stop in at any of over 1,200 stores-also the most in the world. See the beautiful fountain with sculptures of people diving down it. Definitely beautiful, but frankly, in this case, pictures DO it justice. It isn't THAT impressive in person, unlike the fountain show or the sheer size of the mall. Other than that, this is very much akin to malls you'll find in America, so I would avoid spending much time in here unless you want to do things like go to the "Underwater Zoo" or go ice skating (both of which are in fact offered inside the mall).

Wild Wadi

My dad refused to go because he claimed this was "just another water park". But boy, let me tell you, he was so very wrong. This place is totally awesome. Water slides that go upwards almost the entire time, massive drop slides, tube rides that through you from huge bowl to huge bowl, and a relaxing lazy river to name a few. We also went as soon as it opened, at 10 o'clock, and didn't have to wait for anything, which made it that much more fun. So whether you have a kid with you or still have that kid inside you, Wild Wadi is a great time. Plus, it provides fantastic views over this area of Dubai, not to mention the gulf and Burj Al Arab.

Bastakiya Area

This small historical district provides insight to the architecture and the lifestyle in Dubai from back in the day. We found it to be somewhat boring, but regardless, walking around for 30 minutes or so had its merit. It's definitely an escape in its own right from the modern hustle of Dubai, and there are cute little courtyards and restaurants to stop in at to escape the heat of the city, so definitely make your way here before going across the creek in an abra to the souk area (this is definitely a must-plus its super cheap)

I clearly enjoyed the narrow alley-ways through the Al Fahidi historical area of this Bastakiya region.

Gold Souk

Not quite what we expected, but incredibly nevertheless, the Gold Souk, along with the Spice Souk, were definitely an experience. We had some sick folk with us during our time here so we weren't able to fully immerse ourselves in the art of this cultural capitalism on display, but we still got a pretty good taste of what there was on offer. A few warnings though before you go. One, the vendors are pesky. Like seriously aggressive. Personally, I loved it. I loved the passion they had to sell. I find it endearing. My sister on the other hand had enough of it after not even 5 minutes. So the best thing to do is to simply not respond to them when they approach you. Saying "no" actually gives them hope. Then they'll ask where you're from. And you'll answer because you're nice. And from there they'll follow you until you get back to the hotel if you have to. So keep that in mind. Also, realize that this is quite the modern version of a souk. There are stores with signs, and while that does show the validity of the salespeople, it does take away a bit of the culture and heritage of the city. And lastly, the Gold Souk is expensive. Like seriously expensive. So don't expect to be getting any good gold for cheap, because it isn't. We're talking hundreds and thousands of bucks here. So prep your wallets if you plan on buying anything. 

Abra rides are a great way to get around the city while also getting a taste of how the "true" Dubai is like.

What To Eat:

Friday Buffet-Arboretum

Friday is like Saturday for these guys, and they go ALL OUT. Especially at the Arboretum Buffet at the Al Qasr hotel. Every single food in the entire world is on display here, and the flavors are pretty solid. The sheer amount of food is almost absurd and I almost killed myself after having nearly 6 plates of food.I'm not even going to go into what you can get here because if you thought of a dish, this place had it. Straight up. Splurge and enjoy. 

Pierchic

One of the better seafood places in the city, Pierchic is perched on a pier (aptly named) over the Persian Gulf. Cocktails are insane and the seafood is even better. It is pricey, but then again, so is everything in Dubai. I feel like I've written that line so many times but its true. Stunning setting, great, attentive service, and the freshest seafood that comes from directly underneath you makes this one of the best restaurants in the city.