It's the UAE (United Arab Emirates), it's Dubai, and it's Abu Dhabi. This is one of the most modern mystical lands we hear about day after day. This land of adventure, luxury, modernity, and really big things sits along the coast of the Persian Gulf and is a desert playland for all ages. It is home to the biggest. The Burj Khalifa, Ain Dubai (the observation wheel) and The Palm Islands. You can go to Lego Land, ski indoors, and gaze at some of the biggest synchronized performance fountains in the world. Everything that the Emiratis do, build, design, and create is big and luxurious, and designed for people to come and enjoy. It is a wonderland of modernity, but there is more to it than that.
Dubai is an ancient country, with the first recorded people being Minoans when the area was a swamp land, in about 3000 BC. Many peoples have lived in this area since. There have been nomads, the Bani Yas, Royalty and so on. At one point, it was a walled city. But, since the discovery of oil in the land, Dubai, and the Maktoum have turned modern day Dubai into the UAE's greatest wonder, with a lifestyle that benefits every Emirati. The monarchy is still vastly in charge of the country, with
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum squarely on the pulse of the people, and fairly obviously doing a great job.
Dubai is built for tourism, and they boast some of the safest travel in the Middle East. They are in a questionable position with Qatar and Yemen not far away and do sit on the Arabian Peninsula, but they claim they will fly you in and out of the area safely so that you can enjoy all they have to offer. Emirates airlines is reportedly the way to go to benefit the most from the safety.
Abu Dhabi is the most famous part of the country, but the desert is still an amazing destination. You can tour the area in rugged 4X4's, on camel back or several other ways. You can glide across it on land sailing vehicles as well. You can camp overnight with Bedouins, or you can stay in a five star resort. Dubai is a place that you don't want to leave and miss all the amazing things you can see and do in the desert.
As per any major city, the historical section is right downtown along the creek. It has been preserved so that people can come and learn about the 3000 years of cultural and religious history of the area. There are forts, mosques, and other buildings from the past of the ultra modern country to remind all of us of where they came from. I find it interesting that you have to look for the past. The Emiratis are fond of their modern lives, and all of the giant buildings and malls far overshadow the humble beginnings of this great country. They are there for you to learn from and the ancient architecture is always one of my favorite things to see.
While enjoying the history and culture of the area, take a cruise on a dhow. These boats have been all over Asia for hundreds of years, and it's a true experience to ride on one. They have all kinds of harbor cruises, dinner cruises and so forth, and it's a great experience being connected to past times.
But, if modern Abu Dhabi is what you crave, let's take a look at it, starting with the QE2. That's right, the ocean liner. It was decommissioned and it was a sad idea to destroy it. So, it's now permanently docked in Abu Dhabi and is a restaurant and hotel. Just one more giant unique spot to visit in Dubai. It has all the amenities you could ask for and a great view of the city.
If you're looking for a hotel, Dubai has some of the most famous ones in the world. In the early 2000's the Burj Al Arab popped up looking like a sailboat, and the race was on. Since then so many luxury hotels have popped up that it's hard to keep track of them all. There's an Atlantis Resort on the infamous Palm Islands, there's everything Jumeirah, and the list goes on. There are beach hotels, city hotels, and desert resorts in the area. You can stay at theme parks, golf resorts, Bedouin camps and so on.
Whether you are looking at buildings, resorts, islands, malls, rides, or whatever; Dubai is big. Everything is bigger, better, world record breaking, unique, cutting edge, and frankly; cool. They just opened the biggest observation wheel in the world, to go along with the largest collection of man made islands in the world, the tallest building int he world and so on. There are many of the biggest things to do in Dubai. And then there's the Frame. This unique structure is something that you can look at or go into. Your choice.
Do you like cars? The Dubai Autodrome is one of the world's best and most versatile racing arenas. All kinds of car racing happens here. They have a facility where they can race day or night and a variety of track options to accommodate the different kinds of racing. Cars are big in Dubai. There's a lot of money from a lot of oil and there are supercars everywhere you look. The people of Dubai are proud of their money and love to show it off.
Do you like to shop? Dubai is famous for that. They have some of the craziest malls in the world and they still have areas of bazaar shopping as they did in the old days. Whether you are looking for traditional items or something more Rodeo Drive, you can find it in Dubai.
Another note. Dubai has many festivals celebrating all kinds of things from music to movies to food to shopping. That's right, Dubai has a shopping festival. It's the only place on Earth I know of that has an actual festival to celebrate shopping.
If you don't feel like shopping, but hopefully if you go to Dubai you like to shop; you can do many other things at the Dubai Mall. They have all kinds of activities, but two of them that they are best known for are skiing and playing with Penguins.
It's hot in the Persian Gulf, but that didn't stop the Emiratis from enjoying some colder activities. Ski Dubai is the most famous indoor ski resort in the world. You can also go ice skating and there is the interactive Penguin habitat. Don't worry, you can also go to the movies and other things that you do in average malls.
Dubai has many active places. They have an aquarium where you can swim with dolphins. They have a Lego Land. They have a massive water park at Atlantis. It is an amazing place to visit.
Would you like to experience pure magic? Abu Dhabi has the Magic Gardens. Whether you see them during the day or at night, they are spectacular. These highly sculpted gardens are designed to transport you to a magical land, or at least give you that effect. They are huge, and will take some time to explore, so don't think that this is some half hour stop on a city tour.
Now, we've talked about some amazing things, and I am convinced that Dubai is a great vacation spot. It's like someone took Las Vegas and made it bigger, better, more fun.
But, this is a Middle Eastern Country. There are rules, and you should learn them before you go. Just because you are a tourist from America, doesn't mean you are exempt from their Sharia laws of behavior. When in Rome, and here they are Muslim. You can't show PDA. It's offensive. You should consider covering your head. It's out of respect. I wouldn't drink alcohol. Just be respectful. All of the public rules can be found on the country's website. They want you to visit. They just don't want you to be disrespectful.
Also, right now there are Covid-19 requirements. Check before you go. You will not be allowed in the country without a Covid-19 test. Check the rules before you go. Also, this country sits in the Middle of the Middle East. Check the State Department Website for recommendations on travel before you book a trip. Dubai is an amazing place, but don't forget, the neighborhood is tremendously unstable.
All that being said, I can't imagine not having a great time visiting Dubai and the UAE. The place is huge in more ways than one. It's a playground for the rich, but it's also a place that normal people can find a reasonably priced hotel room and go and see what all the wealth can build. There's history, activity, and very big things to see. The people speak English as a second language, so the language barrier is small. There are several local tour companies that can help you choose what you wish to do while you're there and help set it up for you. It's a country full of people who want you to have a good time. They welcome outsiders and love to learn about other cultures. They only ask that you respect their culture while you're visiting them.
So, whether you want to enjoy man made, nature, water, desert, wildlife, city life, or just really big things; Dubai, the UAE, and Abu Dhabi are a great place to visit and enjoy!
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