Similar to many people, I was very excited by the idea of visiting Dubai. I didn’t have a lot of time for this trip, so I covered Dubai in four days. But actually, I think that four days in Dubai is just about the right amount of time. My schedule is usually packed if I’m not going on a beach vacation. Wait! Who am I kidding?!? Even on a beach vacation, I have a fairly detailed schedule. I’m a planner; what can I say! That is not going to change any time soon! But, I don’t have to do everything on the schedule. I just like knowing that I have some pre-considered options. And my travel buddies seem to appreciate it!
Well, it was February and time for my annual birthday trip. I chose Dubai for a few reasons…
(1) For the past couple of years, people that I know had gone and it seemed to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue – sort of like Cuba is now.
(2) There is definitely some mystery about the Middle East. Everyone goes to Europe, but the Middle East…it feels unique.
(3) I recently met some cousins at a family reunion that have been expats there for the past 10 years.
So that was it! I needed to go to Dubai!! And my bestie said she was in!
In my opinion, there are several must-sees and must-dos in Dubai.
Desert Safaris
A Desert Safari or some kind of desert activity – If you go to the Middle East and don’t end up standing in the middle of some vast desert, then you’re missing out. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Burj Khalifa
It is the world’s tallest building, and it will be one of the first things that your friends will ask you about when you return. You have to go! The views are amazing!
Clubs, Clubs, Clubs!
The club scene (at least one!) – I love going to clubs when I travel internationally. There’s something very moving about people from all over the world partying together and having a great time. It’s especially inspiring, considering our current political climate. And as an added bonus, the DJ played a couple of Soca songs! My father’s from Trinidad – what can I say? If I hear Soca, especially somewhere unexpected, I go a little crazy!
Shopping
A visit to at least one of the big malls (Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates) – Dubai Mall is attached to Burj Khalifa, so that made it easy to check this one off the list. Everything is so over the top, and I still can’t believe that I saw a Red Lobster in Dubai…The Ultimate, please!
The Souks
Shopping at the Souks – You are constantly hounded by the sales guys to buy what they’re selling! This reminded me a bit of online dating. You know how you swipe left a million times, and then something looks good, and you swipe right a few times. Exhausting and exciting, all at the same time! LOL!!!
The Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi – If you’re already way out in the Middle East, why not? It’s certainly worth the cost of a personal driver to see the beauty of the Grand Mosque. It’s absolutely breathtaking!
On any trip, you should also have a couple of experiences that are a little different too. In this case, some of the special moments were afternoon tea at Raffles Hotel, the opportunity to spend some quality time getting to know my cousins better, and a delicious meal at Nusr-Et, which is currently wildly popular because of its charismatic owner Nusret Gokce a.k.a Salt Bae (#saltbae on Instagram).
I came, I saw, I conquered and had a ball doing it! I got it all in!!
Of course, you can spend much more time in Dubai. It’s a fascinating place with so much to see and do. You can spend a couple of weeks here, but you can also cover the highlights of Dubai in four days.
If you plan the travel time right, you’ll experience minimal jet lag to maximize the fun. Yes, I did plan out how I spent my time on the plane! I landed in the evening, and I had to make sure that I went to bed like normal soI could hit the ground running in the morning.
Safe and happy travels!
Tamara