UAE : Dubai – Woke and Awake Travel

To & From:

The UAE is well served by direct flights from Dublin, Dubai by Emirates. Its a 7 hour flight and UAE is + 3 hours GMT. So not too far for an almost guaranteed sunshine holiday Dubai is a great option and one we have visited for just 5 days as well as the longer 7 days…

Dubai is a City and one of seven Emirates the Capital of which is Abu Dhabi, and sits at the North Eastern end of the Arabian peninsula in Western Asia. A desert climate catapults temperatures in summer to mid-late 40 degrees and ensures mild winters. Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert, and has been growing in size due to major reclamation work in the Gulf.

Awake Tip: Careful around Ramadan where drinking/eating in day light hours isn’t accepted, a problem as it coincides with the hot summer temperatures, so no water to drink around the pool.

Woke Tip: Bars selling alcohol can only be found in five star hotels although this could start to relax, don’t expect alcohol served in restaurants outside the hotels. Off licenses require you to have a permit to purchase.

Arriving into Dubai International Airport( DXB), on a Friday may not be the best day to land, being a Muslim country this is a day for prayers, so the 20Km spin to Jumeirah Beach, takes much longer than you would expect.

So arriving in the hotel was later than expected, we had chosen the Amwaj Rotana sat perfectly facing the Persian gulf as our first stop.

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Jumeirah beach is a long strip of sandy shoreline running South to North from the Marina to the Palm Jumeirah, many of the International brand hotels are represented on the strip, so good nightlife supplements the many restaurant options in the area, especially for those who enjoy a few drinks before and perhaps after dinner, unless you eat in the hotel bar you will have water or a soft drink during dinner.

The beach is cosmopolitan –but just the men go topless. Whilst you will bake under the summer sun, don’t expect a refreshing dip in the Ocean, the water can typically reach over 30 degree in summer–the hotel pool is the only spot to cool down.

Shopping: Being an avid shopper Dubai & Michelle go hand in hand ! Dubai is a shoppers mecca, begin with a trip to the Mall of the Emirates with 560 shops & boutiques including Chanel & Burberry as well as Western High St such as Mango & Monsoon. Ever dreamt of skiing in 40 degrees heat in typical Dubai style , you will find Ski Dubai as one of the non shopping attractions! You can drive or take the metro to the door! Dubai Mall is another favourite for all shoppers!

The line runs up and down Sheik Zayed main road, few natives use the driverless trains as they just love to drive in their luxury cars and Jeeps. The mall is immense and anything but cheap, so don’t expect many bargains but it does provide a rest bite to the relentless heat outside. Further along the red line you will cross Dubai creek and then soon after arrive at one of the Iconic landmarks in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa sat within an oasis of waterfalls and shopping malls, the tallest free standing structure in the World.

If you want to ascend its 160 storeys, you must book in advance, and be prepared to pay up to € 100 each.

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Other sights around Dubai include the Burj Al Arab, 7* hotel distinctively holding prominent position on the shoreline a must for fabulous afternoon tea or some tapas & cocktails on the 27th floor !

And if you would like to stay out on the Palm, the Atlantis, a glitzy mega salmon pink hotel, with a waterpark & aquarium is well worth a stay, watch for special offers.

Parks & Activities

Naturally Dubai is a mega for Water Parks including the Wild Wadi Water Park with a wave pool & slides, a lazy river and a mega aqua rollercoaster .While Dubai Parks & Resorts is three themes parks and a waterpark all in one giving you days of entertainment if you wish! It includes Legoland , Motiongate centering around the movies including Shrek & Kung Pu Panda and Bollywood Parks .

We visited the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve for some dune bashing and a traditional Bedouin fireside feast. This is also the spot for a camel ride if it takes your fancy and you will be treated to a falconry display, and in keeping with fast pace Dubai the peregrine falcon is the world’s fastest animal!

The Dubai Fountain along the lines of the Bellagio fountains in Vegas is well worth a visit at night although as to be expected in Dubai one is the tallest performing fountain in the world. While you can get a great view strolling the boardwalk you can book a table at one of the restaurants overlooking for the ultimate view!

The Dubai Miracle Garden the largest flower garden in the world is home to 250 million plants . The colorful flowers combined with the cool designs make it a must visit spot for anyone visiting Dubai.

Dubai Harbour

The Dubai Marina is a manmade concept at the Jebel Ali end of Dubai on the Arabian Gulf and Jumeriah is one of the most famous parts of it. It is a haven of hotels, shops and malls in the Marina with lots of water views. The Dubai Marina Walk winds through the Marina for seven kilometers with cafes and shops lining the waterfront. There is also a popular market held at weekends in the cooler months of the year bringing a community feel to the Marina . Al Sufouf connects with Palm Jumeirah’s own monorail and continues on to the Burj Al Arab and Mall of the Emirates connecting with the Metro’s Red Line can be an ideal way to navigate the city and avoid the traffic congestion at times .

Awake Tip : Restrooms all over are spotless, you could eat your dinner of the toilet floors

Awoke Tip: Supermarkets are modern , clean and vary between Western & Middle Eastern pending size and many will have pork in its own closed off area ! Waitrose & Carrefour will be familiar to many Westerns and the former can charge €8 for punnet of strawberries while Keoghs Irish Crisps will set you back €5 ! While you will find lots of the smaller convenient 7Eleven’s!

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