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Exclusive shopping (½ day)
Of course you can go to Mall of the Emirates. Because it’s huge and you have many shops and Ski Dubai inside, but you can also go shopping at Souk Madinat Jumeirah. And that’s a completely different experience.
The looks are a real traditional souk in a modern jacket. And it has a lot to offer, shopping, dining and exclusive bars. There are about 75 shops and 23 bars and restaurants. And these places are located at the waterfront, so, surprising for Dubai, you can enjoy your food and drinks outside. And if you like to make a small boat ride…
It’s next to the luxurious Jumeirah hotel, so it’s not really downtown, but still worth a visit. Have a look at their website.
From soukh to soukh (by boat) (2 hrs)
Of course you have to visit a soukh, an old market place, in Dubai. There are several places next to each other along the Dubai creek, both on the Bur Dubai and the Deira side.
On the Deira side you will find the famous spice soukh and the gold soukh. On the Bur Dubai side you will see Dubai old soukh. You can visit the Dubai Museum here as well.
If you like to go from a soukh in Deira to the soukh in Bur Dubai (or vice versa) you can do this by very local transportation, an Abra boat. These boats bring you in a few minutes to the other side of the creek. They will wait until the boat is full. You pay directly to the boatman and a ride is only AED 1.
Boatmen will offer you a private tour as well, but there’s not much more to see. We suggest you just do the 1 Dirham ride for the experience and continue your shopping on the other side.
The easiest way to go to these soukhs is by taxi. Tell the driver to go to ‘spice soukh’ or ‘Dubai old soukh’.
High Tea in Burj al Arab (2 hrs)
The most famous hotel in Dubai and one of the most famous in the world is Burj al Arab. It is consistently voted the world’s most luxurious hotel.
The Skyview Bar is located on the 27th floor of this hotel at 200 metres above sea level. Spectacular views from this bar are guaranteed. It is a wonderful location for afternoon tea, and pre- and post-dinner drinks that are served within an ambience of luxury and comfort.
A high tea is available in the Skyview Bar from 1 pm to 4.30 pm (except on Fridays). The price of the high tea is AED 395 per person. It’s advisable to make a reservation in advance. This can be done by phone: +971 4 3017600 or by e-mail.
There is a strict dress Code: smart casual. Gentlemen are required to wear a collared shirt, full-length trousers or elegant jeans and closed shoes (no trainers or sport shoes). Ladies are required to wear a suit or dress, long or short skirt or dressy slack and top. UAE national dress is welcomed. For gentlemen: shorts, T-shirts, flip-flops, open and running, gym, tennis, basketball shoes, etc are not allowed. Minimum age for the Skyview Bar is 21 years.
Restaurant Abd el Wahab (1-2 hrs)
Opposite the tallest building in the world, next to the largest shopping mall in the world, you will find one of the most famous restaurants in Dubai, Lebanese restaurant Abd el Wahab. Here you can dine with a great view on the largest dancing fountain in the world (see: Dubai Activities & Sights).
They have a restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon as well and the restaurant was named after the street where this restaurant is situated. The restaurant doesn’t serve only the traditional Lebanese ‘mezze’, but also a choice of wonderful Middle Eastern dishes. From the outside terrace you can watch the dancing fountain every 30 minutes while enjoying your dinner. But if it’s too hot in summer you can always choose to sit inside the restaurant and enjoy the air-conditioning.
Lebanese restaurant Abd el Wahab, Downtown Burj Khalifa, Souq El Bahar, 3rd level. Telephone: +971 4 423 0988-89. More information can be found at their website.
Buddha-Bar in Dubai (2-3 hrs)
Buddha-Bar, the famous bar and restaurants with it’s origin in Paris is also in Dubai since 2005. It is near Dubai Marina in Hotel Grosvenor House at Sheikh Zayed Road.
Situated in the middle of this wonderful city the Buddha-Bar has already conquered the hearts of visitors and residents. The restaurant has two levels, with three different atmospheres, a restaurant, a bar and a lounge.
Opening hours are from 8pm to 2am. Telephone: +971 4 399 8888. For more information, visit the Buddha-Bar website. www.buddha-bar.com
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Language of the world
Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Dubai.