Everything You Need to Know About This Modern Emirate!
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the UAE. Out of the population of 9.2 million, expatriates contribute approximately 7.8 million. The culture fusion in Dubai makes everyone from everywhere welcome and that is certainly how I felt when I travelled there for a week in January 2020.
Spots to Stay
I stayed in the 5 star JA Ocean View Hotel, a Jumeriah Beach Residence. We booked a Superior Twin Room for myself and my friend and it was perfect. The beauty of this room is that every room faces onto the sea so nobody pays extra for a sea view room, its a given. The photo below is a photo I took from the balcony. I would recommend staying in the JBR area and travelling to Downtown Dubai and Old Dubai, Deira when you want to sight see and not vice versa. Other hotel recommendations are the Sofitel, JBR Dubai or the Habtoor Grand Resort. As a young traveller, they are all of similar middle budget and won't blow you out of the water. They all provide beach bags with umbrellas for you to set up on the beach free of charge.
Cultural Differences and Customs
Before we went to Dubai, people were warning us that we could never wear a skirt above our knee and that our shoulders would need to be constantly covered. This however we found to be highly dramatic. You can wear summer attire in all tourist locations and swimwear on the beach. You need to wear a t-shirt and longer skirt in malls and more suburban areas of Dubai and cover up when you go into beach side bars and cafes, you cannot lounge in your bikini. When visiting a mosque, you must be completely covered but if it is a tourist attraction, you will be provided with such attire. You should not show public affection in public or be obnoxiously loud but there is signage to remind you. If I did not know any of this in advance I would not be able to notice anything different versus a holiday in Spain. In regards to tipping, it is similar to America in that tips are expected and you are often prompted to tip. It is not as pressured as America however and it is not expected in casual dining locations.
Attractions - what to do besides bathe
Below is a list of everything we got up to, I will include links of where we booked each excursion if possible:
We booked using the above link and it was amazing, this is what you can expect (perfect for Instagram pictures😉)
It takes a whole day so factor this in when building an itinerary before you leave home!
This was a fantastic way to spend 1.5 hours and you get to see the Palm, The Burj al Arab and spectacular views of Jumierah Beach.
This was the best food I had in Dubai. So elegant, tasty and an amazing experience. The Atlantis is incredible and I can't wait to be able to stay there one day, hopefully😂👏
Breathtaking views of Downtown Dubai from 135 floors up, so worth it!
We were not going to go here but I am so glad we did.
Dubai does everything to the absolute highest standard and no expenses are spared. This is what I mean:
As well as these excursions, visit the Madinat Souks, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Old town Dubai (Deira), the Frame, Drift Beach Club, Dubai Fountains at theMall, Boozy Brunch on Fridays and visit a Mosque to see the architecture of them and the culture in all its splendor.
Nightlife
Dubai is strict when it comes to alcohol consumption. It explains the brunch phenomenon in Dubai as alcohol can only be served with a license which is hard to obtain so hotels host day and night drinking parties to overcome this issue for the expat population. Beach clubs are also very popular with 5 Palm beach club, Drift beach Club, Zero Gravity Beach Club to name a few. Drinks and lounger rental is so pricey so we did not attend any. Saffron brunch in The Atlantis on Friday is such an amazing day out. You pay for all you can eat brunch and alcohol and there is love music and an electric atmosphere - the difficulty to get a booking speaks for itself! Ensure to carry ID at all times in Dubai.
Food - the best till last!
As you know, here at Pathfinders, food on my travels is one of my favourite topics to cover. Below are recommendations of where to eat, I am not including anywhere that was not INCREDIBLE!
- STK - the best steak and sides you could ever eat
- Buddha Bar - best cocktails and it has a happy hour for us penny saving travellers
- Asia Asia - tuna steak to die for
- Atelier M - a french fan fare
- Cargo - such a fun ladies night with pink gins you will WANT
- Cheesecake Factory - making me reminisce on my J1 visa to USA.
- Eggspectations - we went there 4 mornings for brunch - enough said
- Pai Thai - who wouldn't want to take a Gondola for some noodles and rice?
- Serafina - pizza and pasta overlooking the Dubai Fountains..magic
- The Scene by Simon Rimmer - chicken kiev like no other
- Ossiano - you eat in an aquarium EEEKK
Finally, my signature 3 bonus tips for the best week in Dubai!
1. Create your own beach club: rent beds on the beach for an entire day and get takeout food from one of the many beach side restaurants, get table service (yes they have table service on public beaches) for delish cocktails and there is showers and toilets as pristine as your house on the beach too!
2. Download the Entertainer App for a trial period and get 2 for 1 in many of the restaurants I listed, it saved us a small fortune.
3. Don't spend your whole trip on the beach, there is so much more to do in Dubai so immerse yourself in the land of technology where everything is possible!
Thanks for reading guys, tag me in any photos on Instagram if you love any of my recommendations when you FIND: Dubai 😍