Dubai
- Thread starter Jke92
- Start date
Take your gold card Amex!!!!
B_Side_The_C_Side
Well-known member
Have never been, but would love to go...Just to buy fragrance, which is amazingly cheap in Dubai
There is a video on YouTube about their main shopping center which is basically the size of Blackpool
Took this guy 90mins to walk one level (and there were 3)
It had every major designer store you can imagine including Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc, etc
They had a section that's half the size of the Trafford center and just sells watches....Only place you can walk in and buy a Rolex off the shelf
It then has major stores from around the world including Harrods, Bloomingdales, Saks, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps & Ikea, etc.
It had a full size Olympic skating rink, 5 cinemas, a fun fair, a zoo, and an aquarium.
They have 100 restaurants from McD's through to Michelin stared.
Looked amazing......Take your gold Amex
There is a video on YouTube about their main shopping center which is basically the size of Blackpool
Took this guy 90mins to walk one level (and there were 3)
It had every major designer store you can imagine including Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc, etc
They had a section that's half the size of the Trafford center and just sells watches....Only place you can walk in and buy a Rolex off the shelf
It then has major stores from around the world including Harrods, Bloomingdales, Saks, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps & Ikea, etc.
It had a full size Olympic skating rink, 5 cinemas, a fun fair, a zoo, and an aquarium.
They have 100 restaurants from McD's through to Michelin stared.
Looked amazing......Take your gold Amex
TangerineBayern
Well-known member
There was a recent 3 parter about Dubai on TV (BBC?) the place is filthy rich with over 30,000 multi millionaires. Worth watching if you can get it on Catch Up.
seasideone
Well-known member
It really depends on your budget.
We have been a few times, all the bars are in hotels.
The Belgian Beer Cafe is quite good.
The 16 best bars in Dubai: from day drinks to nightcaps - Near+Far
From hotel bars and sundowner spots to rooftop haunts, here are the best bars in Dubai taking you from day drinks to nightcaps
nearfarmag.com
GrahamwantshisOates
Well-known member
OK for a stopover or Winter break.
Its too false.
Taxis and skytrain is cheap.
Its too false.
Taxis and skytrain is cheap.
M
Malced
Guest
Went a few years ago on October. Was hot but not too hot.
Tips and places to go:-
1. As someone else says, the sky train is a good way to get about. It’s like a big monorail/overground tube type form of public transport. You can get an oyster like card from one of the stations.
2. There was a cirque du soleil show on which we enjoyed.
3. The water parks are good and theme parks are good.
4. Abu Dhabi is worth a visit. It’s relatively close by. Ferrari world is fab.
5. The Dubai mall is amazing for shopping and shopping and eating out.
6. We went to the top of the Burj khalifa
Which is or was the tallest building in the world.
7. At the foot of the burj khalifa are some incredible fountains which are choreographed to music and perform every so often. At night it’s magical as thousands of people gather to watch. You can get to the free fountain show via the Dubai mall. We sat and ate outside at Five Guys just as the show was starting. It was incredible!
8. The beach is gorgeous. There’s a fantastic boardwalk with lots of small bars and cafes and modern shops.
9. We went on a trip to the desert. It included dune surfing which is where you are in a jeep and it drives up and down the dunes at speed and at steep angles. It’s not for the faint hearted. Then they take you to a settlement and there’s traditional music and dancing and a meal.
10. Maybe worth checking out attractiontix website where you can find deals for various tickets to theme parks etc.
We loved Dubai but we didn’t drink as it was just my two teenage daughters and myself at the time.
Tips and places to go:-
1. As someone else says, the sky train is a good way to get about. It’s like a big monorail/overground tube type form of public transport. You can get an oyster like card from one of the stations.
2. There was a cirque du soleil show on which we enjoyed.
3. The water parks are good and theme parks are good.
4. Abu Dhabi is worth a visit. It’s relatively close by. Ferrari world is fab.
5. The Dubai mall is amazing for shopping and shopping and eating out.
6. We went to the top of the Burj khalifa
Which is or was the tallest building in the world.
7. At the foot of the burj khalifa are some incredible fountains which are choreographed to music and perform every so often. At night it’s magical as thousands of people gather to watch. You can get to the free fountain show via the Dubai mall. We sat and ate outside at Five Guys just as the show was starting. It was incredible!
8. The beach is gorgeous. There’s a fantastic boardwalk with lots of small bars and cafes and modern shops.
9. We went on a trip to the desert. It included dune surfing which is where you are in a jeep and it drives up and down the dunes at speed and at steep angles. It’s not for the faint hearted. Then they take you to a settlement and there’s traditional music and dancing and a meal.
10. Maybe worth checking out attractiontix website where you can find deals for various tickets to theme parks etc.
We loved Dubai but we didn’t drink as it was just my two teenage daughters and myself at the time.
look.its.luke
Well-known member
I live in Dubai Marina. I'd echo a lot of what Malced said.
The card you get for the monorail also applies to the tram and bus network, and they have packages at the airport where for around £30 you can get a local SIM plus 20+ journeys on public transport.
Download Careem app...which is a version of Uber, UberEats, Amazon and a car/bike/scooter rental. They have e-bikes and e-scooters to get around if you fancy a bit of exercise.
Don't come between May and September unless you like 40 degree heat. A lot of the activities depend on budget, but inexpensive things to do would be:
- Get a barge/souk from Marina up to the Gold Souk or Deira...or if you prefer something with AC, the ferry between Marina and Sharjah. It costs less than £5 for a return. For around £20-30 per person you can do the same journey at speed on a rib/speedboat.
- Hatta Heritage centre shows what Dubai was like before the money. Free museum with lots of interactive elements.
- AlSerkal is an art district in Al Quoz with lots of galleries and modern art installations. Not far from the subway so an easy place to kill a few hours and have a coffee.
- Deira is where a lot of the Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi workers live, and feels a world away from downtown/Marina. Some people hate it, but you can get a haircut/massage/tailored suit for about 10% of what you'd pay in the touristy parts. As a rule Dubai has almost zero street crime, but the few scams/pickpockets that get reported tend to be here in Deira.
- GroupOn and VisitDubai have loads of offers and last minute deals. It's constantly changing, so worth a look just before you fly.
Bars/Resto's:
*If you want to drink on a budget/in your room then you can buy booze from a chain called African and Eastern. You just need to show your passport (to prove you're on a tourist visa) and keep the drinks covered until you get to your room. Prices will be the same as in the UK.
*You'll see as much drunken behaviour in and around the bars at night as you would in England, but technically it's illegal, so I wouldn't go mad. You won't be locked up for staggering into your hotel or eating McDonalds on a bench...it's more that if you get in any sort of aggro or dispute with say a taxi driver or security guard...and police get called, you'll be de facto seen as the guilty party.
Good restaurants all along Marina Walk, by the waterfront. JVC or the Palm.
All the malls are worth an afternoon, probably Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates are best, but avoid them on weekends because they can get busy.
If you want to propose or something romantic, Pierchic is a stunning location.
Zheng He's does amazing Chinese food, again in a nice location.
There's also a restaurant/bar/club called At.Mosphere which is a hundred or so floors up the Burj Khalifa which is meant to have amazing views, but will be very pricey.
Lock, Stock and Barrel is a good bar with some great tribute bands...(Faux-asis
)
Barasti Beach Club is a nice outdoor venue with some decent drinks offers and a non-wankery clientele. Cana is a more upscale version but quieter and a nicer beach.
If you want a British pub then the Red Lion has a huge screen for football, and Biggles is a themed WW2 pub with a good selection of ales.
Let me know if I can be of any help.
The card you get for the monorail also applies to the tram and bus network, and they have packages at the airport where for around £30 you can get a local SIM plus 20+ journeys on public transport.
Download Careem app...which is a version of Uber, UberEats, Amazon and a car/bike/scooter rental. They have e-bikes and e-scooters to get around if you fancy a bit of exercise.
Don't come between May and September unless you like 40 degree heat. A lot of the activities depend on budget, but inexpensive things to do would be:
- Get a barge/souk from Marina up to the Gold Souk or Deira...or if you prefer something with AC, the ferry between Marina and Sharjah. It costs less than £5 for a return. For around £20-30 per person you can do the same journey at speed on a rib/speedboat.
- Hatta Heritage centre shows what Dubai was like before the money. Free museum with lots of interactive elements.
- AlSerkal is an art district in Al Quoz with lots of galleries and modern art installations. Not far from the subway so an easy place to kill a few hours and have a coffee.
- Deira is where a lot of the Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi workers live, and feels a world away from downtown/Marina. Some people hate it, but you can get a haircut/massage/tailored suit for about 10% of what you'd pay in the touristy parts. As a rule Dubai has almost zero street crime, but the few scams/pickpockets that get reported tend to be here in Deira.
- GroupOn and VisitDubai have loads of offers and last minute deals. It's constantly changing, so worth a look just before you fly.
Bars/Resto's:
*If you want to drink on a budget/in your room then you can buy booze from a chain called African and Eastern. You just need to show your passport (to prove you're on a tourist visa) and keep the drinks covered until you get to your room. Prices will be the same as in the UK.
*You'll see as much drunken behaviour in and around the bars at night as you would in England, but technically it's illegal, so I wouldn't go mad. You won't be locked up for staggering into your hotel or eating McDonalds on a bench...it's more that if you get in any sort of aggro or dispute with say a taxi driver or security guard...and police get called, you'll be de facto seen as the guilty party.
Good restaurants all along Marina Walk, by the waterfront. JVC or the Palm.
All the malls are worth an afternoon, probably Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates are best, but avoid them on weekends because they can get busy.
If you want to propose or something romantic, Pierchic is a stunning location.
Zheng He's does amazing Chinese food, again in a nice location.
There's also a restaurant/bar/club called At.Mosphere which is a hundred or so floors up the Burj Khalifa which is meant to have amazing views, but will be very pricey.
Lock, Stock and Barrel is a good bar with some great tribute bands...(Faux-asis
)Barasti Beach Club is a nice outdoor venue with some decent drinks offers and a non-wankery clientele. Cana is a more upscale version but quieter and a nicer beach.
If you want a British pub then the Red Lion has a huge screen for football, and Biggles is a themed WW2 pub with a good selection of ales.
Let me know if I can be of any help.