There are a lot of places in the world that a lot of holidaymakers-to-be claim to be unaffordable. Whether they’re gazing longingly at the bright lights of Las Vegas, the urban utopia of Singapore, or the relaxing harbour of Sydney, it’s often hard to justify going quite so far for an expensive trip.
However, one place that’s not only cheap to fly to, but filled with great value luxury hotels, is Dubai. The city state – the largest in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – has undergone a huge transformation during the last 30 years, turning this oil-rich region into a futuristic landscape coated in skyscrapers, manmade lagoons and some of the most mind-bending developments currently under construction. Dubai gained independence from the UK in 1971, making it both friendly and surprisingly culturally-familiar for Brits and North Americans who are not up to scratch with another language.
Given that tourism is perhaps the biggest source of income to the Dubai government after the oil trade – which it only discovered four years ago – the destination focuses on shopping as its primary attraction. However, its rich history also provides more in the way of things to see and enjoy, from ancient to modern attractions. As a result of this impressive combination, it is now the eighth most visited city of the world and will have entertained in excess of 15 million tourists by 2015.
When it comes to shopping, there’s something for everyone. Dubai has over 70 malls, and one of these is the largest in the world: the Dubai Mall. The word “excess” does not seem to be known by architects in the emirate, and inside this shopping centre, visitors can enjoy some of the most mind-blowing constructions. The Dubai Mall, for instance, hosts the world’s largest suspended aquarium, housing 33,000 marine animals.
There’s also the largest indoor waterfall found anywhere on the globe, the biggest candy shop of all time (930 sq m), and an Olympic-sized ice rink. And while many boutiques and department stores will work on the standard fixed-price basis, most outlets will happily barter through friendly negotiation; it’s how trade works. As such, it may be no surprise that the Dubai Mall gets ten million more visitors each year than Times Square, Central Park or Niagara Falls.
Size is an issue with skyscrapers, too. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest manmade structure in the world and even beats the largest radio mast in the globe by over 200m, standing at 829.84m high. Visitors can’t go to the very top as the top 36 floors are unsurprisingly privately owned, though floor 124 doesn’t sway too much in the wind – there’s also a great view from the large deck.
Architecture gets a little crazier on the coastline, as you can visit one of the three Palm Islands – Jumeirah, Jebel Ali and Deira. All are – or are currently being shaped into – a palm tree island topped with a crescent. These host residential, entertainment and leisure complexes throughout and add as much as 520 kilometres of beaches to the city. Between Jumeirah and Deira is the even more mind-boggling development simply called “The World”: a collection of islands in the shape of the world map. If a person has the money, they can buy a country; if you want a home in Thailand, chances are you can get it in Dubai, if you have a lot of money.
Water parks are also a key part of Dubai. There’s Aquaventure at the Atlantis the Palm Hotel, as well as the Wild Wadi Water Park; the latter is well-known around the world and sits between the wave-shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab.
Finally, history is not in short supply in Dubai. A creek splits Dubai into two (Bur Dubai and Deira), offering the real features of the old city. Visitors can go pearl diving and fishing, and the surrounding buildings and developments are now preserved to recreate life in Dubai as it once was. The Dubai Museum also sits in the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was built in 1799. Meanwhile, the Heritage Village of Hatta is 115 kilometres south-east of Dubai City, and can be dated at 3,000 years old.
Dubai truly will impress you – make sure you consider it if you want a luxury break in the near future…
