Dubai is synonymous with all kinds of ” The” (biggest, tallest, most impressive) that attract many travelers from all over the world every year. In our case, it was the other way around – Dubai never appealed to us at first sight. Fate ( cheap flights) wanted it a little differently and we found ourselves in Dubai during one of the least suitable months to visit – August. The Emirates was not our final destination, but once we were there, we decided to treat ourselves to a layover of a few days.
Where to stay in Dubai?
In Dubai, we can recommend a perfect and affordable hotel located about 10 minutes from the metro – TRYP by Wyndham Dubai. Two nights for two people cost us 81 USD.
Cheap flights to Dubai
We flew with the low-cost airline Wizz Air, which is heading to the airport in Abu Dhabi. We then moved to Dubai by long-distance bus, which departed right in front of the terminal. A return ticket from Vienna in central Europe for one of us cost 190 USD.
What to visit in Dubai?
Burj Khalifa
Where else to start than with the iconic tallest building in the world! The Burj Khalifa stands at a respectable 828 meters, with the tourist observation tower at 555.7 meters. Its construction was completed in 2010, surpassing the tallest building in the world, Taipei 101.
If you want to admire the views from the tallest building in the world, don’t forget to book your ticket early. We saved the visit for next time because we couldn’t see anything due to the heat smog. It is so tall that it doesn’t even fit in the photo 🙂
Dubai Fountain
You should not miss the spectacular show at the Dubai Fountain, which you can watch for free.
Dubai Mall
The largest shopping center next to the tallest building in the world, in Dubai they are quite proud of the prefix “Nej”. You will find everything here, from boutiques with luxury watches to clothes, and electronics, to a huge aquarium or a year-round ice rink. The shopping center is divided into thematic sections such as Asian, Oriental, and many others.
For perspective:
1/ The total area of Dubai Mall is 1,124,000 square meters, which is equivalent to the size of 50 football fields.
2/ You will find over 1200 different shops here.
3/ The shopping center has a luxury hotel with 250 rooms, 120 restaurants, and a parking lot that can hold 14,000 cars!
4/ The shopping center is one of the most visited destinations in the world, the Dubai Mall is visited by an incredible 75 million tourists every year.
We wish you a pleasant shopping.
Dubai aquarium
Dubai has the largest indoor aquarium in the world with more than 33,000 aquatic animals and 140 species. The Dubai Aquarium is spread over three floors and offers you a fascinating experience of the underwater world. The main tank alone holds 10 million liters of water and is home to the largest grouping of sand sharks in the world. You can also witness feeding, cage snorkeling, and diving with sharks.
Dubai Frame
Dubai Frame is an observatory, museum, and memorial at Zabeel Park in Dubai. It holds the record for the largest frame in the world. The building is 150.24 meters high and 95.53 meters wide. It serves primarily as an observatory, providing views of old Dubai to the north and newer parts to the south. Construction costs were around 1.5 billion crowns.
Dubai old town
See the place where it all began. Before all the skyscrapers and eight-lane highways, Dubai had small lanes, historic architecture, and scenic spots. The city has undergone a huge transformation, but the question is whether for the better… Take a walk through the beginnings of Dubai as a city and let yourself be enchanted.
Museum of The Future
The Museum of the Future is divided thematically into 5 floors.
- OSS Hope: experience life on a space station, 600 km above Earth
- The Heal Institute: a virtual reality view of Dubai and the world in 2071.
- Al Waha: “The Oasis” offers soothing experiences and a room of “senses”.
- Tomorrow Today: Meet the futuristic technologies that already exist today and we have no idea about them.
- Future Heroes: an interactive play space designed to inspire kids through missions and games.
What to visit in Abu Dhabi?
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
The mosque is really beautiful! The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world and a massive architectural work of art that deliberately mixes different schools of Islamic architecture. It has 82 domes, more than 1000 columns, chandeliers gilded with 24-carat gold, and the largest hand-knotted carpet in the world.
But, ..
the entrance to the mosque looks a bit like Disneyland. Shops, fast food restaurants, complicated reservation system (you have to reserve entry), countless rules, golf carts for tourists, everywhere security so you don’t accidentally cross the marked line… beautiful, but once was enough 🙂
Well.. apart from the already mentioned mosque, there isn’t much in Abu Dhabi… you can visit the Ferrari theme park, which we didn’t have time for, or you can visit the Al Jahlil Fort. Other than that, we didn’t find much to explore, but we will definitely change in Abu Dhabi one more time, so we will be very happy for tips in the comments.