United Arab Emirates

 

United Arab Emirates is one of my favorite holiday destinations. It is also one of the world’s most expensive holiday destinations. Famous for its world-class beaches, hotels, mosques, monuments, museums, shopping malls, skyline, theme parks, and venues, it has everything for everyone. However, the traditional culture of UAE has Islamic roots with muslims being called to prayers five times as day even though it is one of the most multinational nations in the world.

Starting my journey in the UAE, the first place of my visit in the UAE has been The Dubai Mall. The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping mall where you can find almost anything that you can imagine. After shopping, I have visited the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo in The Dubai Mall. It showcases hundreds of species of marine animals ranging from sharks to rays. In addition to viewing the marine animals from a massive aquarium, the most exciting feature of the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is a Glass Tunnel from which you can walk through while watching the marine animals up-close. Afterwards, I had a snack at one of the restaurants at The Dubai Mall before moving on to my next activities.

My next experience is the visit of the observation deck of the tallest structure and building in the world. Visiting Burj Khalifa’s observation deck is an experience like no other. Burj Khalifa is accessed through The Dubai Mall. From the observation deck, you can see The Dubai Fountain in the Burj Khalifa lake, the highways, the landscape, the skyline all the way up to the shores of Iran. Burj Khalifa’s observation deck is a point from where even the skyscrapers look like miniature buildings. After visiting the observation deck, I was looking forward to dinner. Since Burj Khalifa is connected to The Dubai Mall, it only makes sense to have dinner in one of the restaurants in The Dubai Mall. Therefore, my dinner was outdoors from where I enjoyed The Dubai Fountain and the Burj Khalifa.

Up next is my visit to Abu Dhabi. Dubai is the largest city in the UAE and Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the UAE. Abu Dhabi is home to many world-famous landmarks. Starting off, the first place of my visit in Abu Dhabi is the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a Ferrari-branded theme park on the Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The theme park is home to the world’s fastest roller coaster known as Formula Rossa. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has rides for all ages from children to adults. After visiting Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, I have visited the Yas Mall. Since Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is connected to the Yas Mall, one can get something to eat, shop and take a break at the mall before heading off to the next destination.

Up next is my visit to the Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi. Located near the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on the Yas Island, Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi features characters from Warner Bros’ franchises. My visit to the Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi has been absolutely joyful. The park features many exciting rides that the adults and children find equally exciting. UAE is home to many iconic museums as well. I have been to the Louvre in Paris, France which is the world’s largest museum as well as the world’s most visited museum. In UAE, I have been to the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Located on the Saadiyat Island, it is the largest museum in the Arabian Peninsula. My experience of the Louvre Abu Dhabi has been extraordinary. Louvre Abu Dhabi is different from the western museums as the Louvre Abu Dhabi places an emphasis on eastern art in addition to the western art. The eastern art is usually not a focus of the western museums.

My next destination in Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. By the will of Almighty Allah, I have seen almost all major mosques in the world and each mosque is unique in its own way. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the UAE and is also one of the most beautiful mosques in the world. Finest materials from all over the world have been used in its construction. It features the world’s largest carpet as well as some of the world’s largest chandeliers inside a mosque. The courtyard with its floral design is the largest marble mosaic in the world. In addition, the mosque has pools along the arcades that reflect the mosque’s beautiful structure. I prayed at the mosque and moved on. Up next are important locations in Abu Dhabi like the Etihad Towers and the Emirates Palace.

Back in Dubai, I have been eager to see more of this incredible city. One of my favorite holiday activities is taking a Cruise. Fortunately, Dubai has the Dubai Creek. I have taken a Cruise with Dinner at the Dubai Creek and it is a remarkable experience. The view of the lights reflecting in the water makes you feel as if you’re living in a Van Gogh painting. Up next, I have been able to visit other important locations in Dubai. Starting from the Burj al Arab, the nearby Wild Wadi Water park to the Jumeirah Beach, I have visited these locations. If you want to enjoy the true essence of Dubai then you can’t afford to miss these locations as these are the definitive Dubai hotspots for a summer holiday. Another important landmark that I have visited is the Dubai Frame. It is the largest frame in the world.

One of the most exciting activities in Dubai is the Desert Safari and Dinner. It is an experience that is hard to put in words as Dune Bashing on the Red Dunes is exciting and scary at the same time as the vehicle runs up to the top of the dune only to fall from it and you are literally screaming at the edge of your seat until you regain your senses. It remains my craziest experience of Dubai. The Desert Safari leads you all the way up to a camp in the middle of the desert where you can sit, relax and have snacks. You can sit outdoors and enjoy camel rides, get photographed with a falcon on your hand or even drive the buggies in the dunes. You can also sit inside in the air-conditioned environment and enjoy the scenes from the comfort of your sofa. As the sun goes down, the buffet dinner gets served. After the dinner, you can enjoy the traditional arabic dancing and music performances. It remains another one of my unforgettable experiences of the UAE.

Afterwards, I have visited other Emirates of the UAE as well including Sharjah. The city of Sharjah is the third largest city in the UAE after Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It features many of the notable landmarks such as Sharjah National Park, Sharjah Aquarium, Al Noor Island and Al Majaz Waterfront. The city features many elegant mosques including the Sharjah Mosque and King Faisal Mosque.

Dubai has plenty of attractions for everyone and one of the most exciting experiences is of a Ski Resort known as Ski Dubai. I have been to the Mall of the Emirates for shopping and Ski Dubai. The experience is unlike anything else as a ski resort in the Arabian Peninsula sounds unrealistic. Another important shopping mall that I have visited in Dubai is the Ibn Battuta Mall. Named after the famous Muslim World Traveler, it is the world’s largest themed shopping mall. It features courts which are inspired by some of the locations that were visited by Ibn Battuta such as Andalusia, China, Egypt, India, Persia and Tunisia. One for my favorite locations in Dubai is Downtown Dubai where I have been to Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Mall and The Dubai Fountain multiple times. Whether it is for dinner, shopping or  just watching The Dubai Fountain around The Burj Khalifa, it is always a great experience and makes you come back again and again.