Dubai

[Kermit power]

Emanresu said:

I don't understand the mentality of people who go to another country just to drink. To me, it seems like they have an alcohol problem. If I want to drink I'll get a few cans and sit at home and shout at the tv. When I'm on holiday I want to get out and see as much as I can, experience a new culture and get my money's worth.

I agree with you 100%. That's also why I would never go to Dubai on holiday, as it manages the make the US look like the cradle of human civilisation!

If I had to go to the Middle East for a holiday, then from what I've seen from afar, Oman would be top of my list. I used to quite enjoy Cairo, and I'd love to go to Iran, but not the safest of places right now!

[djc206]

Kermit power said:

I agree with you 100%. That's also why I would never go to Dubai on holiday, as it manages the make the US look like the cradle of human civilisation!

If I had to go to the Middle East for a holiday, then from what I've seen from afar, Oman would be top of my list. I used to quite enjoy Cairo, and I'd love to go to Iran, but not the safest of places right now!

My father lives in Dubai and despises the place. By contrast he has nothing but praise for Oman and the Omani people. Next time I go out to visit him I think I might just meet him in Muscat and perhaps spend a couple of days in Salalah.

[GT03ROB]

z4RRSchris said:

the locals are rude

Most Gulf Arabs are anything but rude (always exceptions, often Saudis!). They tend to be polite & respectful.

djc206 said:

By contrast he has nothing but praise for Oman and the Omani people.

Oman is totally different to Dubai. It really is a fusion of Arabia & Africa. It has colour, history, culture & scenery. If I was looking at a holiday in this part of the world it would be Oman over the Emirates all day.

[thebraketester]

I honestly can't think why anyone would go there on holiday.

I went in 2015 for work. 3 days was plenty. 2/10. Wouldn't visit again (unless I am being paid)

Having said that, I had one of the best days out I have ever had at Atlantis water park.

[jontysafe]

1st warm day in a while

Totally agree about avoiding holidaying in height of summer.

Outside of that and expensed I enjoy my time here. Were it my own money it would 100% be a different destination.

[Stylus]

Any one saying they've done 2-3 days and seen it all are wrong, but I totally understand why. I think one of the things that this place loses out on is that their tourism marketing is so driven towards bling; shopping, hotels and "biggest in the world" things.

There's a whole host of things to do outside of those but they aren't immediately obvious to the casual visitor.

There is some seriously beautiful scenery within a day trip from Dubai or Abu Dhabi (I use the locations interchangeable as it's under an hours drive from one to the other). The fjords of the northern emirates, the dunes of the empty quarter, the mountains of RAK - all are truly stunning and day trips from the skyscraper landscape downtown.

But, the kicker is whilst all these places are in the UAE non of those are in the Emirate of Dubai and so the visitors there won't be pushed them. There's pro's and con's like everywhere else in the world, but if you want to see a different side to things there options to explore.

The summers are brutal, no one disagrees, but the rest of the year the weather is pretty nice! I'll finish work at 4 today, head to the beach for a sundowner as the weekend is Friday/Saturday, for a pint that will cost less than I can get it in the UK - you've just got to avoid the big name hotels or hit up happy hours. Going out with the cycling club tomorrow morning for 120km, then a game of tennis and then off to watch Team Sky in the Abu Dhabi tour, followed by cleaning the car in the late afternoon sun.

I've just spoken to my brother who's driving to work through Storm Doris. I know where I'd rather be.... until July.

[ali_XFR]

Apologies for the thread hijack but thought I would bump an old one rather than starting yet another one on Dubai. I have a four day layover with my wife and 5 year old in just over a month's time and was thinking of avoiding the usual bling/malls/tourist hotspots this year.
I fancy driving the Jebel Jais mountain road - is it relatively straightforward to leave Dubai and get into RAK on a British passport? (I'm assuming the entry visa you get covers all the countries in the UAE) Also am I best off just hiring a car from the airport or is there anywhere in Dubai where I can get something semi-decent to tackle the road (thinking something like a GT86/random RWD coupe)? Grateful for any advice!

[z4RRSchris]

Emanresu said:

z4RRSchris said:

it's a glorified disney land.

its fking expensive

it's fake

the locals are rude

What's Disney about it?

It's cheap as hell as long as you don't spend all your time in a hotel drinking. Hotels are cheap as long as you're not staying in the Hilton or burj al Arab. A taxi from one end of the city is around £15. It's around £3 on the train. A bottle of water is 20p, a bottle of Coke or Pepsi is 25p. A decent meal can be had in a local Indian restaurant for under £30 for 2 people. There are loads of bargains for shopping in karama and old Dubai.

What's fake about it? Are the palm trees made of plastic?

The local emirati are some of the most friendly and welcoming people on the planet I've ever met.


I've been there twice now and I'm planning to go back again at Christmas. I guess you're grumpy because you couldn't afford the plane ticket over there?

i dont go on holiday to skimp and live like a local indian worker. I want a nice 5* hotel, good food and restaurants, few drinks etc. Going somewhere to look for 'bargains' seems pointless, might as well go somewhere cheaper where you can still have good service. The gbp rate is currently killing it.

Its fake because 40 years ago it was all a fking desert.

The UAE are about as rude as they come, second behind saudis.

Ive been there hundreds of times, i used to live down the road. Im grumpy becuase i have to go to dubai next week, first class on emirates mind.

[Emanresu]

z4RRSchris said:

Its fake because 40 years ago it was all a fking desert.

By that argument I guess London is fake too as it used to all be marshland by the Thames. Anywhere man made must be fake.

Development isn't solely exclusive to the western world you know.

[JerryDXB]

ali_XFR said:

Apologies for the thread hijack but thought I would bump an old one rather than starting yet another one on Dubai. I have a four day layover with my wife and 5 year old in just over a month's time and was thinking of avoiding the usual bling/malls/tourist hotspots this year.
I fancy driving the Jebel Jais mountain road - is it relatively straightforward to leave Dubai and get into RAK on a British passport? (I'm assuming the entry visa you get covers all the countries in the UAE) Also am I best off just hiring a car from the airport or is there anywhere in Dubai where I can get something semi-decent to tackle the road (thinking something like a GT86/random RWD coupe)? Grateful for any advice!

There are no border crossings between Dubai and RAK. As you correctly state, you get access to the UAE and not just the individual Emirates. Jebel Jais is a great drive but be aware that the motorway slog there and back is rather dull and boring. Almost all of the major rental firms are present at the airport but I've never tried to collect something interesting from there. If you choose to rent from one of the more local outfits in town (Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren etc all readily available) then ensure you read the insurance small print, know what the excess is and record/photograph/video even the most minor scuffs and scrapes before you drive away.

With respect to the rest of this thread, I've tried not to get involved in the love it/hate it debate which always seems to occur when Dubai is mentioned. What I will say is that I've lived here for over a decade, have had far too many visitors to keep track of with ages from about 2 to 85 and various nationalities ... not once have we had some one say they hate the place or that there is nothing to do and most folks end up being repeat visitors. I guess that a lot of the time your trip is only as good as your tour guide and some are perhaps better than others?

[djc206]

Emanresu said:

By that argument I guess London is fake too as it used to all be marshland by the Thames. Anywhere man made must be fake.

Development isn't solely exclusive to the western world you know.

You're being flippant. London has an immense history and rich heritage spanning at least two millennia. Dubai was a pearl fishery and small trading post well into the 20th century and then boom. They've gone from desert nomads and fishermen to six figure incomes and ferraris in less than a century. There's very little there to see that hasn't been knocked up by near slave labour in the last few decades. It's an impressive development but it has a very temporary feeling and the indigenous folks are a tiny minority in their own land. It's fake, that doesn't mean it's bad, Vegas is fake too and it's great fun to visit.

[Joe5y]

Expensive. Hot. Tacky. As for a refund.

[Viperzs]

I love Dubai but sod going in the Summer! A place is what the visitor makes of it; it all depends what you go on holiday for.

I'm hoping to make a move over there in a couple of years.

[Buster73]

I was there in late January for a week of winter sun with the dragon .

If you want a nice five star hotel , superb service and food and are prepared to pay for it , I think it's a cracking place to be for a week or so.

I've been a few times at that time of year and really enjoy it , I recognise it's not for everyone but try it , if you don't like it don't bother going back.