Dubai - things to do?

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Trax

Original Poster:

1,527 posts

231 months

Thursday 5th November 2015
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We are after some pointers and advice on what we can be planning for our Dubai holiday, which starts this Sunday, and we are there for two weeks. Therefore we have plenty of time to not rush and cram things in.

Bearing in mind, we are a couple and will be with our 2 1/2 year old daughter. We are staying in the Atlantis on the Palm, so have the water park for that type of thing. We also have half board, so will only eat out on a few occasions.

I am looking particular for ex-pat advice, I.e. What's busy on what days, both in and out of the hotel, so we can plan places when it's not busy.

We will be booking the Burj Khalif, which isn't cheap for the top floor in prime time, but it's the tallest building in the world, so have to go, and will visit the Dubai Mall on that day.

I also intend to go to Ruth's Steakhouse, is that an area we can walk around and chill with our daughter for half a day?

Any other pointers on what to do? I would like the Dessert safari, but probably not good for the child. We are happy to jump in a taxi and visit areas for a drink and eat for some days.

Also, please don't mention the Grand Prix the weekend after we come back, that's a sore point...... Lol

Bullett

10,873 posts

183 months

Friday 6th November 2015
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Just got back after a week with a 4yo and a 5yo.

Burj Khalifa is worth a visit but there is not really much to actually see and you will be done in under an hour. Also in the mall is the aquarium which is always a hit with my kids. And every evening just at the foot of the tower is a fountain lights and music show every hour from about 6.30.

We did the safari as a private hire, bit more expensive but just us in the car so the driver took it easy after my 4yo decided she didn't like the ups and downs. The rest of it, hawk show, camel rides, food, belly dancing was all great and highly recommended.

We went to the water park at atlantis, whilst the park itself was excellent we didn't like the hotel itself very much way too busy. Plan ahead if you want to leave as it took us an hour to get a taxi out of there. Appreciate that may have been peak time but it was pretty crap. You might be better using the metro to get off the palm.

Use taxi's the rest of the time, cheap and reliable. Don't get caught by the lexus/private limo's not a scam but much more expensive.

We visited the old town bit, nice little museum/castle and then through the souks for the traditional tourist hassle (I buy your daughter, you want fake x, y, z) a boat across the creak is a nice experience and only 1d.

Booze is expensive, get a bottle or two in duty free and drink in your room.

Things we didn't do was skiing on snow or sand or visit Yas/ferrari world.




shirt

22,506 posts

200 months

Friday 6th November 2015
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Trax said:
I am looking particular for ex-pat advice
come visit the sandy middle east forum. but whilst i'm here and avoiding doing work:

everything is busy all the time. seriously. even out of season its the same. i rarely go to the mall for this reason. generally try and avoid going anywhere during rush hour as the entry/exit routes from the palm bring you out right into the middle of where everyone is trying to cross to get somewhere else.

taxis are cheap, regulated and plentiful. drivers will do everything they can to take you the slightly longer way to get an extra dirham. the lexus drivers you'll see at the hotel can be negotiated with, usually costs about double a regular cab. or download the careem app to your phone.

fridays avoid the buffet at atlantis. saffron brunch is expat pisshead central. restaurants in antlantis are a bit wk imho. deffo much better to be had for less money. i'm not much help for you foodwise, no idea where is and isn't family friendly. i guess as a rule of thumb you'll do better where alcohol isn't served in that respect, the locals are big on family so those places are more geared up for it.

the burj viewing gallery is ok but is pricey [you can book in advance to save money]. one floor below is the atmosphere bar with no entry fee and a modest minimum spend [nothing for women, 100dhs for men]. i like to take people there for sundowners and get two experiences in one [dubai looks way better at night]. not sure if they allow children in, your concierge should know.

in the mall, do the aquarium tunnel but also don't forget to visit the aquatic zoo on the 4th floor. most people miss it as its not immediately obvious. its a bit crap but included in your ticket price and has otters who do tricks and stuff. nuff said

after the mall head to souk al bahar [literally next door] and eat at one of the restaurants overlooking the fountain. you can do this in dubai mall as well but you won't be able to do so with a drink in hand. souk al bahar has an alcohol licence.

at mall of the emirates the have penguins at the ski slope. if your kid is old enough to enjoy it then get on board. you get to dick about with the smaller ones and then the emperor's come along who are more sedate. its different anyway.

desert safaris. never been on them [preferred to do my dune bashing from the driver's seat] but can't imagine a 2 yr old getting much out of it. one of the desert camps may be a a better bet. kinda set up like a traditional bedouin deal with food and optional falcon/camel/4x4 excursions.

JBR beach has been rebranded as 'the walk' [i.e. they spied an opportunity for another fking mall]. means the beach has good changing/shower/baby facilities plus some nice places to eat.

dubai marina's worth a trundle. by the marina mall [yes another mall] you'll see a tower called pier 7. some very good mid priced restaurants in there. fume probably the most relaxed/family orientated, my mate's daughter loves it in there. the yacht club is also another great place for sundowners but very much doubt they'll let children in.

a day trip to abu dhabi is worthwhile to visit the grand mosque. as a feat of architecture its pretty fantastic. free daily tours if you check the timings. trying to think of other things to do in abu dhabi. hmmm. nope, thats it.

lastly, not sure when it runs to and i hate the yellow tt, but modhesh world seems popular with those who have rugrats

http://www.visitdubai.com/en/discover/festivals/mo...


ETA: also look into the marhaba service at the airport. they greet you off the flight and fast track you through immigration. queues are ridiculous at certain times.







Edited by shirt on Friday 6th November 02:53

Trax

Original Poster:

1,527 posts

231 months

Friday 6th November 2015
quotequote all
Thanks both, thats just the kind of info I am after.

I did look at the Mahrabar (sp) meet and greet at the airport, but didnt know if it was worth the cost, though the help with three carry ons, three large cases and our daughter, maybe its worth it. Flight gets in about 7pm I think.

Jakeztx

85 posts

105 months

Friday 6th November 2015
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Don't underestimate the Mall, we just got back from 10 days there and even though we aren't big shoppers we spent 3 days in the dubai mall and another one in the Mall of the Emirates (much less to see mind).

The aquarium is great we spent a good few hours in there your youngsters should love it.

The waterpark at the Atlantis was good, but incredibly busy. I'd advise Wild Wadi just on the mainland off the palm as an alternative as that was also free for Palm-hotel-goer's. It was much less busy and if you have young children it is more suited to their age group, some of the Aquaventure rides are a bit insane!

On the other hand Aquaventure does offer a pretty good dolphin experience if thats what you fancy although it is a bit expensive for what you get.

We also did the desert safari which was ace and a real experience but might not be very suitable for kids under 5/6 unless they are born thrill seekers! :P

We didnt manage to fit in a trip to Abu Dhabi in our 10 days there and did really regret it actually, would be something to do next time we go.

We managed to get on one of the boat tours round the palms and into the Dubai Creek where the old town sits and as a way to see the city that was fantastic for a day out.

Steve Campbell

2,109 posts

167 months

Friday 6th November 2015
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Been quite a while since I went with a 3 year old but we had a fun half day here. I skied, wife and son played in the snowpark.

http://www.theplaymania.com/skidubai/ski-dubai-sno...

Local knowledge on current set-up and whether it's worth it now....might be best to check

SimesJH

768 posts

150 months

Saturday 7th November 2015
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You could try hiring a car and driving to the Emirates Motor Museum. It's just past Abu Dhabi, on the left and up a bit.

We were there a few weeks ago. Kids get in for free. Despite some so-so reviews from non-petrolheads on the usual review websites, we loved it. It'll take you 2-3 hours to do properly, plus you have a nice drive into the desert (almost) to see it. You can spot it miles away as it's one large dark pyramid.

If Daddy fancies some go-kart fun, then go to the go-kart track inside Yas Circuit's infield and not the Ferrari World one. Open from 3pm, it'll cost you 85 Dirhams for 15 minutes. It's on your way back from the museum, so rude not to pop in for a little play. Mummy and little-'un can watch.


AB

16,969 posts

194 months

Saturday 7th November 2015
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Trax said:
Thanks both, thats just the kind of info I am after.

I did look at the Mahrabar (sp) meet and greet at the airport, but didnt know if it was worth the cost, though the help with three carry ons, three large cases and our daughter, maybe its worth it. Flight gets in about 7pm I think.
The Marhaba service is actually quite for value for money IMO, especially on departure. IIRC it was about £100 for me and the OH for the gold service which gets you lounge access too - this may have changed. But would imagine it'd be even more VFM if you have loads of bags and kids to worry about.

We're in Dubai in a couple of weeks and have booked the same for arrival.


shirt

22,506 posts

200 months

Saturday 7th November 2015
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depends who you're flying with really. emirates have their own terminal which is a lot easier as a lot of their traffic is in transit long haul. plus if you have skywards you can register for the e-gates. queues for immigration tend to be 10-15min affairs. more often than not you reach the carousel way before your bags do.

terminal 1 is a different story. under refurbishment and most flights terminate there. worst time to land is immediately after a load of low cost flights from africa or the subcontinent. queue can be 90mins+ if you're really unlucky.

on departure, marhaba really isn't neccessary as it doesn't offer you anything beneficial other than the lounge. for arrival i'd deffo book it as they'll escort you all the way through the taxi rank or even take you to the hotel.

North West Tom

11,511 posts

176 months

Monday 9th November 2015
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I was in Dubai for a long weekend last week. Met my brother and his friend out there, who'd already booked the Burj for us. They went for the expensive option (£90!) at not the best time (3pm). It's a bit higher (not notably) than the standard ticket, a lot quieter, and you're in a fancy lounge, with some juice and chocolate. If I go back I'd like to do it at night.

Ski Dubai was fantastic. Spent two hours on the slope but I should have got a day pass for not much more. Standard of skiing was good, it was relatively quiet too. Didn't fall over on the drag lift which was surprising.

I used the limo/Lexus service a couple of times as no normal taxis were available and I couldn't be bothered waiting. More expensive, but still pretty cheap. Used one on my way back to the airport. Driver said we were early, so he took me on a little detour to the King's palace and a couple more sights (we'd prearranged a price back at the hotel).

Mr Trophy

6,808 posts

202 months

Monday 9th November 2015
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Haven't been in a few years, but been in twice and absolutely loved it each time!

http://www.restaurants.dubai.hyatt.com/restaurants...

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Monday 9th November 2015
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Two weeks in Dubai?

Mmmm - We went for 3 days and felt it was a bit too long biggrin

Anyway, Atlantis' aquarium is good (better than the one in the mall and, whilst there's a fee, it's reasonable). The ski slope is pretty good for a ski slope (although the suits are nowhere near warm enough for the temperature in there when combined with outdoor Dubai clothes!) and the Penguins were, I admit, pretty good - Go on, admit it, you'd love to stroke a Penguin! biggrin

Burj Kalifa is a must, but it's expensive and a bit meh after a few minutes. We went late afternoon, so got to see the sun go down and I'd agree it looks better at night.

The thing that sticks in my mind was the ride across the Creek on one of the local ferries at night - So, try that, you can't go wrong at the price (from memory it was 1 Dirham)!

Oh, and there's a Nandos! biggrin

Actually, it's quite something to visit, but I wouldn't bother going back personally - A bit like Vegas.

M


Edited by marcosgt on Monday 9th November 15:25

Trax

Original Poster:

1,527 posts

231 months

Monday 9th November 2015
quotequote all
Well, it's warm out here isn't it.... Lol

We did the meet and greet at arrivals, and it was great. Walk off the plane, and met as you walk in. Car buggy ride straight to passport control and luggage, and someone to deal with all the luggage and stuff. Waited for us while we topped up in duty free, and then all the way to the car to the Atlantis. (This was via the hotel, as we are in a terrace suit).

Was about £70 from memory, but worth it just to drive past all the others walking with their luggage..... With a quick beep from the driver - get out of my way....lol. Mind you, it want very busy, so made things so much easier, rather than quicker.j

Will have to look at the options for leaving, but review of the lounge don't sound great.

Any ways, first day of chilling by the pool to get into the time zone (advantage of two weeks means we don't have to rush), so into the aqua adventure thing tomorrow for some fun.

Will look a he other suggestions for later on in the week. Thanks all for the input.

P.s. Anyone got an iPhone charger they don't want, think ours is as in the Marriott airport hotel in Manchester.......

Petrus1983

8,516 posts

161 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
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We've just booked to go in April and have opted for the Raffles Dubai. Does anyone have any experience of this hotel as even with a nice room and the lounge access the price seemed very (too?) good. It's done with booking.com so I can always switch.

Rich135

768 posts

241 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
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It's a nice hotel, just not in a particularly touristy location. There is a mall next door which is ok, but you will jump in a cab to go out to restaurants etc (the hotel is right next to Sheikh Zayed Road, the main road through the city). There is a cool table tennis bar near the hotel you should visit (can't recall the name). You are quite near the Creek though, and also Creek Park which is a nice wander. You can get a water taxi (Hambra) from your side of the creek to the other side for 1dhs per person, but you might want to get a cab to Bur Dubai to get the water taxi (as it's a bit too far to walk). On the other side are the Souks (markets).

Markytop

633 posts

218 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
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Petrus1983 said:
We've just booked to go in April and have opted for the Raffles Dubai. Does anyone have any experience of this hotel as even with a nice room and the lounge access the price seemed very (too?) good. It's done with booking.com so I can always switch.
Have stayed at Raffles the last few times I have been to Dubai - possibly the greatest service from the staff in any hotel I have visited. They have that balance of being really helpful and friendly but not being over the top.
Location is good also for the hop-on/hop-off bus tours that all start and finish in the shopping mall next door. Also only a couple of min walk from the Metro station, so easy enough to jump on that to get to places.

aquarianone

498 posts

176 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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Don't forget to book your Friday Brunch!

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2015/10/14/...

Petrus1983

8,516 posts

161 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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aquarianone said:
Don't forget to book your Friday Brunch!

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2015/10/14/...
fk!! We're not there on a Friday!!!! May have to re look at the dates laugh

aquarianone

498 posts

176 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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Another thing to check out is the Burj el Arab...stunning inside.

You can have a drink in the bar or go for a meal in the underwater restaurant...

https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/b...

Worth booking in advance for a sunset view..

SignalGruen

630 posts

199 months

Friday 20th November 2015
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How did you find the Atlantis OP ? Missus wants to spend a few nights there over Christmas - I hear it's a busy place and I assume it's going to be rammed over the holidays ?