How To Spend A Great Weekend In Dubai

The city of Dubai, the jewel of the Emirates, is renowned for its futuristic architecture, all year-round sunshine and shopping – you could be forgiven for wondering what else there is to do in this popular travel destination.

The answer is – plenty! The city is surrounded by the stark beauty of the desert waiting to be explored, and in the city you can find fascinating history and culture beneath the glossy modern surface.

Desert Safari

One of the most popular activities for visitors to Dubai is to take a Dubai Desert Safari in a 4×4 vehicle.

You could choose an afternoon and evening tour and be back to your hotel by 11pm or you could camp out overnight under the desert stars.

Exploring the desert in a 4×4 vehicle is a lot of fun as you take a rollercoaster ride over the sand dunes, dipping down into the deep hollows and rising high on the peaks, and the safaris are always timed to give you the unforgettable experience of a glowing desert sunset.

Most safaris will take you to a Bedouin campsite where you can experience all kinds of fun activities like sand boarding or camel riding.

Many tours also have belly dancing shows or a barbecue and give you the chance to get traditional henna tattoos, dress up in typical Arab costumes, or smoke an authentic hubbly-bubbly pipe.

Exploring The City

For something completely different, why not take a hop-on hop-off Dubai tour – personally I think it’s one of the best ways to get to know all sides of this amazing city.

Jump on or off as often as you like to see the sights, dine and shop.

One of the most fun things to do in Dubai city is to do some retail therapy at the Burjuman, Deira City Centre or Wafi malls, which is more of an experience than just shopping, or explore historic Dubai Creek, a busy waterway with many dhows and abras (water taxis) plying their trade.

To learn more about the city’s history, make a stop at the 18th century fort (Al-Fahidi Fort) that now houses the excellent Dubai Museum.

For sheer ‘bling’ make sure you stop off at the Gold Souk, Dubai’s most famous market.

Explore the narrow alleys lined with shops full of glittering gold jewelry, and remember to haggle!

(photo credit: 1 - 2  - 3)