D U B A I

Visiting Dubai has always been a dream of mine, ever since I was little I would always hear my parents talk about how amazing it was, even if they were just there for business!

25th December 2018, my dream came true! I received a holiday to Dubai for my Christmas present ( the best one I've ever received, nothing will ever top it!)

Getting there?

On 30^th May 2019 we flew from Dublin - Dubai, just standard class and it was honestly amazing; the Emirates staff couldn’t have done more for us and we had purchased the two seats stand alone, this meant we had larger seats with more room towards the back of the plane which I found essential for a 7 hour 30 minute flight, definitely make sure to bring comfy clothes, socks and a pillow because sleep is essential, they have movies and music available throughout their ice software which made the flight fly in. The food was amazing and included in the price of the flight. The flight attendants really couldn’t have done more for us; the customer service was really amazing so I can't even begin to imagine what business class would have been like.

Top 3 Things to do

1.   The Dubai Mall – Situated in the heart of Dubai downtown this is the ultimate stop for all shopping lovers, home to 1,200 retail stores ranging from designer brands such as Gucci, Chanel and Balenciaga to high street stores such as Topshop, River Island and Misguided, you will not be bored here! The mall is 5,400,000 sq. ft in size and known as the biggest in the world; I could have easily spent my whole week in here if I wanted to visit all the shops. There were also buggies available in the mall due to the size of it which is super handy if you know exactly where you want to go. From an ice rink to an aquarium it's perfect for the whole family. With their food court offering 250 fast food outlets, you really are spoilt for choice.

2.   Dubai Desert – Located less than an hour’s drive from the city, Al Quadra Desert is one not to be missed when visiting Dubai. We went through a company called Arabian Adventure and they came and picked us up from our hotel and dropped us back again, it was about an hour in the car but the air conditioning was good so I didn’t really mind. We decided to book a Bronze Passenger experience buggy safari, as I'm probably one of the worst drivers ever so I can’t imagine driving a buggy through sand dunes being any better, I would have ended up in a ditch! Also, being a passenger means that you get to enjoy it more, you don’t have to concentrate on where you are going, instead you can just admire the scenery and spend time taking photos and videos as you wish. One thing to mention that was a completely new experience was the humidity; it was seriously shocking, I know it’s a desert but I really didn’t expect it to be that intense, although with the massive helmet I had on it really didn’t help matters, not the most fashionable look but, safety first! The driver stopped halfway to let us get out and walk around, take some photos and to grab a drink, important as you do become quite dehydrated.You can check Arabian Adventure out here > Desert Dune Buggies

3.   Aquaventure Waterpark / The Lost Chambers Aquarium -  Atlantis, the palm is not only a luxury hotel in Dubai, it is home to the world's best water park, Aquaventure! Its probably one of the biggest waterparks I've ever seen and is a hard day's work walking about it in 45 degrees heat with high humidity levels. I was always warned about the humidity but you really don’t understand it until you get there; it's extremely intense in the summer, I'd recommend not going in the summer when it's not quite as hot as I found it may be more enjoyable then. The aquarium was also amazing, they had a large range of sea creatures inside and it was super pretty. I'd suggest purchasing tickets before you go as it’s a pain to pay when you get there and there’s always a huge queue which isn’t ideal in that heat and humidity! We bought ours on the Atlantis website > Waterpark Tickets

Where to stay?

We stayed in a hotel in Jumeriah  beach residence called JA ocean view hotel which of course overlooked the beach and happened to be facing river island, how convenient ( I’ll never escape it, lol)  we were recommended It by a travel agent who encouraged it was becoming increasingly popular for adults as other hotels like Atlantis, the palm was very much marketed towards an experience for children whereas I wanted more of an adult atmosphere. Upon arrival, we were upgraded to a deluxe room because our room wasn’t ready which was super kind of the hotel staff, the room was huge and the view was amazing, id definitely go back, the customer service from the staff was amazing until it came to me leaving my Pandora rings behind me when I went home and they wouldn’t post them home… I cried.

Food?

Dubai is known well for its exotic food and fine dining, the Dubai Marina is perfect for this and the views are amazing, I'm pretty fussy when It comes to food so it was The Cheesecake Factory most nights for me, their customer service was amazing and their food catered for all, especially their Oreo cheesecake! They had an American diner in the mall which was also amazing, I didn’t have any bad experiences with food but that’s probably due to the fact I was so fussy, I think if I ever went back I'd try to experiment more with foods. Here is a list of the top 3 restaurants I seen…

·      STK Dubai

·      Maiden Shanghai Dubai

·      Wavehouse Dubai

Ramadan and Laws?

Is Dubai really that strict?

So before I went I was warned about their laws about showing skin and showing affection in person, it is something you need to do research into before you go just incase. The locals told us that people get arrested in Dubai for the silliest of things like their shoulders showing. So the rules are that women can't have their shoulders, chest or legs showing in public areas; of course the beach is fine to wear a bikini but as soon as you come off the beach you must cover-up. Men on the other hand cannot walk about without a top on unless on the beach and their shorts must be down to their knees. I'm not sure what might happen if they didn’t wear a top but I wouldn’t risk it. I brought a silk scarf and used it as shawl when out in public to put around my shoulders and my chest. I noticed people stare when I took my shawl off in the mall so I'd probably suggest keeping it on as everywhere inside is highly air-conditioned it's nearly too cold inside, and everyone is completely covered, you can only really see their eyes. Be aware, you cannot stay in a room with someone unless you're married as its deemed disrespectful. Thankfully our hotel was fine with sharing a room but advice is to email the hotel ahead of your stay just to make sure! I mean it is worth asking. Note to self, you aren’t allowed to hold hands or show affection in public whatsoever. For guidance, I've attached a photo of the kind of things I wore.

With Ramadan

So Ramadan usually falls within the months of May and June. My advice is to avoid going over these months if you want to drink and eat outside during the day. In practice, this means that you can't lie by the pool eating and drinking, even when you wanted a glass of water you would have to go to the hotel pool bar which was covered by a curtain so people couldn’t see you. Most restaurants were like this, it means you aren’t disrespecting those who are fasting. This included alcohol as well but because I wasn’t 21 I was unable to drink anyway, I'd definitely want to go back when I'm 21 to enjoy the elaborate pool parties and liquid lunches!

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about my time in Dubai, it really was amazing to get another place ticked off my bucket list and I plan to go back soon! Any questions please do contact me and I'm happy to help!

Love Char xo

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