DESTINATIONS MIDDLE EAST |DUBAI


3


OF THE BEST


FIRST-TIME ACTIVITIES


Dubai Frame Standing 150m tall, the


gold-trimmed giant picture frame is more than just


an Instagram opportunity. Ride the glass lift to the top and walk across the glass-floored bridge for an incredible view of the city. Back on terra firma, don’t miss the Frame’s immersive exhibition showcasing the emirate’s evolution and the Future Dubai Gallery. From £10. thedubaiframe.com


AYA Universe Dubai Dubai is all about


experiences – and there’s none more weird and wonderful than AYA


Universe. In Wafi City mall, AYA is an immersive experience that’s the


epitome of Dubai. Using light, music and sensory


effects, ‘travellers’ receive a passport to explore the different chambers of the AYA Universe. From £21. aya-universe.com


Desert safari


A desert safari is a must-do on a Dubai holiday. Go dune-bashing in a 4x4,


spot desert wildlife such as Arabian oryx and gazelle, or ride a camel over the dunes. After dark, settle down for a Bedouin-style feast and traditional belly-dancing under a blanket of twinkling stars. From £128. platinum-heritage.com


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Dubai Mall; wind tower in the Al Seef District; Museum of the Future PICTURES: Shutterstock/Sanoop.cp, Sergii Figurnyi


than the Burj Khalifa. Judging by the queue for the lifts, even after 14 years as the ‘world’s tallest building’, it still holds plenty of allure for visitors. Whizzing up to the 125th-floor viewing platform, I get a falcon’s-eye view of the city, spotting the silvery streak of Dubai Creek, the fronds of The Palm and the Dubai Frame as the view extends across the Arabian Desert.


HIDDEN HISTORY A 20-minute drive from the airport is the Al Seef District on the banks of Dubai Creek. Emulating a traditional Emirati village, its labyrinth of low-rise sandstone houses, wind towers and narrow alleyways lined with stalls selling local handicrafts feels like Old Dubai but is still within easy reach of the main sights. We’re staying at the Al Seef Heritage Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection by Hilton. It’s a mid-range hotel set in desert palazzo-style homes, with access to the pool and gym at the neighbouring Canopy by Hilton Dubai Al Seef (the more design-led option). Our rooms are spread across several buildings – I get lost more than once – and are stylishly rustic; think polished stone floors, beamed ceilings and shuttered windows from which an enrapturing call to prayer drifts in each morning. As much as I love the glitzy futuristic side of Dubai, I was keen to learn about the roots of the emirate. We’re


40 8 FEBRUARY 2024 Judging by the queue for the


lifts, even after 14 years as the ‘world’s tallest building’, the Burj Khalifa still holds plenty of allure


close to the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, the oldest part of Dubai, where you can learn about its pearl-trading roots in the Dubai Museum in Al Fahidi Fort. Afterwards, we stop by the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, where Emiratis explain their culture and customs over a traditional lunch.


LEISURE TIME If shopping was a sport, Dubai would have Olympic- level facilities. Across from the sprawling Dubai Mall is Souk Al Bahar, an Arab-style shopping mall that largely sells Persian carpets, antiques and local handicrafts. It also houses Time Out Market Dubai, which opened in 2021. It’s a collaboration between the leisure magazine and local restaurateurs. There are 17 outposts of the best Dubai restaurants,


each serving their signature dishes. I try the famed soft-shell crab sushi from Reif Japanese Kushiyaki.


² travelweekly.co.uk agent agent ASK THE


“Dubai is a supremely easy city to explore. Dubai Metro stops at all the top attractions, while the monorail connects the Palm Jumeirah. And boat rides across the creek are only a dirham (about 20p).” Ash Hussain, founder, fly360.com


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