DUBAI

Ever since it was announced that EXPO 2020 will be held in Dubai, it was only a matter of time before I started looking for reasonably priced tickets and making a list of things to see in Dubai. This most popular resort in the Emirates really has a lot to offer and it wasn’t just an EXPO as I thought at first…

Due to COVID, the EXPO exhibition was moved from 2020 to 2021/2022 so the main plan was to make it there before the end of March 2022. The direct Wizzair flight from Budapest took approx. 5 hours. In front of the airport, we took a taxi and dived into the evening atmosphere of Dubai, and headed to the Ramada Hotel in the western part of Deira. Since we have only 5 days for the whole trip, we had to make a packed schedule to see as much as possible.

First thing in the morning we jump into the air-conditioned metro, which is at a great level, but you just have to deal with longer transfers by walking to the individual attractions. We get off at the Dubai Mall station, which is the largest shopping mall in the world, where besides the shops (1200+) there is also a waterfall, an ice-skating rink, and a huge aquarium with sharks. We start the first day with probably the biggest attraction – a visit to the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa. In short, this colossus measures 828 meters and has 154 floors accessible by 57 lifts or by walk.

After checking your tickets, you will have a virtual tour of the building and then a quick ride to the observation deck. There are 2 types of viewing platforms in the building. Tickets should be purchased online in advance for a specific date and time and you can choose either At the Top (124th and 125th floors) or At the Top SKY (148th floor). The views from the top are absolutely fantastic and this is definitely a MUST-SEE attraction. Apart from the above-mentioned views, there are also various shops, restaurants, gyms, private apartments, and even the famous Armani Hotel. At the end, you will get a small snack of water or coffee with a croissant.

Our next stop is The view at the Palm with a magnificent view of Palm Island with the Atlantis Hotel on one side and the famous Burj Al Arab Hotel in the shape of a sailing ship with the rest of the city on the other side. The passage is a nice area with many shops, restaurants, and relaxation areas to the elevator that takes you to the 52nd floor with a magnificent 360′ view not only of the famous Palm Island but actually of the whole of Dubai. After the sightseeing, we take the monorail to the end of Palm Island to the seaside promenade The Pointe, and to the already mentioned Atlantis Hotel, which together with the Atlantis in the Bahamas is one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.

Slowly it started to get dark but we had one last stop to make, which was the world-famous singing fountain under the Burj Khalifa. So we took the monorail, a tram, and metro back to the city center to Dubai Mall. As a big fan of fountains of different kinds and sizes, I didn’t have anything more to wish for at the end of the day. The Dubai fountain is compared to the one in Las Vegas, but most people agree that the one in Dubai is better. I have not been to Las Vegas but this one is fantastic and together with the music and light show it is definitely an unforgettable experience.

Since one of the main reasons why we went to Dubai in the first place was to visit the EXPO 2020 exhibition, we booked the next day just for this huge exhibition, which is repeated only once every 5 years. The exhibition area is located at the opposite end of the city from where we were staying, so it took us almost an hour to get there by metro. As soon as we got off the metro it was clear that this was going to be huge like everything else in Dubai.

The exhibition itself occupied an area of more than 438 hectares, which is the area of about 600 football fields, and the expected number of visitors was estimated at more than 14 million. Probably because of these numbers, there were long queues for many pavilions, so it was advisable to select the pavilions you want to see in advance and book a fast-track pass to avoid long waits. We managed to visit about 12 of the more than 190 exhibiting halls, which may seem little, but believe me, we were on the run right from the morning until the very evening and we certainly would not have managed to do more.

Each of the visited pavilions had something different and interesting. The Czechs, besides good beer, impressed with the largest coin in the world made of 130 kg of pure gold, the Dutch with a pavilion covered with various plants and an indoor rain, Singapore looked like a botanical garden with a lot of exotic orchids, Slovenia had a nice presentation of natural beauties, Saudi Arabia had the biggest interactive exhibition about the earth, the universe and the history of their country, Peru besides their mystical Machu Picchu also promoted their fantastic cuisine, Uruguay impressed with the display of trophies for the World Football Champions from 1930 and 1950, Argentina with tango and a signed jersey of Lionel Messi.

Of course, we did not miss a visit to our Slovak pavilion, which on an area of 300m2 attracted especially by the supercharged hydrogen car Matador MH2, space robot Androver, flight VRM simulator, ECO capsule, and video projections promoting our historical monuments, cultural and natural beauty. Totally exhausted, we ended this inspiring day in the Irish Village and downed it with two well-chilled pints of Guinness. The second day of our stay in Dubai is successfully completed.

As the temperatures were around 30’C since the morning, we wanted to finally swim in the sea after two busy days. Right after breakfast, I take a few laps in the hotel pool, and then we all head to one of the most famous beaches – Kite Beach. From the nearest metro station, you have to take a taxi to the beach or wait for one of the buses, which are often late due to traffic jams. In the high season this beach is usually quite crowded but we found a half-empty beach so we quickly got rid of our clothes and jumped into the heated sea. Totally cool…

After a few hours of chilling on the beach, we went to replenish our water supply, freshen up a bit and explore the area. As there is an iconic hotel in the shape of a sailboat – Burj Al Arab – in the background of this famous beach, we headed towards it. Although it seems close enough, it’s quite far by walk and it’s better to take a bus in this hot weather. The world-famous 7* hotel Burj Al Arab, one of Dubai’s landmarks, is located on an artificially created island 280 meters off the coast. With a height of 321 meters and 202 suites, it is one of the top of the hotel industry.

Not far from here is the amazing place Souk Madinat Jumeirah, which is also called Dubai’s Venice. It is an Arab market in a modern design with many cafes, shops, restaurants, baths, and relaxation areas located along the narrow water canals on which you can take a ride on small boats. Just the kind of place with lots of shade, water, and trees we needed after a long walk in the sun. We went straight into the first nice Arabic restaurant and had a good lunch.

After today’s exhausting day, we return to the hotel a little early to rest but in the evening we go for a sightseeing tour of Deira or even old Dubai. It is a place where there are remains of authentic architecture and currently, there are authentic Arab markets with lots of spices, ceramics, jewelry, and coffee stretching all the way to the Dubai Creek port. From here you can then hop on a boat and see old Dubai from the sea. A favorite stop here is the Golden Souk with its various gold and gemstone products.

It was the last day of our trip, but since I had booked an evening departure, we still had a whole day ahead of us. After breakfast, I went to the hotel pool to cool off a bit and then I headed for the metro and a taxi to have one last swim in the sea at the trendiest beach – La Mer. It’s probably the most popular beach in Dubai at the moment, with a very good atmosphere and all the services you need. Sun is shining, the water is great, the view of the Burj Khalifa while swimming in the sea, nothing more is needed…

It was hard to leave La Mer beach, but it was necessary to pack, check out of the hotel, and eat something. In the afternoon we still had the last attraction on our list – Dubai Frame. On the way from the beach, just by the metro station, there is a recently opened museum that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie – the Museum of the Future, but we didn’t manage to get there. Because it’s so fancy now, you have to book tickets a few weeks in advance. Maybe next time…

Just a quick pack up, check out, lunch, and we head off on the metro and then a short walk to our last stop, which is Dubai Frame. One of Dubai’s newer attractions is actually a gilded giant 150-meter-high picture frame that divides the city into old and new Dubai. To the right you can take the elevator up to the observation deck from where you can get a great view of both sides of the city. Then you take the elevator on the left side down and at the bottom, you will be invited to a futuristic virtual tour of what Dubai will look like in a few years’ time. Right next door is a nice little park – Zabeel Park with a small market, which is worth a visit.

After this last experience, we took the metro back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and take a bus to the airport to board the flight back to Budapest.

A few words at the end. I have never been a fan of Dubai because it seemed to me like an artificially created city, but the desire to see the EXPO in person was much stronger. In the end, I am very glad that the choice fell on Dubai because it really has a lot to offer and there are so many things to see. Thanks to them and also thanks to the favorable ticket prices, it is currently among the top destinations and will certainly keep this status for a long time. As I usually say at the end – don’t think too much and start packing…

 

Tip 1: Dubai is an expensive destination but it can be done very cheaply, especially in the summer months when flights and accommodation prices are very low.

Tip 2: The best way of transport is the metro. You need to buy a NOL card and top up your credit for a few days. It’s cheaper than single tickets and the card is valid not only for the metro but also for buses, electric buses, and water taxis.

Tip 3: It is best to buy tickets to all attractions online in advance for the exact day and time to avoid long waits in endless queues.