Ins and Outs of Awe-Inspiring Dubai

Make your first time in Dubai as memorable as it should be with the help of our three-part series ‘Guide on Dubai’. A city that is awe-inspiring, extravagant and opulent awaits with its many treasures and attractions to make your first time visiting it, extraordinary.

A fascinating powerhouse of glitz and glamour, Dubai has certainly made a name for itself. Everything in Dubai is designed to be bigger and better. The Bellagio’s famous water fountains? pshh, Dubai has one-upped them. If you think Milan has the last word on fashion trends, you should know Dubai is famous for luxury shopping. Snow skiing in Aspen or Vail? How about skiing in Dubai’s indoor pistes in the middle of the Arabian Desert! New York’s skyscrapers have nothing on Dubai’s ultramodern architecture. And the list goes on.

Dubai is built around the very concept of luxury, lavishness and over-the-top. Offering the world’s most luxurious hotels, the best gourmet cuisine, excellent shopping, thrilling activities and a world of entertainment that will awaken your every sense.

Fasten your seatbelt, put on your helmet and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. With a location smacked between the desert and the sea, the number of activities in Dubai is endless. Soar through the skies over Palm Jumeirah in a jet pack suit, water ski, sail or paddle board along the coast or conquer the Arabian dunes on an ATV. Take your family to the Atlantis The Palm's Aquaventure Waterpark, a waterpark boasting the world’s most adrenaline-pumping rides. Plummet down towards the ground when a trapdoor opens in the enclosed transparent vertical tube of Poseidon’s Revenge, bravely drop down an almost-vertical slide as you take a ‘Leap of Faith’, or simply relax in the lazy river that surrounds the park. Swap your flip flops for your ski boots at the indoor ski slopes of Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates. Admire the underwater spectacle at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo in the Dubai Mall, where more than 33,000 aquatic animals live in the world’s largest suspended water tank. If you are looking for a thrill, dive in and feed the sharks by either snorkeling inside a cage or scuba diving.

One thing Dubai hotels know how to do well is treat guests as sultans and pamper their every need and desire. With an endless list of luxury hotels, like the Millennium Plaza Hotel Dubai, the Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel, the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, the Hilton Dubai The Walk, Kempinski Hotel Mall of The Emirates and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, you really can’t go wrong with accommodations in Dubai. Book your stay at the world-famous and iconic Burj Al Arab, a building with a sail-shaped silhouette that represents Dubai’s cosmopolitan and modern feel and that houses within, a magnificent hotel offering the finest facilities and service in the world. Choose the Jumeirah Beach Hotel for your accommodation and enjoy this upscale five-star resort’s fabulous gulf views and wide array of leisure activities including 19 restaurants and bars, multiple pools, spa, scuba diving center, kids club and access to the Wild Wadi Waterpark. The Shangri La Hotel is an elegant oasis in the heart of the city offering stylishly appointed rooms and suites with one of the best views in Dubai.

Let your tastebuds do some indulgence of their own. With some of the world’s best chefs crowding up Dubai’s culinary scene, local fresh produce on offer and with over 200 nationalities living in the city, you are bound to find some sensational flavours to feast on. Try the light and healthy flavours of fresh produce mixed generously with seafood, meat and fresh pasta at the French-Mediterranean bistro Le Petite Maison, which was commended with the best restaurant of 2015 award. Set on a pier offering unobstructed views of the azure Arabian Gulf, the romantic restaurant Pierchic serves some of Dubai’s finest seafood. Let your toes play in the sand and admire the magnificent sunset as you enjoy an elaborate menu of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes in Majlis al Bahar, splendidly located on the private island beach of the Burj Al Arab. For a majestic nightspot, look no further than Buddha Bar, located in the heart of the Dubai marina, inside the luxurious Grosvenor House. This incredible two-story establishment offers a sumptuous dining experience as a hip nightlife hotspot. With over 5,400 eateries, restaurants and bars, foodies of every taste will be spoilt for choice.

Dubai’s shopping scene is as varied and extensive as the spices available at the vibrant and fragrant Deira Spice Souk. Dubai’s mega-malls offer everything from upscale designer boutiques to astonishing entertainment. Step into the ‘Festival City Mall’, a 185,806 square-metre landmark on the banks of Dubai Creek and shop from over 400 stores, dine in one of the 90 restaurants and cafes or enjoy a movie and some bowling. With over 1200 stores, the ‘Dubai Mall’ is not just the world’s largest shopping center, but a city in itself, featuring a huge ice rink, an aquarium, a dinosaur skeleton and an indoor theme park.  Find  international department stores, an indoor snow ski centre and a multi-screen cinema at the massive ‘Mall of the Emirates’. For something a bit more traditional, visit the many souks of Dubai, like the textile souk, the perfume souk or the gold souk.

In a place where cash is king and he who has the best luxury vehicle rules the road, you need a car rental that is up to par. Our line of sports cars, super cars, convertibles, luxury SUVs and luxury vehicles are nothing short of a magic carpet ride. Move around Dubai and its multitude of attractions in great elegance and style.