+31 61 055 6678 | The Hague | info@travoley.nl

0
Your Cart is Empty

Dubai

Travoley
Dubai
Weather data of this location not found.

Dubai Travel Guide

  • About Dubai
With rows of skyscrapers lining the Sheikh Zayed road, multiple mega malls and many multi-million pound offshore developments, Dubai may look like a temple to the petrodollar but, as anyone who spends more than a few days here will tell you, there’s far more to the city than that.Dubai has an old quarter too, most of it clustered around Al Satwa, Deira and Port Rashid, which teems with life and is home to the city’s oldest building – a 17th century British fort.It is here that you’ll get a taste of ‘real Arabia’ in the shape of the abra boats that ply the creek and the bustling spice and gold souks that have changed little over the years. Al Satwa and nearby Al Karama are a real melting pot, home to scores of Indian and Pakistani immigrants as well as expats from Lebanon and Syria.As a result, eating well and cheaply is easy, whether you’re in the market for the full Lebanese kebab and mezze experience or a visit to Ravi’s, an unprepossessing Indian establishment decorated with formica tables, that has become a cult favourite with expats.Immigrants dominate the city, with the majority of Westerners clustered in the upmarket Marina, the glamorous Palm or the almost entirely brand new Downtown Dubai.The latter is home to one of Dubai’s most striking landmarks, the gargantuan Burj Khalifa tower, as well as the similarly enormous Dubai Mall. Set back from the sea, the area is awash with slick new hotels.Back on Sheikh Zayed Road, not far from the airport, is the Wafi Mall, an Egyptian-themed temple to shopping that is arguably Dubai’s nicest thanks to the presence of an upmarket souk beneath. Further south are Mall of the Emirates an Ibn Battuta Mall, both vast and selling everything from designer clothes to pungent oudh (perfume).But don’t get stuck in the shops. The city also boasts stunning beaches and (on the outskirts) spectacular desert scenery that would still be familiar to the Bedouins who once wandered this stretch of land.
  • Dubai History
Within less than 300 years, Dubai has grown from small pearl fishing village into a modern metropolis with a skyline studded with skyscrapers. The story begins with the current rulers, the Al Maktoum family.In 1833, they led 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe to what is now Dubai Creek, where they set up home. The creek was a natural harbour and during the 19th century, it served as Dubai’s commercial engine, establishing itself as a centre for fishing, pearling and maritime trade. Old dhows (traditional sailing boats) still ply the routes between Dubai, India and beyond.By the turn of the 20th century, Dubai had established itself as a successful port. The souk on the Deira side of the Creek was the largest on the coast with 350 shops, attracting a steady stream of visitors and businessmen. By the 1930s, the city’s population was nearly 20,000, a quarter of whom were expatriates.In the 1950s the creek began to silt, so ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum decided to have the waterway dredged.It was ambitious and costly project but one that proved visionary thanks to the vast increase of cargo traffic as a result.When oil was discovered in 1966, Sheikh Rashid turned the petro-dollars into building projects, and also used it to kick-start the tourist industry. In 1971, Dubai became part of the United Arab Emirates following the British withdrawal. In 1972, the project was completed when the final emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, joined the fledgling country.Even though the visionary Sheikh Rashid died in 2006, and was succeeded by his son Sheikh Mohammed, Dubai and the United Arab Emirates have continued to flourish.The city state suffered a setback in 2008 when recession hit and it had to be bailed out by Abu Dhabi, but today Dubai is back on track and the cranes that dot its skyline are as busy as ever.
  • Did you know?
Before the discovery of oil, the pearl trade was Dubai’s major source of wealth. The oldest reference to Dubai is by the Venetian Gasparo Balbi in 1580. In 2001, Dubai became the home of the world’s largest artificial island, the Palm Jumeirah, which can be seen from space.
  • Weather in Dubai
Year-round sunny skies and warm waters make Dubai endlessly inviting. The heat and humidity of summer (between late April and early September) is offset by giant air-conditioned malls and enclosed public spaces. Indeed, Dubai must be the only city in the world where you can ski in the snow when the outside temperature is 50°C (122°F). If visiting the surrounding desert, it’s better to avoid the midsummer heat and plump for the balmy winter season. Shoppers will be particularly keen to time their visit with the Dubai Shopping Festival (January/February) when the city is abuzz with bargain hunters.

CONTACT A TRAVEL EXPERT

1-to-1 Service | Reply within 24hrs | Expert’s Advice

Click here