Dabbling in Dubai

Located in the United Arab Emirates is one of the most gorgeous, urbanized cities in the world. This is a superlative-craving society that has birthed the world’s tallest building, an island shaped like a palm tree, a huge indoor ski paradise, the world’s fastest roller coaster and – soon to come – architect-designed art museums of international stature. With many more projects in the pipeline visiting here would almost feel like visiting the future. If you have always had a desire to visit this beautiful city but didn’t know where to start when you get there, read on.

Go for a festival!

There is literally a festival or event happening every single month of the year in Dubai! Talk about a city without a dull moment…

• In January check out the Dubai Shopping Festival that lasts the entire month.
• In February check out the Dubai Food Festival which feeds the masses by celebrating divine culinary talent.
• In March the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature offers a cultural experience unlike any other.
• In April there is the Middle East Film and Comic Con.
• “Let’s. Play. Darts!” This will be the call of a typically raucous crowd on May 28-29, when the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters sees the world’s best players descend on Dubai’s Irish Village.
• June and July are the months of Ramadhan so expect peaceful daytime experiences and a chance to observe the Islamic culture fully until the Eid-al-Fitr (festival marking the end of Ramadhan) comes around, bringing with it joyous celebrations all over the city.
• A treat for eager shoppers in August is the Dubai Summer Surprises which offer amazing bargains in air conditioned malls, saving you from the scorching heat outside.
• In September, which happens to be my birthday month, Dubai celebrates the Dubai Music Week and the Dubai International Dance Festival, giving the city a vibrant feel.

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• The Dubai Downtown Design is a great indoor option for the month of October that would make Art and Culture fanatics go wild.
• November is a month for the Sports Lovers and consists of both the Samsung International Beach Soccer Affair and the Dubai International Motor Show.
• December is a huge month for Dubai. December 2 marks UAE National Day celebration, meaning a sea of UAE flags and fireworks aplenty. While you can be sure the National Day fireworks and celebrations will be impressive, what follows on New Year’s Eve is always equally as spectacular.

This article gives these and a list of other crazy amazing festivals and events you may want to plan to attend in the next year.

Hot Air Balloon!

Every little girl has dreamed of the most romantic spot for a proposal, mine would probably be gliding in the air over a scenic destination, getting to experience the feeling of freedom that only creatures of flight ever get to experience.

Well it might not be for a proposal but it is definitely more than worth it to experience this beautiful adventure. Glide up, up and away in a basket that carries you as if you were light as a feather. Have your camera ready to capture bird’s-eye views of the desert that stretches out as far as the eye can see. As you watch the sun rise over the red-tinged sand dunes, listen to your pilot talking about the barren landscape mapped out beneath you, and learn about the wildlife —think camels and gazelles — that prosper in the harsh desert conditions. This would be a golden opportunity, and a lifetime memory. There is no reason in the world why you would skip it.

Big Bus Dubai Hop-on-Hop-off Tour

You know the saying, “killing two birds with one stone”? Well this opportunity lets you check off about twenty things off your to do list in Dubai in one day. There is no better way to see Dubai than on a double-decker, hop-on hop-off Big Bus! This comprehensive tour includes sights of top Dubai attractions such as the Burj Kahlifa, Jumeirah Beach Park, Al Fahidi Fort, Dubai Creek and more. Hop on and off as many times as you like on a choice of two routes for your choice of 24 or 48 hours of sightseeing. Both tickets include a range of additional benefits including an Arabian ‘dhow’ cruise, Dubai walking tour, Wafi shopping mall discount card and more!

Cuisine

Dubai’s culinary scene is second to none. The world’s top chefs flock here to open sensational restaurants, while local favourites are always in vogue. The market for organic and local food is growing, with fresh produce and ingredients pushing chefs to even greater heights.

The sheer number of restaurants, cafés, bakeries, cupcake shops and juice bars will dazzle you, as will the variety of cuisines on hand. With more than 200 nationalities living in Dubai, you’ll be sure to find an exotic or familiar flavour to try. You have got every taste covered with Dubai’s extraordinary showcase of food and drink. Don’t overlook the delectable national Emirati cuisine when you’re here — to know a country, you need to know its food. In Dubai’s case, the traditional culinary offerings are rich, flavoursome and exotic. They’re also plentiful, so be sure to go with an appetite if you’re invited to dine with an Emirati or at an Emirati restaurant. Putting on a vast spread is their way of showing their hospitality; eating it is your way of showing your appreciation.

Nightlife

After dark, Dubai sometimes seems like a city filled with lotus eaters, forever on the lookout for a good time. Its shape-shifting party spectrum caters for just about every taste, budget and age group. From flashy dance temples, sleek rooftop terraces and sizzling beach clubs to fancy cocktail caverns and concerts under the stars, Dubai delivers hot-stepping odysseys. Much nightlife centres around the fancy hotels, but there’s no shortage of more wholesome diversions either, including sheesha lounges, community theatre and live music venues. Two places to check out would be:

1. Above

Sitting on high in the Sofitel Downtown, Above lives up to its name when it comes to most things, but demonstrably not so when looking across to the towering Burj Khalifa. This rooftop lounge is quite literally in the shadow of the world’s tallest building, and Above has decided to make a virtue of the mega-structure, enjoying a vantage point that most people will never see. This will be particularly spectacular come New Year’s Eve when the Burj is transformed into a NASA-style launching pad for one of the best firework shows anywhere in the world.

        2.  The Food Truck

If you’re tired of dressing up for posh restaurants and swanky bars, you could always try and find Jake’s food truck instead. A new concept for this part of the world, the free-to-roam truck – the sort of thing you find at music festivals around the world – changes location each day, but serves fantastic food until 8pm wherever it goes. Their bagel burgers are a thing of wonder. To find their latest location, check-out their Instagram account: @thefoodtruckdubai to find a few more places check out Dubai’s Hottest New Nightspots.

Tourist Information

A visa is required for Kenyan citizens to travel to The United Arab Emirates, though if followed correctly the procedure should not be a hustle. There are three flights per day from Kenya to Dubai with a duration period of five hours and five minutes.

To dig even further into the possibility of travelling to Dubai check out this article by Lonely Planet and Things to Do in Dubai.