Travel is the one thing that totally justifies spending money, I feel. Travel is the most enjoyable and broadening of things. In recent times, Dubai (or Thoobai if one is a Keralite living in ‘Gelf’) has become more and more desirable to me as a vacation destination. The more I find out about this modern city-state, the more amazed and full of admiration I am. So here are some of my reasons to visit Dubai:
Not only is Dubai a city-state where people from all parts of the world converge, it is a place where businesses want to make their home. This is a very diverse place in terms of culture, ideologies and language. With an estimated 80% of the population made up of expats, Dubai is one of the most cosmopolitan places in the world.
In photos the skyline looks amazing. There are tall modern skyscrapers such as world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Frame, World Trade Centre and so much more. There are beautiful mosques and historical edifices such as the 18th century Al Fahidi forts and more to explore.
There’s something for everyone: those who love the sun and the sand, want to simply enjoy the lapping of the waves, exciting water sport, beach sports, musical and live performances.
It is rather incredible that the whole thing is manmade, a fully artificial archipelago that came into being only about ten years ago. This reclaimed land increases Dubai's coastline by some 520 km.
It isn’t just the cuisines of the region that you get to enjoy. Being a melting pot of so many different nationalities, Dubai has something to offer everyone: cuisines of all types, street food to fine dining options.
Dubai is a retail destination like no other. The Dubai mall is the biggest in the world. High end retailers, shopping festivals, gold souqs…. it’s all shop till you drop, they say!
Dubai has a pulsating night life and attracts some of the world's top DJs. There are international night clubs, beach bars and much more on offer.
Dubai has an indoor ski slope. There is a 400 mt slope, kids section, tobogganing, bob sledding, penguin encounters and more. I thought an image may be inadequate here, so here’s a video for your edification and mine.
This is where you get to ‘experience the world’. The global village features pavilions of various different countries. It is the world’s biggest leisure, tourism, shopping and entertainment project and attracts 5 million visitors each year.
You get to enjoy activities like camel riding, sand boarding, dune bashing, quad biking, belly dancing, fire shows, henna painting, traditional dances and more in the desert.
For Indians, this is a very important aspect. The exchange rate is not ruinous, hotels and food are not astronomical. Some attractions are free, the well connected metro system helps save more money. Tickets from India are reasonably cheap. Visiting other regions in the UAE, such as Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is also affordable.
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