The tallest building in the world, culinary delights, desert adventures and the height of creativity were all the elements that met us on our holiday in Dubai. It’s also a very luxurious place to visit that can easily break the bank. Our trip was one part exploration and one part visiting friends who have relocated to Dubai. This helped us lower our accommodation costs and allowed us to explore with some local inside information. There were so many things that I loved; these are some of my favourite affordable activity options in Dubai.
While on holiday in Dubai, there are many opportunities to go shopping. Dubai Mall is one of the largest shopping mall in the United Arab Emirates. There are hundreds of restaurants and luxury fashion brands. The stores are open until midnight each day, and I’m sure they have any item that comes to mind. We took a cursory walk around the gigantic space; it was pretty incredible. Thankfully, they have interactive maps along the way to reorient yourself. Then, inside this vast space mall is an aquatic world, the Dubai Aquarium and Under Water Zoo.
Dubai Aquarium and Under Water Zoo
From the outside, it looks like a wall-to-ceiling glass display. I initially thought that was the extent of the aquarium, but there is more once you’ve bought your ticket and entered the space. The start of the aquarium is a stroll through a 270-degree walk through a tunnel surrounded by a 10 million litre tank. Hundreds of marine wildlife, including sharks, rays, fish and “mermaids,” swim around inside it. As you walk through the tunnel, you are flooded with blue light, and it feels like you are under the sea. There are many immersive experiences that you can do, like scuba diving in the tank and snorkelling.
On the second floor is the underwater zoo. Here, you can see and learn about more marine wildlife. From otters and a 750kg crocodile to delicate jellyfish. While I thoroughly enjoyed the underwater zoo, I found it very crowded as the pathways were smaller than expected. I did feel a bit like a sardine at specific points. Perhaps a visit earlier in the day is a way to avoid this.
The Burj Khalifah and the Fountains
I think these were two of the activities I heard most about when planning to go on holiday in Dubai. The Burj Khalifah is a skyscraper in Dubai. It is the world’s tallest building, with 160 storeys and a total height of 829.8 m. You can book tickets to visit the various observation towers in the building or have drinks from the highest lounge. An amazing laser and light show is projected on the building in the evening.
In the same area are the world’s tallest performing Fountain. I didn’t know that at the time. I just thought it was a big, pretty fountain. We watched in awe, an elaborate choreographed display of water to music and lights. This happens every 30 minutes from 6 pm to 11 pm. It’s free to watch and will draw you in each time.
There are great restaurants along the waterfront. We decided on Time Out Market – a fabulous curated concept in downtown Souk Al Bahar. It brings various culinary experts, enthusiasts and artists under one roof. There’s a bar, good food options and a stunning vantage point to watch the fountain displays.
Dubai Old Town
As you travel through Dubai, you can’t look away from the grandeur of it all. Many of its attractions consist of the tallest this or largest that. It’s bright, elaborately curated and opulent. Then, along the shore of Dubai Creek, sandstone towers from a unique background to the shiny spaces around it. Traditional abras ferry people to a different world – the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
On our walk down small alleyways, we discovered a more relaxed atmosphere with museums, art galleries and local restaurants. We had a fabulous lunch on this end of the town. Although all the food we had in Dubai was great, it was nice to have some hearty local food that was all flavour and limited theatre.
On the other side of the creek, you’ll find various markets, “souks.” Each has its own category. The gold souk is here, and so is the spice souk. There are walking tours you can join to explore these spaces, but we decided on a walk on our own. The downside of these souks (well, this depends on your personality) is that there is a lot of haggling. So, forget about doing a little peaceful browsing before settling on a space or product. I personally find that unpleasant, but I have family who thrive in these types of situations.
The Beach
A beach? In the desert? Surprisingly, yes. I’m not sure if this is just surprising to me or if people would generally be surprised. I certainly expected to have fun by a pool and an opulent cocktail or two, but not, the beach. We took the morning out and drove to the Palm Jumeirah – beautiful islands were created by using land reclamation and shaped like a palm tree. It’s home to some glamorous resorts, beach clubs and restaurants. We arrived in the morning to avoid the hot sun as the day went on. Thankfully, it had rained that morning, and the weather was cooler than anticipated. There were a few restaurants along the strip. We chose an Italian restaurant called Limonata. It is a fun space with quaint red vintage beach umbrellas and yellow loungers. Ordering a meal at the restaurant gives you free access to the beach.
Aya Universe
Aya Universe was one of my favourite things that we did while on holiday in Dubai. It is described as “an out-of-this-world immersive and experiential entertainment park.’- ‘trip to a beautiful universe.’ Armed with a passport, you are taken through different spaces to experience colourful stars, gardens, lights and synchronised displays. Honestly, neither the description nor the words adequately show how amazing the experience was, but you should add this to your list of activities. Aya Universe is located inside Wafi City, a shopping mall styled after ancient Egypt.
Al Qudra Lakes – Love Lakes Dubai
The Al Qudra Lakes are a series of sprawling man-made lakes amidst the dunes. They’re home to over 100 bird species and other wildlife. Inside this oasis is Love Lake, two large interconnected lagoons shaped like hearts with pathways around them. We arrived early in the morning and walked around the lakes. It felt like we were all alone in this incredibly green desert oasis with just singing birds and excitable fish for company. It was a fantastic morning out. Thankfully, it was early enough for the weather to be cool and enjoyable.
Exploring the desert
A holiday in Dubai is incomplete with a trip to the desert. There are different ways you can do this. Guided tours with dinners and camel rating, adventure 4×4 or quad biking, or you can do a self-drive and explore on your own. It’s recommended that you do it in a 4×4, though. We were visiting friends and went off-roading with them for a barbeque in the desert. It’s a beautiful, vast landscape to experience.
Miracle Garden
I don’t know how often I’ve said I love flowers on this blog, but for good measure – I love flowers. I was excited to visit Dubai Miracle Garden for that reason. This was my favourite part of our holiday in Dubai, and the colour, creativity and sheer volume of flowers blew me away. It was nothing short of amazing.
Dubai Miracle Garden is the largest natural flower garden. It’s 72,000 sq m of over 150 million flowers (go big or go home, hey). The attractions are separated into various segments. There’s a Smurfs village, a lake park with flamingos, a sunflower field and an Emirates plane, to name a few. The picturesque garden is a winter attraction and opens in the cooler months of September to April.
One thought on “Great Ways to Holiday in Dubai Without Breaking the Bank”
Comments are closed.