Dubai Stopover
Last month we spent four days in Dubai on a stopover on our way to Iceland. I explore Dubai at least twice a year for a few days each time, often on our way to Europe from Sydney, and always find there are new places I haven’t explored! It’s endless. You can find my last guide to Dubai here. Dubai has so much to offer and is forever expanding it’s attractions. I can never keep up, but at least it keeps our visit exciting! Below are some of the things we got up to in the city during our stopover.
Arabian Tea House
We stopped by the Arabian Tea House for brunch. We actually crossed over between breakfast and lunch so we were able to enjoy both the breakfast and lunch menu. We had a traditional breakfast and lamb kebab for lunch. Not only is the food great here, but the overall vibe and decor of the place is so beautiful! It feels like an outdoor setting without the actual Dubai heat from outside seeping in.
Al Shindagha Museum
This attraction was one of my favourite spots of the trip, the newly opened Al Shindagha Museum is a place tourists (and locals of course) can come to learn more about the history of Dubai. It’s highly interactive, with some of the latest technology used to convey the story of Dubai. Beyond the skyscrapers, over the top events, and wildly entertaining attractions, Dubai has a very unique and humble history at it’s heart. I loved seeing this side to Dubai and would definitely recommend a visit here.
Al Shindagha Perfumery
Next to Al Shindagha Museum you’ll find Al Shindagha Perfumery. Perfume and perfumery is a large part of culture and family in Dubai and the Middle East. Here I was able to interactively learn more about the origins of a lot of perfume ingredients, and how these have been used in Dubai’s culture throughout history.
Folly by Nick & Scott
We had some amazing food during this trip to Dubai, and Folly by Nick and Scott was one of our most memorable meals. From scallops served on seashells, to frog legs, each course served here was not only unique, but truly delicious. And while the food was amazing, we were also able to witness the most gorgeous sunset views over the Madinat Jumeirah. During the cooler months, they open their rooftop bar with views of the Burj Al Arab, so if you plan to visit from October to April, be sure to stop by the bar. I know I’ll be returning.
Abra Ride between New & Old Dubai
After a walk through the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, we took an Abra Ride from what is considered ‘Old Dubai’ to ‘New Dubai’. In ‘New Dubai’ you’ll find the Textile Souk, Arabian Tea House and quite a lot of new attractions and government buildings. You can also ride the Abra for longer if you choose to do so. It’s a beautiful old style boat, and has a wonderful breeze that helps you cool down from the Dubai sun.
Dubai Creek Harbour
This spot is not quite yet ready, but when it does open it will be a good one! During our last trip to Dubai we made the mistake of driving out to the desert in search of a view that didn’t exist. We were so glad to find that this spot was completely real. Iconic skyline and all. It’s located in Dubai Creek Harbour, but still being completed, it’s going to be an incredible place to visit by 2020.
Palace Downtown
After spending many hours of our day walking through Dubai Mall for some shopping, we enjoyed dinner at Asado inside Palace Downtown. Asado offers Argentinean cuisine! I don’t have Argentinean style food often, but loved switching it up, and it was really good. We enjoyed a bit of everything from octopus, to sausage, fish, and steak. From our table we could also view the epic evening fountain show.
Al Maha
I came here for the first time in 2015 and was absolutely blown away. Four years on I’m so glad we were able to spend a little more time out here than the last. It’s truly such a magical place. Al Maha is a Luxury Collection brand hotel that is located in the middle of the desert. About an hour drive out of Dubai city, and is a wonderful escape to experience a bit of ‘desert life’ in probably the most luxurious way possible. Each suite is a tent style villa. It’s really not a tent at all, but that’s the safari-like vibe they’ve created here. All of the meals are great, and the service is of a very high standard. Some of the activities include desert sunset tours, animal sight seeing, dune driving and more. We personally enjoyed the day and night swims in our private pool to unwind as we had incredible views out to the desert. In general, it’s a very relaxing experience, but you can make the trip as busy or as chilled as you like.
