My relatives from Canada visited me in Dubai recently. Coming from the other side of the world and from a 21-hour flight, I intended to make sure that they will enjoy their short vacation here in the city. A few days before they arrived, I was feeling anxious planning their two-week trip. After a lot of organizing and planning (which pretty much we didn’t follow) we ended up visiting the most touristy places in Dubai.

Fairmont the Palm

A good way to start a vacation is to spend at least a day to relax (especially if you come from long hours of flight). Nothing beats a day by the beach reading books while sipping up cocktails.

The Fairmont the Palm hotel itself is a fascinating and luxurious destination. It has a beachfront location and the rooms are superb. I recommend this place especially for those who wants to spend most of their time enjoying luxury service.

Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa

Dubai mall serves as the gateway to Burj Khalifa – the tallest building in the world. My two visitors of course would not missed the chance of going (as they call it) At the top.

Burj Khalifa is undeniably the tallest building in the world. It is a holder of Guinness World Records. At 828 meters tall, you can never miss the sight of  this  landmark almost anywhere in Dubai.

Miracle Garden

We have also visited the enormous and colorful Miracle Garden. This place is one of Dubai’s outdoor recreational destination and is another holder of the Guinness World Records for the largest flower arrangement.

Miracle Garden is located in Al Barsha South Dubai Land. The nearest metro station to it is the Mall of the Emirates. It is just 15-20 minutes taxi ride from there. Regular tickets are sold for 45 dirhams.

Sheikh Zayed Road

Don’t miss to book a guided tour when in Dubai, We booked ours through Royal Blue tours. Not bad for 90.00AED, inclusive of free-flowing non alcoholic drinks, a live tour guide and intermittent wi-fi .

The pick up location was in The Mall (yes, that is the name of the mall) located in Jumeirah Road, Umm Suqeim 3. Opposite The Mall is the gorgeous view of Burj Al Arab.

There were several stops for this trip which included The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. Following that, were driven around the famed Sheikh Zayed Road. Here we had a spectacular sight of the skyscrapers.

Old Dubai

After the tour of the the modern Dubai, we were taken to the other side of the city. The Old Dubai, this is where it all began. The area gives a glimpse of the simple lifestyle locals used to have back in the old days.

We had a chance to get inside the Dubai Museum. This museum is located in Al Fahidi Fort. According to their website, It is one of the oldest building in Dubai which was built in 1787, about 200 years ago.

Old Souq

After the museum tour, we had a boat ride across the Dubai Creek. The boats took us to the other side where the souk is. We were given time to explore the area to buy some souvenirs and gold. The marketplace is full of different shops selling all types of keepsakes you can think of. Different types of spices, nuts and dates are also everywhere.

Saga World

After the walking tour, we were taken in the Saga World mall, In this mall they showed us luxurious art pieces which costs thousands of dollars. Photography was not allowed inside, but you can visit their website here.  It was a very unique experience seeing all the carpets made of gold, designed with rare stones.

Jumeirah Open Beach

Following that we were taken to Jumeirah Open Beach, it is a public beach popular for the locals. It has white sands and clear waters with the backdrop of the Burj Al Arab. The weather was perfect for sunbathing and the beach is well-maintained.

Atlantis the Palm

We were taken to the fascinating Atlantis afterwards. We were not able to get in, but we sure had taken a lot of snaps! The 5-star hotel looks sensational and sure is photogenic. I admire the architecture that shows the distinct Middle Eastern touch.

(…to be continued)