A Texan in Dubai

Oddly enough, there are some websites about "Things to Do in Qatar" that actually list "Travel to..." as a top activity.  There's plenty to do and see in Qatar.

At the same time, Doha is becoming a great hub for regional and international travel.  Several major, minor, expensive, and affordable carriers serve Doha International Airport.  Once the new airport is fully operational (it's been in progress for almost ten years now, and only just had a "soft" open for a couple low-cost airlines this last week), the situation will continue to improve.

When I received my Residency Permit the first week of February, I decided to book a trip for the first week of March.  I asked friends and family their suggestions, and the majority voted in favor of Dubai.  I could have chosen a different destination for that trip, because about a month later I went back, this time with a good friend of mine.  As has been mentioned before, here on this site, it's really easy to meet and make friends in Doha -- and it's far better to travel with people.

Dubai is a fantastic place to go.  It's definitely the Middle East's playground.  Whatever you enjoy, they probably have it.

My friend Isaac (who has an interesting, more technical blog, which provides a different perspective on our travels) and I went on FlyDubai, the local low-cost carrier.  I got a round-trip at a nice time for about 600 QR (170 USD); the quality is good; and even if it wasn't, the flight to the Emirates is only about an hour.

Additionally, for Americans, most Europeans, the Persian Gulf state-ers, and some other Westernized peoples, entry into the United Arab Emirates is easy and fast.  In our case, we walked right through the line, they stamped our visas, and we were on our way.

There are plenty of expensive hotels, but through travel sites like Booking, TripAdvisor, and others, high-quality/inexpensive accommodations can be found.  My first trip out I stayed at the Amwaj Rotana just off the beach in the Marina area (great, but a little pricier), and the second at the Flora Grand not far from Dubai International in Al-Rigga (good, and somewhat cheaper -- about $75 a person for two nights).

Travel around Dubai is great as well.  There is an abundance of taxis (the drivers of whom all speak English, or at the very least a version of it); and the Dubai Metro, while mostly a straight shot, stops at almost all the places you want to go, and it's the cheapest ride in town -- 16 AED (about 4 USD) for an all-day pass.

But it's not just about transit and accommodations, is it....There's quite a bit to do and see in Dubai.  Obviously, it depends on your own tastes, but here are a few ideas.

Madinat Jumeirah Souq

The Souq at Madinat Jumeirah was an unplanned but fantastic find.  Our goal was to get as close to the iconic Burj Al-Arab as possible (since one can only go in with a hotel or restaurant reservation, and both are unbelievably expensive).  One the way we ended up at Madinat Jumeirah.  It reminded me a lot of the River Walk in San Antonio.  Pleasant outdoor spaces, places to eat, plenty to buy.  I even found a fairly affordable Medieval Arab helmet -- which I've been looking for since I arrived in the region.

And of course, it's views of the Burj Al-Arab were unbeatable.

Candid

If you're made of money, there are plenty of places to shop.  Dubai has at least a dozen big-time malls.  The Mall of the Emirates is definitely nice (and you can go snow-skiing there...).  The Dubai Mall is truly the largest shopping center in the world.  It has every store I've ever seen, and a hundred more I've never heard of.  If you're like me and there are only a few stores that sell clothes you can actually wear, and can't find them anywhere in the Middle East, the Dubai Mall has them.

Dubai Mall Aquarium

And it's not just a mall.  The aquarium is impressive.  It boasts the largest single piece of plexiglass in the world.  The tunnel that goes under the massive tank is a real spectacle.  We ended up spending over an hour wandering through it.  Plus, if you go at the right time, you can watch some divers feed the array of things swimming around in there.

Another part of the facility, up on the second floor, has dozens of smaller tanks with a number of colorful creatures from the beautiful to the bizarre.  And, if you're really taken with the great tank, you can go on a glass-bottom raft ride.  It only lasts ten minutes, but it gives an interesting perspective.

I pray those needle-teeth never find my leg

Somewhat ridiculously, they give the passengers life-preservers.  We questioned exactly how someone might end up going over the side of the little dingy.  But if it happens to you, don't get eaten.

If you enjoy the more historical aspects of the world around you (like I do), there are a few good sites in Dubai.  There's the old pearl-diving village on Dubai Creek, not far from the former estate of the emir and his family.

Also, an old fort has been transformed into the Dubai Museum (though it was closed when we went -- just a tip, don't go to anything besides the major malls on Friday).  On the other side of the Creek there's a traditional school built in the early 1900s worth seeing, and Heritage House if you want to see how Emiratis lived not too long ago.

There are plenty of other things to do and see, but the cap on the entire trip was a trip up the Burj Khalifa.  For a mere 125 AED (34 USD) it's the best experience for the least amount of money.  It's hard to accurately describe.  Heading in, I thought it would be interesting; but it was better than I imagined.

The ride up to the observation deck is even a spectacle.  You get in a large elevator with LED screens on all sides.  As you go up, the lights run down the walls and the music gets increasingly dramatic.  Then, suddenly, when you reach floor 127, the lights go out and the music crescendos.  Then, the doors open to your first view from "the Top."

The view is spectacular.  We spent two hours wandering about just looking out over the city.  The Dubai Mall and the buildings around it look like models below.  On the northern side of the tower one can see the Emirate of Sharjah on the horizon.  It was late afternoon, so the sun hung low over the coast, which made for a nice scene.  The Palm Islands in the far distance were hazy, but visible, as were the World Islands (still under development).  The Burj Al-Arab, which is itself quite tall, looks miniscule from the Burj Khalifa.  It was easy to stare off in the distance for long moments of time.

Of all the places to go in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa cannot be missed.  But be sure to book your tickets online or you'll miss out -- spots open about a month in advance, and the times fill up faster than you can believe.

So, if you're in Qatar, take advantage of it.