Dubai Tourism Places|Dubai Tour Packages
Dubai Travel|Places to visit in Dubai|Dubai|United Arab Emirates|Dubai holiday|Dubai maps| Dubai weather|Dubai tourism|Dubai photos|Dubai travel|Dubai tour|Dubai travel guide|Dubai holidays|Dubai attractions|Dubai trip|travel Dubai|Dubai tour packages|Dubai holiday packages|Dubai packages|Dubai tourist places|Dubai places to visit|tours and travels| sightseeing|travel package|Dubai vacation packages
In a space of 24-hours, visitors to Dubai can revel in the breathtaking scenery of rugged mountain ranges and majestic sand dunes, dip their toes in the waters of the Gulf or just take in the beat of the city. Dubai blends an ultramodern way of life with the old-world charm of Arabia. Here dusty villages and ancient houses sit beside luxurious residential districts and ultra--modern shopping malls. Dubai is both a dynamic international business hub as well as a relaxing escape for the visiting tourist. It is also a city where the sophistication of the 21st century goes hand in hand with the simplicity of a bygone era. Whilst visitors and residents are encouraged to enjoy an international lifestyle it is important to appreciate the culture of Dubai which is deeply rooted in the Islamic traditions of Arabia.
The traditional architecture of the AI Boom Tourist Village
forms a stately city landmark. Situated adjacent to Creek Park it comprises of
a 2,000 -seat banquet hall, coffee shop, restaurant, amusement park, ornamental
lake and marina with five cruise boats. Future plans for the village include a
five-star hotel built in the shape of a traditional sailing dhow and self
catering as well as fully-serviced chalets.
Built in 1912 by Sheikh Ahmed bin Dalmouk, the AlAlmadiyaSchool in Deira was Dubai’s first school. It has since been restored with
natural materials of gypsum, coral, shell, stone and sandalwood as used in the
original building.
Dubai’s three main excavation sites include Al Ghusais, Al
Sufooh and Jumeirah. The first two are graveyards dating back more than 2,000
years while the Jumeirah site has revealed artefacts from the seventh to the
15th centuries
Dubai’s first officebuilding, Bait Al Wakeel dates back to 1934 and was built by the late Sheikh
Rashid at the edge of the Creek near the abra (water taxi) landing in Bur
Dubai. The building has been completely restored and now houses a MaritimeMuseum..
Providing a tantalising glimpse of old Dubai is the old
Bastakiya district of Bur Dubai, with its narrow lanes and houses with tall
chimney-like structures called wind-towers. Before the advent of
air-conditioning, houses were cooled by air being channelled down the
wind-tower to the rooms below. Often strips of material or fine cloth were hung
from brackets lining the tower to offer additional breeze. Historically, the
city was famous for its mass of wind-towers which lined either side of the
Creek. The Bastakiya district has recently been renovated to include a museum,
cultural centre, restaurants and a heritage hotel with an art gallery. In the
nearby Shindagha district more than 30 traditional houses have been restored in
an initiative to re-establish its original character. The area features
wind-towers and quaint sikkas (alley-ways).
Deira’s Benjaman’s House has been converted into a museum of
traditional architecture. Originally built in 1890, by a famous merchant of the
same name, Benjamaan House offers an insight into Gulf architecture.
Set on its own man-made island, projecting 280 metres into
the Gulf and shaped like an enormous billowing sail, Burj Al Arab is a
321-metre high masterpiece of architecture. With 202 luxury duplex suites, a
restaurant at the very top and the most opulent interior décor, Burj Al Arab is
the tallest all-suite hotel in the world.
Located in the picturesque gardens in Deira, the Burj Al Nahar is one of three watch-towers that guard the old city.
An impressive sight along the Creek near the dhow wharf is a
group of distinctive modern buildings which include the Etisalat Tower, the
Department of Economic Development, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the
National Bank of Dubai headquarters, Dubai Creek Tower and Dubai Twin Towers. The
Etisalat Tower is topped by a telecommunications dome resembling a giant globe
and is particularly striking when illuminated at night. The Department of
Economic Development is a five-storey building with delicately designed window
screens and massive, decorated main doors.
By contrast, the neighbouring Dubai Chamber of Commerce and
Industry tower is a dramatic blue glass-faced structure, a symbol of the
emirate’s prosperity and forward vision. Nearby is the Municipality building,
which manages to convey an impression of cool shade through the clever use of
water and screens, Most striking though is the headquarters of the NationalBank of Dubai building, home to the DTCM Head Office which, with its use of
polished steel and glass, produces a shimmering reflection of the Creek on its
curved facade, This eye-catching building, which was designed by Carlos Ott,
architect of the Bastille Opera House in Paris, is at its most spectacular best
at sunset.
Deira Tower
Dominating Bani Yas
Square in the heart of Deira is Deira Tower with its distinctive circular
‘cap’. As an early example of the effort to blend modern architecture with
older surroundings, Deira Tower incorporates structural features designed to
soften the impact of the harsh summer climate on the occupants of the shops,
offices and apartments within.
Dubai Creek is a
natural sea-water inlet which traverses through the centre of the city. Both
historically and today the Creek is a focal point for life in Dubai. A walk
along its banks will evoke the city’s centuries-old trading traditions, The
colour and bustle of the loading and unloading of dhows, which still ply
ancient trade routes to places as distant as India and East Africa, captivates
visitors. The best way to see the Creek is from the water itself. For a nominal
sum, small water taxis called abras criss-cross the Creek from the souqs
(markets) of Deira to those on the Bur Dubai side. The abras may also be hired
and the boatmen will take visitors on a fascinating, hour-long trip from the
abra embarkation points to the mouth of Dubai Creek and inland to the Maktoum
Bridge, passing a number of the city’s historic and modern landmarks along the
way. On the Deira side, a broad and well-lit paved promenade extends from the
Corniche allowing for visitors to stroll along the Arabian Gulf. On the Bur
Dubai side, between Maktoum and Garhoud bridges, Creek Park offers pleasant,
paved walks and extensive landscaped public gardens.
At the inland end of the Creek a large, shallow lagoon has
been created into a wildlife sanctuary and is a haven for migratory shore
birds. During the autumn migration upto 27,000 birds have been accounted for at
any point of time , most spectacular among which are the greater flamingos
which have made the Creek their permanent home.
The unique waterfront development, iconic resort-style city
is a must see. The Dubai Festival City is a place designed for the people of
Dubai and its increasing number of visitors. It will offer a wide range of
attractions including shops, restaurants and hotels as The Festival Centre,
situated on the curve of the Creek at the very heart of the City is the city’s
‘jewel in the crown’. With more than 400 shops, 70 restaurants and cafes, a
marina, festival square, the Festival Centre offers an unique and vibrant
setting where families and friends meet and relax. Additional attractions are a
Canal Walk with water taxis to ferry guests to the restaurants, cafes and
shops, a boulevard capturing the essence of Paris’ Champs Elysee and a
waterfront souk embracing Dubai’s heritage of Arabian art and crafts.
Housed inside the Al Fahidi Fort, Dubai Museum is an
imposing building which is also a fascinating military museum. Built around
1787, it once guarded the city’s landward approaches and has served variously
as a palace, garrison and prison. Renovated for use as a museum in I 971, the
building underwent further restoration with the addition of walk-in galleries
in 1995. Colourful and evocative dioramas complete with life-size figures and
sound and lighting effects vividly depict everyday life in Dubai during the
pre-oil days. Galleries recreate several scenes from the Creek, traditional
Arab houses, mosques, the souq, date gardens as well as desert and marine life.
One of the museum’s most spectacular -exhibits portrays the underwater world of
pearl-diving, accompanied by sets of pearl merchants’ weights, scales and
sieves. Also on display are fine copper, alabaster and pottery artefacts
uncovered from 4,000-year-old graves at Al Ghusais (one of Dubai’s
archaeological sites).
Rising 39 floors
above the city, the Dubai World Trade Centre’s office tower houses the regional
head-quarters of many of the world’s largest corporations. Built in 1979, as
the tallest building at the time in the Middle East, it has an Arabian
restaurant on the 37th floor with stunning views of the Dubai skyline. Situated
nearby is the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre which hosts
an active programme of international trade fairs and exhibitions attracting
exhibitors and visitors from all round the world.
Located in Jumeirah, the Dubai Zoo is a popular attraction,
especially for families. Its modern facilities, though small, houses many
indigenous Arabian species, including the Arabian Wolf, which is no longer
found in the wild, Gordon’s Wildcat and the world’s only captive-breeding
colony of Socotra Cormorants. Featured in its large aviary are regional birds
of prey, while nine species of large cat and seven species of primates are also
on show, along with many Arabian mammals. The zoo will soon relocate to a site
near Mushrif Park and undergo re-development to display six major habitats:
SubSaharan Africa, Arabian desert, a Wadi Valley, Arabian Coastal Desert, Asian
Temperate Forest and the Himalayan hillside. The new zoo will contain a
biodiversity museum, breeding and conservation areas and a well-equipped
veterinary centre.
Towering above the Dubai skyline is the elegant
hotel-andoffice complex of Emirates Towers. At 350 metres high, the office
tower is the tallest building in the Middle East and Europe, Primarily a
business hotel, Emirates Towers has every conceivable luxury for the travelling
executive,
A celebration of the ruling Maktoum family’s private racing
stable, the Godolphin Gallery houses the world’s finest collection of
horse-racing trophies. On display are the glittering trophies received from the
world’s greatest races including the King George and Queen Elizabeth Diamond
Stakes, the Prix de I ‘Arc de Triomphe, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the
Dubai World Cup. A truly international experience, the gallery incorporates
interactive touch-screen consoles, action photographs, video presentations and
memorabilia, all depicting the first nine years of the Godolphin racing stable.
Adjacent to Nad AI Sheba racecourse, the gallery is open from January to April
and is a unique opportunity to share in one of Dubai’s most prestigious
operations.
The visitor centre at
the Gold and Diamond Park in Al Quoz showcases the history of Arabian jewellery
and also includes a guided tour of the adjacent manufacturing plant.
Located near the
mouth of the Creek, this heritage site presents both a comprehensive insight
into the emirate’s maritime past and a fine example of traditional Gulf
architecture. Local potters and weavers sell their handicrafts in a tented
Bedouin village and camel rides are also available.
Located in Deira and built in 1890, this house was once
owned by Dubai’s most famous pearl merchant, Sheikh Ahmed bin Dalmouk. An
excellent example of Dubai’s vernacular architecture it was restored and
re-opened in 2000 and presents a vivid recreation of local period household
interiors.
Described as the ‘most comprehensive resort in the world’,
Madinat Jumeirah is a beach resort with a difference, It encompasses two hotels
as well as guest houses, a vibrant souk, a theatre, an incredible variety of restaurants,
a spa and its own series of waterways served by traditional abras (water
taxis).
In white-washed rooms and central courtyard, an old
windtower house in Bastakiya is home to a delightful art gallery. Hosting ten
exhibitions of contemporary artists per year, the gallery complex also provides
a range of pottery, glass, fabrics, furniture and other desirable objets d’art,
Situated on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek near the Ruler’s
Court, the Grand Mosque is one of Dubai’s most distinguished landmarks. With
nine large domes boasting stained-glass panels and 45 small ones, it also has
the city’s tallest minaret, measuring an incredible 70 metres in height.
One of the largest
and most beautiful of Dubai Mosques is the Jumeirah Mosque, a prominent
landmark of the city it is also a popular subject for photographers and appears
in many international publications, Built in the medieval Fatimid tradition, it
is a spectacular example of modern Islamic architecture and is particularly
attractive at night when the subtle lighting throws its artistic twin minarets
and majestic dome into relief. The mosque offers guided tours for visitors.
Dubai Travel|Places to visit in Dubai|Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dubai holiday, Dubai maps, Dubai weather, Dubai tourism, Dubai photos, Dubai travel, Dubai tour, Dubai travel guide, Dubai holidays, Dubai attractions, Dubai trip, travel Dubai, Dubai tour packages, Dubai holiday packages, Dubai packages, Dubai tourist places, Dubai places to visit, tours and travels, review, sightseeing, travel package, vacation packages
Dubai Travel|Places to visit in Dubai|Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dubai holiday, Dubai maps, Dubai weather, Dubai tourism, Dubai photos, Dubai travel, Dubai tour, Dubai travel guide, Dubai holidays, Dubai attractions, Dubai trip, travel Dubai, Dubai tour packages, Dubai holiday packages, Dubai packages, Dubai tourist places, Dubai places to visit, tours and travels, review, sightseeing, travel package, vacation packages
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