Travel Quarantine Blog!

It’s been a while since my last blog, as I wanted to write a fresh idea that I can share with my readers. My original plan was to feature my supposed to be trip to Philippines – I already had my travel plans and that is to explore Philippines domestic destinations, unfortunately, as nobody anticipated and this corona virus thing came and shocked the whole world.  The government, in its effort to prevent the spread of corona virus implemented travel bans, and ordered its people to stay home; and suddenly the lockdown was in effect everywhere. As if the whole world stopped!  

Airline companies had no other choice but to cancel all international flights (inbound and outbound). In UAE it was 13th of March 2020 that the government had announced the lockdown and ordered all residents and citizens of this country to just stay at home. 

As there was no other choice, we had to postponed our travel plans for this year due to the pandemic. Not only our much-awaited trips but also other business and personal plans that we had for this year had to be put on hold. 

So, while in quarantined (during the lockdown) I had the liberty of time to write this blog.  Allow me to share some facts about UAE and few ideas to explore this beautiful country, that we now call our second home. 

Enjoy reading!

EXPLORING UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  

United Arab Emirates, Before I start sharing with you my awesome travel experience in Dubai, this Emirates is a fascinating ultra-modern city to say the least. I consider Dubai as a “tourism haven”.  One of the safest places I’ve been to, you feel safe even walking late at night and generally, people here are friendly and English language is widely spoken, so no language barrier here. Let me help you understand better the things you may not know about the United Arab Emirates. It is composed of Seven (7) Emirates’ that make up UAE such as Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain and Dubai which happens to be the center, global city in UAE where people from across the globe come together.  

Abu Dhabi is the federal capital of UAE, and is the largest of the seven Emirates. A well-planned modern city with several high-rise buildings, impressive palaces, beautiful corniches and architectural mosques, one of the largest mosque-domes in the world.  

Yet, Dubai is the most populous, with the biggest fraction of the population composed of migrant workers, like the rest of the country. For many, it is a land of opportunity. Much of the economy is driven by foreign migrant workers, which make up 80% of UAE’s population and 90% of its workforce.  

Dubai is also the most popular destination among tourists, registering an estimated 16.7 million visitors in 2018 alone. Dubai has become the region’s banner city for opulence and grandeur. It is well-known for its ambitious projects like its artificial offshore islands and towering skyscrapers like Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made structure in the world.  

WHEN TO VISIT DUBAI? 

The best time to visit Dubai is during the colder months from October to May, so you can really hang out in outdoors, even at night. During these months you can enjoy many activities that Dubai has to offer, also many interesting places to visit. 

During Ramadan but, if you happen to be there, just made sure not to eat, drink, chew gum or smoke in daylight and in public, otherwise, you will get a fine.  

Moreover, during Ramadan, many bars close, there is barely any event going on and, basically, life stops pretty much. Seriously, if you can avoid it, don’t come here during Ramadan.  

WHERE TO STAY? 

This entirely depends on your budget. Each place especially if you want to stay within Dubai bears different hotel rates as it enormously varies by area. So, if your plans are to find the most affordable hotels, I highly recommend you doing some proper research before choosing which area to stay at. I know there are quite a lot of hotels in Deira where you can stay while on a vacation in Dubai.  

TRANSPORTATION:  

Metro – There are 2 metro lines which take you to most touristic sites. The metro has plenty of air conditioning and it is pretty modern. A single ride costs less than a US dollar but just bear in mind that distances in Dubai are huge, so going from one place to another may take some time. Also, the metro goes to the most common touristic places but, beyond that, you will be very limited.  

Taxi – The way to go. If you count the price per kilometer, it is inexpensive but, since distances are long, moving around can be costly. The shortest ride costs around 15AED (4USD). Going from the Marina to Old Dubai may cost around 60-70AED (16-19USD).  

Bus – There’s a bus every twenty minutes from 6am to 11pm, from the Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in Dubai that takes you to Abu Dhabi. The buses are great, complete with air-conditioning and the cost from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is a mere 25AED (7USD).  

TOURS AND ACTIVITIES IN DUBAI  

Are you looking for exciting things to do in UAE? 

These are just some of popular activities that you may not missed: 

  • Dubai Burj Khalifa ticket Floor 124 & 125 – Climb the tallest building on Earth 
  • Louvre Abu Dhabi – Skip-the-line tickets – Skip the endless lines of the museum 
  • Dubai Hot Air Balloon – This is the ultimate desert adventure complete with a lavish breakfast spread in an authentic Heritage camp nestled in a Royal desert retreat. After an unforgettable morning in a magical setting in the desert, you’ll return to Dubai with your appetite for adventure (and breakfast) fully satisfied! 
  • Desert Safari – Enjoy our desert safari tour that provide you an ultimate adventurous experience with Dune bashing on the sand dunes in a 4X4 vehicle. 
  • Dubai Aquarium & Burj Khalifa combo tickets – The tallest building on Earth and one of the most outstanding aquariums 
  • Dhow Cruise – Enjoy cruising for 2 hours on board the wooden Arabic boat called a dhow. Cruising through Dubai Marina in the midst of the opulent city escape. The perfect way to a romantic evening with your loved one, carefree time with friends, or even a delightful outing with family.
  • Speedboat tour around Marina, Palm & Burj Al Arab – Take a thrilling 90-minute sightseeing tour by speed boat around the coastal landmarks of Dubai.
  • Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Mosque tour – Tour to the most breathtaking and one of the world’s largest mosque in the region. Captivating architectural designs from different Muslims civilizations. This tour should never be missed when visiting the United Arab Emirates.

CULTURE OF DUBAI The ‘culture of Dubai’, an emirate of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE culture mainly revolves around the religion of Islam and traditional Arab culture. The influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine, and lifestyle are very prominent as well. Though, Dubai is considered to be a modern city but still we have to keep in mind to show our respect to their religious belief, culture and old traditions.  

On our next blog we will be featuring a virtual travel as leisure travels for most countries are still not allowed. Please share with us which particular Emirate (among the 7 emirates) would you like us to feature for our virtual travel? We will do our best to feature the most requested places to visit in one of the Emirates.

After a major facelift, Queen Elizabeth 2 unveils in her 1969 glorious glory. Restored and anchored in Dubai it serves now as a high-class hotel. Seven floors and a total of 224 restored rooms of the 13-deck ship.

Many of the rooms are refurnished but have the same interior design of the original ship—from the furniture, painting and restaurants. In addition to the rooms, several of the restaurants and bars from the ship’s sailing days have also been restored.

More than 2.7 million man hours were required to restore every wooden panel, flooring and her steel-and-aluminum hull to retain her original charm. It is one of the most anticipated projects and a lot of people are too excited to step back on board the vessel that created so many wonderful memories during her 40 years at sea.”

The QE2 Hotel had it’s official grand launch in October of 2018.

We were invited and had the chance to witness the QE2 back to its glory. It was indeed a great opportunity to be a part of the history unveiled right before our eyes.

 

 

The United Arab Emirates is composed of Seven Emirates namely Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Kaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Good thing these are all within the same island and are reachable by driving. Good thing I had the opportunity to visit the 7 Emirates and it is always my habit of spending my weekend (If I have the chance) after a long week of work. I consider traveling as my stress reliever. I always try to find time to have me weekend getaway and enjoy this beautiful country! I explore other places as much as I can. Traveling gives me the feeling of freedom and the satisfaction.

Here are some interested places to visit in UAE         

  • Dubai Beaches

Two of my favorites are Al Mamzar and Jumeirah Beach. They are all very clean and well maintained. These beach parks have kiosks, barbecue areas, mini playground for kids so it’s very suitable for families or friends for weekend getaways. Walking along the seashores gives me the feeling of calmness and peace. Certainly, I consider myself an island girl.       

  • Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

One of the most visited places here is the Grand Mosque, also known as Sheikh Zayed Mosque. This is the largest in the UAE and ranking eighth in the world. I’ve been to this Mosque a couple of times joining group tours.

  • Jabal Hafeet, Al Ain

Also sometimes called as Jebel Hafeet (Jabal means Mountain), this magnificent mountain lies on both sides of Al Ain, the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and border of Oman. At 1,249 metres (4,098 ft), it offers a breathtaking view of Al Ain. Approximately a 2 hour drive from Dubai. For some it is just a wide span of desolate terrain, I however find it calming, like it gave me this moment of solitude, away from the hustle and bustle of Dubai.

I consider myself lucky enough to see a lot of places in United Arab Emirates and yet still so many places to explore and still a lot of activities I must try. I shall discuss this on my next blog.

Hi welcome to my Sweet Escape blog!

Here, I will tell you about activities I enjoyed in Dubai. When it comes to the hottest tourist destinations, Dubai never fails to make it to the top of the list. From the 7* hotel Burj Al Arab to the tallest and breathtaking views of Burj Khalifa, towering skyscrapers and grand architecture to high-end malls, there are many things that you can do. Going on a tour of Dubai will ensure you don’t miss anything. The uniqueness of Dubai always fascinates me, and the impressive developments which happened only for a short period of time. Here, I list down 5 interesting things to do in Dubai you should try.

Visit a Coffee Museum

If you love drinking coffee, you will love Dubai. Another popular attraction that you should see is the Dubai Coffee Museum, which is located in Al Fahidi Historical District. Inside the museum, you will see artifacts that are related to coffee, including a grinder that has been around for thousands of years. This is unlike any other museum you have seen in the past. Please check it out!

Float in the Dead Sea

There is a way for you to have it experienced during your holiday in Dubai, not only in Jordan. Go to the Saray Spa in JW Marriott Marquis and try their famous Dead Sea Journey. Here, you will experience a flotation pool. Advanced technology will make it possible for you to float. It contains salinated minerals straight from the Dead Sea, which allows it to mimic the experience. Experience a one-of-a-kind treatment, float away and relax in Dead Sea salt water pool.

Sky Dive over Palm Jumeirah 

For the thrill seekersThis is one of the best activities I have ever done in my life! A one of a kind experience of a lifetime! Skydiving over the artificial archipelago of Palm Jumeirah shaped like a palm tree promises you of magnificent views as you enjoy the adrenaline rush. And yes, you don’t need to be a trained diver, as you can try the tandem Sky Dive with a highly trained instructor.

 The Dubai Fountain show

Who would want to miss a chance of witnessing a free show of the world’s biggest choreographed water fountain at the world’s biggest mall? Visit the Dubai mall and enjoy the spectacular show of the Dubai fountain. 

Desert Safari by Hummer

Last but not the least is the Desert safari. Your travel will never be complete without trying this activity. Dubai’s desert is meant for adventure. Go dune bashing, camel ride and get an authentic feel of the Middle East here. The famous belly dance, tanoura dance and the fire dance will keep you entertained while sitting on Bedouin camp style.