Dubai Ranks Low in Worldwide Popularity Contest. Says Who?

The travel and tourism community is buzzing about the HSBC surveyon the ‘Friendliest Countries in the

HSBC Survey

HSBC Survey

World for Expats.’ I know many Dubai-ians are not pleased with the Emirate pegged lower on this list.

Commenting on a UAE Community blog post on the same issue Abu Dhabi blogger says:

 

“I love the social fabric of the UAE. It is a place where you walk into a hundred nationalities everyday. You see all kinds of people from those who stare at you as if you are from another planet to many who smile at you for no reason. I have never felt that I am not welcome here. YES there are instances of red tape in some government departments and some other issues, but to me the UAE has been a very friendly place. Every place has its issues, as does the UAE.”
Sentiments like these are, surprisingly echoed by many expatriates (many are avid commentators and bloggers on Dubai and UAE themselves!) and definitely make one think hard about the validity of the HSBC survey.
Our Abu Dhabi company keeps reiterating Dubai’s mass appeal and way of life, mainly because it is one of the best kinds you can come across in a region like the Middle East. Small wonder then that many tourists and visitors in transit to other places love sightseeing in Dubai or visiting for an Arabian adventure.
Dubai, if you make the effort to, can be a very friendly place and thanks to the government pushing many educational reforms, the language has far from become a barrier for interaction.
The next time you are looking for a hotel booking in UAE, remember all these points and consider Dubai.
Image Credit: Joe Shlabotnik

Sightseeing in Dubai sans Worry about Finances

One very adverse effect I noticed in the Blogger service for blogging is that the visitors count it calculates increases every time you indulge in mundane activities like refreshing the page and whenever you switch from the dashboard to the blog page. For someone who likes keeping a record of statistics, this can be a difficult affair and if anyone else faces this same problem and knows a solution to it please let me know.

 

Sightseeing

Coming back to the objective of this blog, has anyone noticed the brouhaha being made over our fair Emirate and its financial status or lack of it by the Western media?

It is deeply demoralizing for the people residing in Dubai. As an Abu Dhabi travel company, we shall have you know that there are a number of people still coming into Dubai to stay and to enjoy the myriad attractions it has on offer.
I feel the best thing about Dubai is its regenerative nature. Reinvention and progress are two things the city-state has taken into its stride. This is one of the main reasons why there are people visiting Dubai not only for Dubai City tours and shopping but also for residence.
If you are planning a MICE in Dubai or a vacation, then this a very good time to visit. The DSF may have ended, but there are still a lot of traditional attractions that make summer a memorable time to stay in Dubai.
You could book a stay in any of the luxury hotels in Dubai or simply rough it out on a safari tour in Dubai (within ac dwellings). Visit Dadabhai Travels to book the perfect summer Arabian adventure.
Photo Credit: Criss!

Hotel Booking in the UAE – In Search of an Ecotel

Mukul Kumar of Business Beyond Reality succinctly wraps up an ecotel saying:

 

“The Ecotel took shape of a major campaign by the hoteliers around the world to show their guests that even though profit may be the motive for running a hotel, they were equally conscious about the well being of the environment.” 
At Dadabhai Travels, we strongly believe that within this natural give and take, lays a major part of the

Ecotel

Ecotel

appeal of an ecotel. The rest is advertising genius.

Regardless, we are always happy to point our more eco-loving travelers and tourists to luxury hotels and hotel apartments in Dubai that are a bit more environment-friendly.
Take the Grand Hyatt in Dubai. Those visiting for somesightseeing in Dubai can hope for a booking from $344 onwards at this environmentally conscious hotel. Grosvenor House on West Marina Beach too can be a lovely option among luxury hotels in Dubai.
For smaller budgets, Le Meridien Baniyas Square and Ramada Dubai offer good eco-forward residences.
A word of advice: Hire a competent Abu Dhabi travel company to make the necessary arrangements for you. Most of the best agencies take care of choosing the type of hotel tourists and short-term residents prefer and even arrange for ancillary needs like Dubai car rentals and Dubai City tours.
Regardless, before you even plan your business or sightseeing trip to Dubai do make certain you remember to convey your hotel and residential preferences to your travel operator/agent. Your stay will be that much more comfortable for it.
Photo Credit: faeryboots

Go Yachting in Your Next Dubai City Tours

For corporate teams visiting Dubai this month, Dadabhai Travels presents a wonderful team-building activity- Dragon Boat racing. 

 

The Dragon Boat race is essentially a Chinese tradition and is to be held this year at Dubai Marina Canal on February 13. With more than 40 teams participating and most of them professional, this is the perfect

Dubai City Tours

Dubai City Tours

recreational Arabian adventure for your team to indulge in. 

The Dubai Marina Yacht Club is hardly the only water sports complex in the city though. To pursue high-adrenaline water activities like yachting, white water rafting, kayaking and sailing besides Dragon Boat racing, you could try out any of these places: 
v  Club Mina 
Leisure options like these are even better when enjoyed during the relatively mild months of February-March. Couples visiting for a honeymoon in Dubai can charter a private yacht or a sailboat for a couple of hours or even for a few nights and sail the blue waters of the Arabian Sea. 
The Dubai Marina Yacht Club even charters their yachts for conferences and corporate events. Completely equipped for such programs, organizations can arrange for a MICE in Dubai aboard one. 
Our Abu Dhabi travel company can organize Dubai tour packageslike these for companies in Dubai or even from abroad. To round off your Arabian adventure in the waters of the Gulf or the Creek, try out a dhow cruise in Dubai as well, for a uniquely Middle Eastern experience.
Photo Credit: David Paul Ohmer

Update on The Newest Luxury Hotels in Dubai – The Address

The Address is one high-class place in Dubai receiving a lot of attention these days and not least because of its opulence.
Right on the doorstep of the tallest tower in the world, the Burj Dubai, this luxury hotel in Dubai boasts of Neos, the highest sky lounge in Dubai City. The art-deco inspired lounge rests on the sixty-third floor and makes for fantastic 360-degree views of the city.

 

Tourists who would like a taste of the haute life and would not mind shelling out a couple of more dhirhams could try out The Address. Our Abu Dhabi travel company would likewise arrange for your Dubai hotel booking.
The Address is fifteen minutes away from the Dubai International Airport and houses a well-appointed Business Lounge, library, conference hall and banqueting facilities. For travelling executives and visiting organizations, attending a MICE in Dubai at this venue would be well appreciated by all members.
A total of eight restaurants with separate bars vie with one another to provide guests at The Address with an international fare made up of at least seven different cuisines (Burmese, French, German, Malaysian, Thai, Swiss and Kiwi).
Some of the other options you could enjoy for a MICE in Dubai at The Address include complimentary Wi-Fi and video conferencing services for conference bookings and high-tech equipment and event organization, all handled by an events and conference staff dedicated towards providing these services.
With such an impressive collection of amenities under one roof, The Address at Downtown Burj Dubai remains one of our customer favorites. Get your hotel booking in UAE done with Dadabhai Travels and get access to a lifestyle that resounds with luxury living and experiences.

Get Your Dubai Hotel Booking Done From A Reputed Travel Agency

According to tophotelprojects.com, the number of high quality hotels is going to swell by at least 500 new hotels during the course of this year. East Asia alone will contribute to a forty-one percent growth, reflecting to the rapid pace at which the hospitality sector is growing in this part of the world.

 

Dubai travel Agents

Dubai travel Agents

Dubai undoubtedly features high with its unending list of high-end hotels thanks to a construction industry that is in relentless pursuit of the perfect hotel experience. From the newly opened Atlantis at The Palm, to the seven-star Burj Al Arab, each hotel surpasses the next in style, concept and service.

Tourists, as a result have a wide range of options from which to choose their accommodation. The elegantly outfitted Grosvenor House and the whimsical Raffles are available for the more discerning crowd. For those visiting Dubai on a business trip or for a MICE in Dubai have stalwarts like the Deira Palace Hotel and Radisson SAS.
For a slightly longer stay, hotel apartments in Dubai can be rather comfortable and are not very hard to come by, especially if you have done your booking through a reliable Abu Dhabi travel company. Concierge services, Dubai car rentals and Dubai City Tours are usually thrown in as a package as well for visiting tourists.
Regardless, how accommodating your travel company is depends on the duration of your sightseeing in Dubai tour and the Dubai City activities you wish to indulge in. Plan your trip well in advance with the travel consultants at Dadabhai Travels and we can work out a satisfactory travel plan for you.
Image Credit: Hamed Saber

Become One With The Desert On A Safari Tour In Dubai

Deserts need not be a waste of space or blighted land, at least not where an entire sub genre of desert-related activities and adventure sports have cropped up to make the best use of such land.
Dubai, in true top-tourist-destination-style has the perfect antidote for the holiday blues with a jaw-jarring collection of sports and options known as a safari tour in Dubai. Desert safaris are typically an Arab pastime and while similar trips are offered in Africa as well, they have a more relaxed appeal in the Emirate.

 

Deser Activities

Deser Activities

In fact, a desert camp arranged by the Watani Family Camp group is one of the Dubai City activities currently experiencing heavy promotion in anticipation of the Dubai Shopping Festival. The camp used to be open exclusively to Emiratis earlier, but is now being extended to include every nationality and income bracket that can pay the nominal entry fee.

Our Abu Dhabi travel company can arrange your travel itinerary to include this unique experience, as many items are included on the activity list. For instance, instructors will be present to supply lessons in trail finding, cooking the Emirati way, navigating by astrological means and even a camel safari in Dubai.
If you still wish to stick to the regular safari tour in Dubai, then Dadabhai Travels can arrange for a package that includes an invigorating wadi bashing ride, camel rides and an exploration trip of the wadis besides many more options.
Whether you intend to rough out your sightseeing in Dubai trip or want to enjoy it while in the lap of luxury, simply inform us of your needs. We can accommodate you accordingly.
Image Credit: Hamed Saber

January Brimming With Fun Things To Do On Your Special Dubai Arabian Adventure

For a tourist or visitor in Dubai, it will come as a surprise to turn around a corner and spot an eatery or person from your own homeland.

 

That’s the best part about being a visitor in Dubai- catching a whiff of the scent of your own country.
The recently opened Australian-themed restaurant cum pub cum (a lot of things actually), Bidi Bondi is one

Special Dubai Arabian Adventure

Special Dubai Arabian Adventure

such example. Located on The Palm, this fascinating place is perfect to soak in some antipodean culture. Include a relaxing afternoon at this restaurant in your Dubai City activities to-do-list without fail.

If you have kids in tow, then after a bit of sightseeing in Dubai book tickets for Freej Folklore at the amphitheatre at the Madinat Jumeirah. Shows are on only until 17 January, so make sure you catch it before then as the production makes for a fascinating showcase of the history, culture and myths surrounding Dubai and Arab life.
If you have done your Dubai hotel booking to last until February, then two events you cannot afford to miss out on are the Iron Maiden concert and the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships. Ticket sales have already commenced, so you might want to hurry up.
Traditional Arabian entertainment is always available for visitors at all times of the year. So whether you have come alone, with your family, with friends or even attending a MICE in Dubai, your culture cravings can be put to rest. A safari tour in Dubai generally tends to include attractions like henna body art, camel rides, dune surfing and dhow cruises.
Get the best Dubai tour packages from Dadabhai Travels at the best prices.
Image Credit: Stig Nygaard

Having A MICE In Dubai? Make Sure You…

Arrange for Dubai car rentals to the Hatta Rock Pools. A tranquil pocket of nature lies hidden in the Hajar Mountains, far from the clutches of civilization. The Hatta Rock Pools are rock formations with pools of turquoise-green waters, liberally interspersed with waterfalls.

 

After aMeeting, Incentives, Conference and Events program (MICE), ourAbu Dhabi travel companyrecommends a trip to the rock pools as the perfect relaxation for hardworking staff.
Mice in Dubai

Mice in Dubai

Also included in tour packages for a MICE in Dubai is a trip to the Dubai Museum, housed in the Al-Fahidi Fort. One of the rare few buildings featuring authentic Bedouin architecture, the Al-Fahidi Fort was built in 1787.

Your company can have a restful and educating trip down old Dubai with a visit to this old world bastion. Dadabhai Travels can help you out withsightseeing in Dubai excursions and timings that are convenient for your organization.
For the corporate bigwigs involved in a MICE in Dubai, the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club offers the perfect gentleman’s getaway. Located along the Dubai Creek, this golfing center features lush, sculpted gardens and ornamental lakes and waterfalls with golfing going on during the night as well.
The Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis and The Faldo golfing greens are other magnificent golfing venues offering avid golfers the best in company and service. From bookings in luxury hotels in Dubai to reservations at these golfing greens, Dadabhai Travels takes care of everything.
Rested employees make happy employees. Let our Abu Dhabi travel company assure a pleasant stay for your employees.
Image Courtesy: Flickr

Experience Souk Shopping As Part Of Your Dubai Tour Packages

Eons before the Dubai tourism department brainstormed the Dubai Shopping Festival, there were the original souks of Dubai that dotted the Emirate. Just like the malls that are slowly taking over the retail area today, the souks were the heart and soul of Dubai trade and economy.

 

The mud paved, palm-thatchedGold Souk, Textile Souk, Perfume Souk, Fish Souk and Spice Souk may

Shopping Experience in Dubai

Shopping Experience in Dubai

have given over to cobbled and more spacious versions, but one element they yet retain is an old world charm.

One of the must-see and must-try Dubai City Activities, these souks are still the best places to get the best bargains and indulge in some authentically Arab grabs. The Gold Souk for instance, offers tourists and residents alike a selection of gold designs and craftsmanship that is more traditional as compared to the modern Westernized options sold at malls and showrooms.
Book a Dubai car rental through your travel agency and direct them to the Ascot Hotel, where the Gold Souk is located.

 

Gold Souk Shopping

Gold Souk Shopping

The Deira Spice Souk and the Perfume Souk are tastes of the exotic you must savor when sightseeing Dubai. The spices and attars (perfume essences) sold at these places are headier and more aromatic then the ones found elsewhere. Some attar shops can even concoct you a signature perfume to suit your senses and personality, making it a unique souvenir to carry home (we happen to know some authentic perfume sellers who can do this).

Our Abu Dhabi travel company can arrange for excursions and make a hotel booking in U.A.E. near these relics of Old Dubai. Contact us for an Arabian adventure high on some retail therapy.
Image (right) Courtesy: Flickr
Image (left) Courtesy: Flickr