We take a trip to Dubai for a budget to blowout experience

National World - LocalTV

From Glasgow Airport to Dubai, we visited the Middle Eastern city to see what it has to offer. We tried culturally rich activities that don’t break the bank then went all out on luxury adventures.

Transcript

00:00I recently visited Dubai, here is a breakdown of what I got up to.

00:03Our first stop was a traditional Emirati brunch at the SMCCU located in the old part of the city.

00:09It was an opportunity to actually explore and practice Emirati culture.

00:13We had an amazing guide who gave us a very casual presentation and then openly answered

00:18all of our questions ranging from gender politics to dress to the meaning behind certain customs.

00:23The experience was topped off with a very hearty and fragrant meal.

00:26We then went up to the Dubai frame which at 150 meters is the tallest of its kind in the world.

00:32It gave a panoramic view of the city, it was incredible, a really good way to find your

00:36beddings especially if you've just arrived. We then set off on a heritage desert safari

00:41organized by Platinum Heritage. So this is the most awarded and sustainable safari that's offered

00:46in Dubai. We were collected from our accommodation by our conservation guide and then once we got

00:51there we got to choose head scarves and were given metal water bottles to keep and then we

00:56were transferred into a stunningly retro open-top 60s Land Rover. Then we embarked on a 60 minute

01:01drive through the desert stopping at various points to learn about wildlife, ask questions,

01:06take photos. Our guide was amazing, he knew the area extremely well and offered information that

01:11seemed to come from his own experience. He wasn't reading out of a textbook or anything and it made

01:16it much more engaging. We watched a live falconry show. These are the fastest animals in the world

01:21so it's quite insane to see. All the while the sun was setting in the background and we

01:25had cinnamon tea and vimto. We then ate a delicious four course meal at a traditional Arabic camp.

01:31There were camel rides, drum performances and even an astrology lesson. It is one of the most

01:35amazing things I've ever done in my entire life. The next morning we headed down to Drift Beach

01:40to spend a few hours by the pool and have some lunch. This club is the definition of laid-back

01:45luxury. Beautifully designed, inspired by the French Riviera, definitely has a Mediterranean

01:50feel to it. There is a pool, plenty of sun loungers, private cabanas you can rent, private

01:55beach access, a bar, restaurant, digi deck and fantastic service. We lay by the pool and sip

02:01cocktails for a while. Then had a two course meal. I went for seafood based options, a king prawn

02:06starter and mixed seafood orzo pasta. Both were very flavourful. They use fresh and organic

02:12ingredients here and you can really tell from the quality. It's also just a lovely restaurant

02:17and nice and bright with a view of the pool. They have lots of weekly events on, ladies day,

02:22breakfast clubs, fitness classes. If you're looking to visit Dubai, I recommend you check

02:26out their website for what's coming up. So that's driftbeachtubai.com. I loved it here. I didn't

02:32want to leave. The vibes are great. When it gets too hot, you can just jump in the pool.

02:36Views right across the skyline as well. It has everything. Next up then was our frying pan

02:40adventure food walk. Fans of the Netflix show Someone Feed Phil may be familiar with this.

02:45So we met up in the souks, a collection of markets at Dubai Creek, a very important place in the

02:49city's history. And then we visited a range of vendors and tried some snacks intrinsic to the

02:54area. This included an egg rolls, some crisps and bread and tea and ice cream with rice topping.

03:00We also played a very fun game of spice bingo. The walk is focused on the food, but it's also

03:04a really good opportunity to explore the culture and heritage. It's a place for locals visits.

03:09You're getting a very authentic experience. We traveled over the creek in a traditional wooden

03:14boat and the tour was concluded with a meal at the Al Qaimah Heritage Restaurant, which is

03:19actually noted in the Michelin Guide. We tried traditional Emirati food, which included lamb

03:23biryani and a kind of vegetable stew with rice. It was a tasting journey where we learned a lot

03:28about the UAE. Food is held in ceremonial regard here, so it was a rich and fulfilling experience.

03:34Finally then was possibly the most extravagant part of the itinerary, a private yacht ride around

03:38the city with exclusive yachts. We sailed by skyscrapers lining the water against a sunset.

03:44We had a full crew of enthusiastic people. We had snacks on board, a free bar, we got to choose the

03:49music. It was just gorgeous. The company offers a range of different packages at different price

03:53points. It's definitely worth having a look. What I took from this trip is that they do things very

03:58well in Dubai. You can get the enormous luxury experiences, but you can also get something more

04:03modest, but really rich in culture and heritage. There's something for everyone depending on what

04:08you're looking for and what you're looking to pay.

Category

Transcript

Recommended