Be it the grand Burj Khalifa or the breathtaking Palm Islands — the beauty of Dubai lies in the fact that it is man-made and extremely well maintained. To explore this beauty, Sameer Ahmed booked a 7-day package with TravelTriangle for his wife, two kids and himself. His package included private transfers, his stay, breakfast, dinner and local tours and cost him Rs.160,000. Here, his wife Huda shares with us her account of their trip.
When it came to deciding the destination for our first international trip, Dubai’s name sprung up unchallenged. This was not only because we had friends in Dubai, but because the city offers a wide variety of places for a traveler to see at a reasonable price. The next task was to zero in on the right plan-of-action, the itinerary, tickets etc, which is a time-consuming process. That’s when we got in touch with TravelTriangle at a friend’s recommendation and saved ourselves from putting in endless efforts for the much awaited Dubai trip.
Day 1: Getting Fortunate at Deira
We landed in Dubai around 12 in the afternoon and reached the hotel by 1 pm. With the kids in company, the trip had to be taken slow because they need time to rest. Hence, we first made ourselves comfortable and only towards the end of the day did we start our expedition by visiting the nearby Deira Market.
Since it was supposed to be a week-long stay, we were glad that we were given Fortune Hotel Deira. The hotel was located within walking distance from various famous markets, metro station and hosted a good number of Indian guests too.
Day 2: HOHO-ing in Dubai
Our first morning at the hotel was made special by a finely cooked Indian meal, served well in regard of our food choices. Now that we were set to explore the city, we took the HOHO (Hop On Hop Off) bus tour which took us to the Jumeira Beach, Jumeira Mall, Saga World Mall, Palm Beach and The Dubai Museum.
Though the tour acquainted us with the major attractions of the city, but in the company of kids it proved to be extremely tiring. Back at the hotel, we spent some time to recharge our energies and then took to the Baniyas Market.
Day 3: Cruising on Dhow
While our day was spent wandering about the Gold Souk market, the evening was reserved for the Dhow Cruise. At the cruise, we thoroughly enjoyed the cultural shows but somehow did not find the dinner served up to mark.
Suggested Read: Do Not Come Back Without Visiting These 60 Tourist Places In Dubai
Day 4: Adventure at Aquaventure and The Lost Chambers
Away from home, the kids were now starting to feel homesick. But thanks to our visit to The Lost Chambers and Aquaventure, the kids forgot everything and had a buck load of fun. At The Lost Chambers, we interacted with exotic stranger-than-fiction fishes, got to touch baby alligators and at the Aquaventure waterpark we indulged in a various fun activities, games, and rides.
Day 5: At top of the world – Burj Khalifa
Still recovering from our adventure hangover, we started the day slow. We woke up late and wandered around the nearby Naif Bazar. The bazar was huge and with people bargaining around, we also got lured to explore and shop more. But since we were to visit the famous Burj Khalifa, we left early with a desire to visit the market again.
On reaching Burj Khalifa, we began by exploring the Dubai Mall. A major attraction around Dubai Mall was the fountain show which happens every half hour. The show offers exclusive visuals which even my 11-month-old baby could not seem to get enough of.
Now was the time to ascend the enormous Burj Khalifa, for which we had to go through a long queue. But once we reached the top, it was all worth the wait. The weather was amazing and the view, absolutely mesmerizing. The descent took around one and a half hour (thanks to the crowd) due to which we missed our pre-booked taxi. Our attempts to get a taxi finally yielded a result after 2 hours and we reached the hotel at 1 am.
DAY 6: A Day out on Friday
Amidst a packed schedule, we were struggling to find time to visit our friends in Dubai. It was on Friday, that we finally got a chance to meet them. Coming back to the hotel in the evening, we explored more of Naif Bazar. The day got utilized pretty well considering the fact that most of Dubai remains shut on Fridays.
Day 6: The Zoo and Mina Bazar — Squeaks and Sequins
For the kids, the zoo is always a fascinating place and they were delighted when we reached the Dubai Zoo. Since it does not cover a very vastly spread area, all animals are kept at a minimum distance. This allowed us to catch a glimpse of almost all the inhabitant animals of the zoo, ranging from white peacocks to guerrillas, various sorts of snakes, turtles etc. We got free by the afternoon and visited the Mina Bazar which offers a huge variety of Indian ethnic wear and concluded the visit with a dinner.
Day 7: Pack and Move
On the last day of my Dubai trip, we spent some time packing and visited the supermarkets around the hotel. After having a delicious lunch at the hotel restaurant, in the evening we were transported to the airport to leave for Delhi.
High Points: The most cherished moment of my Dubai trip was feeling the wind rush through the hair at the top of Burj Khalifa.
Low point: Missing our taxi and endlessly waiting for another one.
TIP:
- You can buy souvenirs from 1-to-10 Dhiram markets.
- Try and incorporate Dolphin show and Desert Safari in your plan.
Suggested Read: 25 Best Shopping places in Dubai
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