360 Traveller by Himanshu Bansal: A Giant Paradise : Dubai

Wednesday, 16 March 2016

A Giant Paradise : Dubai

What was once a fishing village in the desert is now a global economic powerhouse. Situated in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is a city of high end Innovation and Glamour. It is just astounding how a land of desert could turn into a multicultural grand city. Dubai is full of Tall Skyscrapers, Magnificent Beaches, Bustling shopping centres and gigantic Landmarks. It is not only home to the tallest building on the planet, but also to the largest Airport and biggest man made islands. It was in the last 15 years that Dubai evolved from desert to become one of the greatest cities on the planet. Today, it attracts millions of tourists from all around the world.

Dubai is blessed by two important things- Big Oil Reserves and good geographic location. Dubai is just 8 hours away from 2/3rds of the world population. Besides, it has been blessed by a ruler who knows how to utilize all the resources that Dubai has. The Dubai government has implemented ideas and innovations that mankind won’t have ever dreamt of. The Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab are the symbols of the city. Completed in 2010, Burj Khalifa is the tallest building on earth. It is 828 meters high and has 163 floors. Climb up to the 124^th floor to see a breath-taking view of the city. The Burj Al Arab is the most iconic building in Dubai. It is the tallest and most luxurious hotel in the world. On the other hand, Palm Jumeirah is the world’s biggest man made Islands. Thus, Dubai is a city of giants.

The Dubai Mall is the biggest mall in the world. It has over 1200 shops and is home to the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. You will find all major brands here. After Dubai Mall, visit the Gold Souk, another great shopping area.

After exploring all this, it’s time for you to have some Desert adventure. Book yourself on Desert Safari. They pick you up from your Hotel and take you on a desert ride in a SUV. The ride is followed by sumptuous dinner and belly dance on a desert camp. You can also take a camel ride during Desert Safari. Take a day to relax on the beach. Dubai has some great beaches on Palm Jumeirah and around the city.

When it comes to shopping, Dubai has one of the best shopping in the world. You name any brand, and it’s here. Dubai shopping is reasonable as well. Stores are tax and duty free here. Whether it’s Dubai Mall, Dubai Airport or any local shopping spree, shops are amazing out here. If you are visiting Dubai in January-February, explore the Dubai shopping festival. Food in Dubai is good with restaurants offering multicultural and Emirati food. Dubai has a lot of cafes, Food stalls and international restaurants.

Travel and Transport are huge components of Dubai’s economy. The Airport itself contributes around 27% to the GDP. The 3^rd busiest airport has Terminal 3, which is the largest building on the planet. Emirates is the biggest airline in the world. It contributes massively to the economy. Emirates has the biggest fleets of Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s in the world. There are almost 90 million passengers passing through this airport every year. Emirates has flights to almost everywhere in the world. Hence, it’s very easy to find a plane to Dubai.