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58 / TRAVEL / Dubai
2
Take the world’s fastest lift
It’ll whoosh you at a dizzying speed to the top of the Burj Khalifa,
the planet’s tallest building and an impressive piece of architecture
even from ground level. Rising out of glossy Downtown (the business
and shopping district) it pierces the aquamarine, desert-hazy sky like a
mirage, sculpted like a futuristic rocket ship and glinting with smug
satisfaction. From its 125th-floor observation deck, the city’s other highrise
rooftops look Lego small, and a vast teal lake below displays the
cog-shaped jets of the impressive Dubai Fountain. After your heady trip
to the top, grab lunch at laid-back café Social House (on the edge of The
Dubai Mall, near the Burj’s exit), as the Vegas-style water show leaps into
action in front of you, twisting in a choreographed dance to classical,
pop or Arabic music.
3
Flex your credit card
Whether you consider yourself a shopping fan or not, Dubai’s malls
are a sight to be seen. The Mall of the Emirates has an enormous,
snow-loaded ski slope, complete with penguins, but it’s little more than
a gimmick. If you have an eye for style, The Dubai Mall is the only one
that matters. With 500,000 square metres of shops, this polished monochrome
behemoth has everything from high couture (head to Fashion
Avenue for Prada, Gucci and co.) to vivid Arabian creations (spot the
bejewelled ballgowns and crystal-clad wedding dresses). Hire an electric
car to whizz around faster, and don’t worry about getting lost − it’s
inevitable. Just use the electronic maps on the black pillars in the hallways
to find your way out.
4
Bash the dunes
If the city’s flashy designer circuit starts to cloy, one of the best
things about Dubai is that you can be out in proper, rust-red desert
in around 40 minutes. There are two main ways to do it: take a desert
safari day trip to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, or book an
overnight stay in a desert camp hotel. Day trips are all fairly similar, but
established company Platinum Heritage is dedicated to preserving the
desert, and offers a choice of itineraries to suit your group. You may
want to try “dune bashing” (letting the air out of your 4x4’s tyres and
plunging down the sand dunes), though it’s not for everyone. Other highlights
include watching a falcon display as the sun sets, or taking a more
sedate drive around a nature trail, to see the native oryx and other local
creatures. You can even be chauffeured in a vintage 1960s Land Rover for
that true explorer feel. For a real Lawrence of Arabia experience, you
want to wake up to see the shifting russet dunes stretching to the horizon.
Book a room at the Bedouin-styled Bab Al Shams, or a super-luxury
desert lodge at five-star Al Maha.
5
Take off in a chopper
There are a handful of cities in the world where a helicopter ride is
worth the extravagance, and, along with New York and Rio,
Dubai is one of them. You’ll take off from The Palm Jumeirah, the
donut-shaped, man-made extension of the coast, and skim over the
azure, silk-smooth waters of the Gulf, gawping at The World, the artificial
islands shaped like an atlas (some “countries” more
complete than others). Then you’ll zoom back over land, past the sailshaped
Burj Al Arab (the world’s first “seven star” hotel) and towards the
tiara of towers that make up Downtown to see the Burj Khalifa from
above, not to mention the scattered works-in-progress being assembled
by monster cranes. It’s a thrilling look at how this flash city experiment is
still being carved out between expansive desert and water. Nervous about
taking to the skies? A speedboat ride is just as fun, as you roar past the
palatial Atlantis hotel and Burj Al Arab with the sea-spray in your hair.
Previous page: 1. Burj Khalifa 2. Water taxi across Dubai Creek 3. Bridge from Dubai
Mall to Souk Al Bahar 4. Jumeirah Beach 5. Around Jumeirah Beach
Right: 1. Burj Al Arab Hotel 2. Bur Dubai neigbourhood 3. Desert safari 4. Wafi Mall
5. Dubai skyline 6. Helicopter flight
“Dine from a magic
carpet, piled high
with spiced stews,
clove-scented rice,
fresh, floury
flatbreads and
date-syrupy dough
balls”
EAT & DRINK
Arboretum Brunch at Jumeirah
Al Qasr hotel
Al Sufouh Road; jumeirah.com
Mas Mas Maya brunch at Le Royal
Meridien Beach Resort & Spa
Al Sufouh Road; maya-dubai.com
Nikki Beach Dubai
Pearl Jumeirah; nikkibeach.com
RIVA Beach Club
Palm Jumeirah; riva-beach.com
STAY
Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf Hotel
Al Sufouh Road; jumeirah.com
Fairmont The Palm Hotel
Palm Jumeirah; fairmont.com
Ritz-Carlton, Dubai
Jumeirah Beach Residence Walk;
ritzcarlton.com
SHOP
Dubai Mall
Financial Centre Road, Downtown;
thedubaimall.com
RELAX
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
Adjacent to Al Qudra Road;
meydanhotels.com
Talise Ottoman Spa
Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel;
jumeirah.com
Guerlain Spa at One&Only The Palm
Palm Jumeirah;
thepalm.oneandonlyresorts.com
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve;
al-maha.com