Stop over for all kinds of thrills in Dubai

WHETHER you're seeking modern luxuries and cutting-edge architecture or ancient customs, Dubai has plenty to offer, writes Louise Treccasi.

ski dubai

YOU can watch camel races, go dune bashing in a desert safari or shop in the world's largest mall and sip cocktails atop the world's tallest building.

Welcome to Dubai - a city where old and new blend perfectly to offer an Arabian experience of a lifetime.

For six days I was spoilt on an "Unexpected Dubai" tour.

It started with an afternoon at the private Madinat Jumeirah Beach. The crystal water of the Arabian Gulf is at perfect temperature and the pristine sand is so soft.

And let's not forget about the views - the Burj Al Arab is the picture-perfect backdrop.

A must-do for any visitor is a desert safari - it begins with some "dune bashing" in which an experienced four-wheel driver takes you through the sand dunes for an adventurous and, at times, bumpy ride.

But you quickly forget about the slight queasiness knowing a Middle-Eastern feast awaits you at a camp site.

The dinner under the stars begins with traditional Middle-Eastern starters followed by a gourmet barbecue with an open bar. There are camel rides and a belly dancer for added entertainment.

And I received a henna tattoo - a flower on the back of my wrist which has only now faded.

The lights then go out for five minutes so guests can do some stargazing. The only disappointment is having to leave.

One of my highlights was the camel races held early in the mornings to avoid the heat.

The early rise is worth it even if just to see the miniature robot jockeys that come with a whip. The camels are dressed in their finest and race 4km.

The old souk area is where you can appreciate the city's heritage. You can take in the array of smells of the spice souk before heading to the gold souk where a lot of bargaining can be had. It's also home to the world's largest gold ring, weighing almost 64kg.

We had the chance to ask the locals some questions about culture and tradition at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding. We asked why it is that women cover up and how do the men keep their whites so clean.

One woman said she simply didn't want men to see her face or hair.

It had nothing to do with religion or tradition or men telling her to do so but more about her insecurities. Covering up protected her.

The new side of Dubai is a vibrant cosmopolitan city.

Everything in Dubai is big. It lays claim to the world's largest shopping mall - the Dubai Mall - and the world's tallest tower - the Burj Khalifa - and, of course, the gold ring.

The Dubai Mall is an adventure on its own, with more than 1200 stores. And let's not forget the Dubai Aquarium, Underwater Zoo and the Olympic-sized ice rink it houses.

It is divided into sections to make the journey a little easier. You can seriously spend days in this place.

Outside the mall is the Dubai Fountain where a light show is held every 30 minutes. It's like watching a fireworks display without the fireworks. The fountain shoots water as high as 150m to music. The bonus of this attraction is that it's free.

The Burj Al Arab is perhaps the most famous attraction - the hotel with its sailboat design put Dubai on the world map. It is built offshore in the Arabian Gulf and home to a 7-star hotel. Who can't remember the images of Tiger Woods teeing up atop the hotel or Roger Federer and Andre Agassi taking tennis to new heights on the helipad?

The other famous landmark is the Burj Khalifa that stands 828m tall. It looks like a needle piercing the sky or, as a girl said on tour, a drop-bling earring. It illuminates at night offering a spectacular show.

Every Tuesday is Ladies Night in Dubai where women drink for free in most bars. We chose the 122nd floor of the Khalifa for our special night - OK, so it didn't offer Ladies Night but it didn't matter. With views like this, we were more than happy to spoil ourselves with $20 cocktails. The bar is called Atmosphere - befitting the amazing skyline views of the city at night. And girls, make sure you check out the toilets which also have glamorous views.

The food in Dubai almost needs its own column. We started with a simple Arabic fast food - a shawarma at the famous Al Mallah. Another night we ate at Ravis, a traditional Pakistani restaurant. Seven of us ate - and ate well for under 170 dirhams - that's under $50 or $7 each. Crazy.

We were spoilt with some fancy hotel dinners - a progressive dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel. Our last night was spent at the Park Hyatt Hotel where we dined French style at Traiteur. I can still smell that raspberry creme brulee.

Put simply, Dubai has everything - who would have imagined an indoor ski slope in the middle of the desert. It is up there as one of the world's best cities. It's the perfect place to stop over for a few days on the way to Europe or a holiday in its own right.

My new friend Waqar from Arabian Adventures hosted us on our desert safari and he summed up his home city perfectly. He said it is "either hot or very hot".

We were lucky, we just got hot - about 35C every day.

"It's camelicious," he laughed. And it was.
 

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