As you are reading this, I am sure you are freezing cold at home and this is the last thing on your mind. Just so you are aware, it is a lovely 25 degrees here today :)
However, Ski Dubai offers an amazing indoor mountain-themed wintery setting. You can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, or just playing in the snow.
Plus you can now meet and play with Ski Dubai's newest residents; the Snow Penguins!
You don't have to worry about ski clothing or equipment either. Ski Dubai has thought of it all and offers guests the use of winter clothing, ski and snowboard equipment.
Cost: Depends of which package you pick. From 130 DH.
“This brunch is not the sedate culinary experience it is elsewhere; in Dubai, it is an exercise in excess, with free-flowing booze and heaping buffets that would have even the most indulgent glutton begging for mercy.” Time Magazine
We will take a trip to the capital city, Abu Dhabi. (This is as close as you will get to where I actually live!) In a taxi from Dubai the journey is only about 45 minutes.
Whilst exploring the city, we will visit the luxurious 7* Emirates Palace. The interior is decked out in gold, marble and has large patterned domes. There is even a gold ATM available! Here, we can relax and have a lovely beverage that will most likely be sprinkled with 24-carat gold.
Here are some crazy facts about the Emirates Palace…
1. It cost approximately $3 BILLION to build.
2. It spans 1 km from wing to wing, 100 hectares total area.
2. 5 kg of pure edible GOLD is used per year for decoration mainly on desserts.
Abu Dhabi is home to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is open to the public for daily tours, including a sun set tour. The mosque is an architectural work of art that can not be missed. It is absolutely beautiful! The Grand Mosque's design and construction 'unites the world', using artisans and materials from many countries.
In the city that sparkles, not everything is made of gold. Especially in the Karama Shopping Centre. Why pay mega bucks in the Dubai Mall when you can get high quality genuine fake handbags & purses at a fraction of the price in Karama? Whilst wondering the streets near the shops be prepared to be approached every second by shop owners trying to sell their replicas. Do not be scared to say ‘no’!
Brush up on your haggling skills and be prepared to bag a bargain! (Excuse the pun)
Did you know there are different quality levels of fakes? Yes, levels of fakness. The better the fake, the more dollar you’ll shell out. You will find the pristine genuine fakes in the “secret rooms”.
Chanel Hula-hoop bag anyone?
If you are purchasing a new handbag, you will NEED some new jewellery to go with it! Lucky for you, the Gold Souk (Markets) are not far away. Didn’t get enough of haggling in Kararm… consider that the warm up.
The Gold Souk is dazzling and well worth wondering around, even if just for a bit more window shopping. Here you can purchase gold, silver, diamonds and lots of other jewels and gems.
There are lots of opportunities to buy pashminas, abayas and cheap tourist souvenirs' too.
Dubai is home to the tallest, biggest and best everything in the world. One of these is the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. It stands tall at 828 meters high and has the fastest elevator in the world, taking only 60 seconds to climb 160 stories. This mighty building completely dwarfs the surrounding regular sized skyscrapers.
The ‘at the top’ tour of the Burj Khalifa takes around one hour and overloads you with information, facts and figures about the majestic building. The best part, the observation deck! You can spend as long as you like here, enjoying yet another breath taking view of Dubai.The best time of day to go, just before sunset.
For more panoramic views of Dubai, Click here!
Cost: 120 Dirhams. About £20. (Pre-booking)
The Burj Khalifa is located in downtown Dubai, next-door to the Biggest Mall in the world… The Dubai Mall. Offering over 1,200 shops and over 160 food & drink outlets, time can easily run away with you. Before you know it, you have spent over 12 hours “window shopping”.
No need for retail therapy? That’s okay, the biggest mall in the world has an Olympic sized ice rink, the largest aquarium in the world and an indoor theme park! As you do. And if all of that is not enough, prepare to be entertained by the World’s largest dancing fountain. Yes, a dancing fountain!
Now that really is a lot of world largest, biggest and best!
Say hello to the most exciting, most exhilarating and most adrenaline pumping activity that you will ever do. EVER. I experienced this myself last year and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Skydive Dubai is in a great location near the the Palm Jumeirah, allowing for breath-taking views of the famous palm, ‘the world’ islands, the Burj Al Arab, Dubai's Skyline all the way down to the tallest building in the world: the Burj Khalifa and so much more.
Everyone at skydive Dubai is extremely friendly, enthusiastic and well trained to deal with worried nervous girls, reminding them that your goggles will not save you. Their job is to keep you safe, your job is to have fun!
After signing your life away with all of the relevant paper work, you will get kitted up in a full body harness and learn how to “be the banana”. However, all of the “training” literally goes out the window when you are free falling at 13,000 feet over the palm.
You will have a lovely camera person follow you around, capturing all of your emotions from the time you kit up to the time you land. At the end of this life changing event, you can re-live every second with an awesome video and over 100 pictures.
Jumping out of the plane actually takes your breath away!
Dress Code: Comfortable clothing and secure footwear.
Cost: 1,750 Dirham or £291
