Dubai is a city of extravagance and opulence. It is fast becoming one of the largest financial centers in the world and is an impressive place to visit. Flanked by the Arabian Gulf, miles of sand dunes, and the mighty Hajar Mountain Range, Dubai is the perfect place for a city break, complete with adventures on land and on water.
There are many new experiences to be gained from visiting Dubai, and specifically worth mentioning are desert safari adventures, which are a unique way to explore the deserts surrounding Dubai. Once you start, you’ll be thankful for the air-conditioned, four-wheel drive vehicle in which most game drives take place; sometimes the heat can be overwhelming.
Alternatively, you might want to try your hand at dune driving, which is an incredibly exciting activity where you drive over sand dunes; whose goal is to try to keep the car moving over the ever-changing surface.
Sand skiing is another high-speed activity that is not for the faint of heart. It is about giving something similar to a snowboard and launching yourself down the side of one of the huge dunes on the outskirts of Dubai. If you’re lucky, you might even see some locals speeding along in a traditional camel race through the desert tracks.
If the sea, rather than the sand, is more appealing, Dubai has a lot to offer. Water sports are considered one of the main reasons people visit Dubai and the selection is vast. You can do anything from snorkeling and scuba diving to jet skiing and sailing. There are also plenty of water sports to watch, with some key sailing regattas and water sports competitions taking place in Dubai every year.
Another great way to experience the city of Dubai from the water is on a Dhow Cruise. A dhow is a type of traditional Arabian boat, which you can board to cruise Dubai’s Creek, the strip of water that divides the financial area of the city. The horizon and beaches look amazing from this view and it is perhaps a lot less work than windsurfing.
If exploring Dubai by water isn’t your interest, then you can experience some of Dubai’s extravagance for yourself by taking a helicopter tour to explore the city and the picturesque Hajar Mountains from the air.
If the weather is not the best during your visit, a fun activity in these conditions is to try your hand at go-karting. Dubai is home to the first indoor karting center in the Middle East; spread over forty thousand square feet, which luckily has air conditioning. However, there are plenty of other downtown activities to try, in case getting behind the wheel isn’t your cup of tea.
Since there is no shortage of adventure in a Dubai city break, it is an area where you can leave with new experiences and, of course, wonderful memories.
