A happening city in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is a perfect haven to spend the holidays. The best time to visit is from October- April for you wouldn’t want to get scorched during the summer.

Dubai is a manmade wonder. A desert country that is full of life and verve, Dubai is a potpourri of human races, too. It’s where the orient meets the occident and celebrates mankind.uae

We were not on a holiday nor on a vacation in Dubai. We had to stay in the city for good 15 days, get a PCR done on the 15th day, and travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a negative PCR result. Dubai was our quarantine stop-over to enter Saudi. In short, Dubai was a perfect getaway from the rigmarole of corona life.

We rented a studio apartment at Barsha Heights and a car to commute. It was a beautiful space with a view of the city that boasts of tall buildings and posh cars that runs on the crisscross roads.

Unlike our past travel, our time in Dubai was so relaxed. With time being in excess we didn’t have to worry about back-to-back travels. It was cool to just make the itinerary on the day of travel.

With a negative PCR result (done at the time of arrival in the airport) we headed out to experience the suave, chic, and incredibly stylish Dubai. The days that followed were some of the best holidays ever. Dubai indeed swiped me off my feet!

 Miracle Garden

You better not miss Miracle Graden when in Dubai for it’s such a mesmerizing garden full of flowers. A man-made wonder, this garden hosts millions of flowering plants that are a pure joy to the heart and mind. The flowers are planted and maintained in a myriad of shapes that makes you awe their craftmanship. This wonderland is spread across an envious 18acres of floral marvel. A must-visit place if you are a plant person or if you have kids. Every flower ensemble is a miracle indeed.

Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall

The tallest building in the world Burj Khalifa needs no special mention. At the top Burj Khalifa is more than a hashtag experience. Right from the seamless elevator ride to the 126th floor to the riveting bird-eye view of Dubai, Burj Khalifa is an exhilarating experience. It is worth every penny spent to see the world’s tallest skyscraper. The entrance to Burj Khalifa is from Dubai Mall.

At the top Bur Khalifa

If Burj Khalifa is the tallest building, Dubai Mall is the biggest shopping mall in the world. You literally can get lost in the mall, I kid you not! The mall boasts a bevy of French luxury shops, cafes of sorts, and a subtle souk. Other attractions include an underwater zoo and aquarium, Dino Land, Reel Cinemas, Dubai Fountain, Hysteria, and a rainforest café. The fountain amidst the light works emanating out of Burj Khalifa is an Instagram-worthy story that cannot be missed.

An installation at Dubai Mall

Ras Al Khaima

Ras-Al-Khaima is another city of the emirates that boasts of mighty mountains and adrenalin-gushing activities. We visited the Jebel Jais mountains and hoped to zipline with the world’s longest Zipline. Toro Verde Adventure Zipline is a popular destination for all adventure junkies. Unfortunately, we were late and missed the flight (Check their timings and book your slots before ziplining). However, the mountains were so ravishing that they made us forget the loss. The road trip to the mountains was astounding. It was a sight to see the city slowly diminishing into the quaintness of the majestic mountains.

Jebel Jais Mountains – RAK

Dubai Creek, Palm Jumeirah

Palm Jumeirah, the iconic palm-shaped island in Dubai is an upscale man-made island with posh apartments, luxurious resorts, opulent global restaurants, and everything glitzy. Burj Al Arab, The Atlantis, Wild Wadi Park are some of the few popular places here. An ideal island that offers you an array of luxury activities, Palm Jumeirah is an engineering marvel! The entry to the island is free and that sufficed for me to click some pics for my social media lust!

The Atlantis

Dubai creek is a charming water body surrounded by souks and restaurants. A bustling place, the creek offers exquisite boat rides. We took the popular ‘Abra’ ride for a good 30minutes and enjoyed the night view to our heart’s content. We finished the night with a sumptuous dinner at Ustad Kebab. The restaurant’s interior is one of a kind. The walls are festooned with photographs of celebrities and royals who have dined here. As much as I loved their subtle restaurant, I loved their food too.

Grills from Ustad Kebab

Dubai Marina, Yachting

A seven-kilometer stretch of the walkway by a canal that enters the sea, Dubai Marina is a beautiful place to while away an evening or night. We went at night and boy it was surreal! Marina at night is like a diva – exuding style that is unparalleled and life that is suave.

View of the Dubai Eye from the Yacht

The marina is decked with cafes and diners of sorts. You can either sip your latte and take a walk along the waterway or dine in some peppy eateries. You can also do yachting for there is a yacht club and takes about 200 AED for a 30-minute ride.

It was calming and gratifying to go yachting at night. This way, we enjoyed the bustle of the city and awed at the skyscrapers that glisten at night.

Al Qudra, Love Park

Somewhere in the outskirts of Dubai, we chanced upon this beauty. A man-made lake in the shape of two intertwined hearts was apparently gifted to the people of Dubai by the crown prince.

Love Park Entrance

The drive to love park is quite scenic – off-roading amidst dunes and sand, sighting flamingos and some artificial lakes. Love park is a serene lake with some greens amidst the barren sands of the desert. It is also an ideal picnic/barbecue spot during winters. The place is well-maintained and has plenty of selfie spots for your social media craze.

Al Qudra

We took a walk by the lake and drove around the surroundings to enjoy the beauty of Al Qudra. Inside Al Qudra, there is a flamingo park and a watchtower for bird watching. Entry is free to these places as well.

A Walk to Remember

Madinat Jumeirah

Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah is a traditional Arab souk where culture exquisitely blends with style. Designed like a bazaar, the souk brims with upscale restaurants (that provide sheesha), cafes, pubs, and souvenir shops. We visited the souk for its infamous Belgium Beer café. They serve some amazingly unique beers(cherry beer is their specialty) and food is just top-notch.

Belgium Beer Cafe

We missed Abu Dhabi due to Corona restrictions and Sharjah was limited to visiting cousins. Dubai apart from sightseeing ensured the rekindling of relationships, too. Dubai was just magical and re-defined quarantine for us. No wonder I was reluctant for my quarantine to get over this soon. Until we meet again, Dubai, I love you!