A week in Dubai & Abu Dhabi
A rundown of our week exploring the UAE. And welcome to my first Substack!
Why the UAE?
Justinas and I booked our trip to the UAE kind of spontaneously. We had hoped his green card for America would have been delivered by the Spring, but as the days grew closer and we knew that wasn’t going to be realistic, we decided to book another trip to look forward to.
So why the UAE? Well I had a friend who had moved there a couple of years ago so that was the main motivation. I’m a firm believer in taking advantage of visiting new places where your friends can show you around. Also, Justinas almost went to the UAE for University and he took a year of Arabic in high school so he wanted to flex that muscle again.
Where we stayed
We enjoyed our stay here but it’s more in Business Bay than Downtown Dubai so we had to taxi to the mall/Burj Khalifa. Luckily taxis are quick and cheap.
We picked this hotel because it was right next to The Grand Mosque which looked beautiful at sunset (pic above). If we were to go back to Abu Dhabi, we’d probably stay at a beach property somewhere in Saadiyat.
The cheapest hotel we stayed in but the hotel was nice and clean. The hotel was built around 2017 (I think) but in the style of Old Dubai. You only need to stay in Old Dubai one or two days and it’s close to the airport so it was a good last stop.
However on our walking tour, we learned about XVA Art Hotel which is in the heart of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood and has rotating art galleries. We’d definitely try to stay here next time.
We also came across Al Maha Resort in the desert. It’s part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection so we would definitely need to save up for it but would love to stay here one day.
What we ate
Em Sherif Sea Cafe at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi
We had Iftar here and it was by far the best meal we had. The food would not stop coming! I had my first mint lemonade here and it’s the perfect summer drink.
This was a casual Palestinian restaurant near our hotel that we ended up going to twice as it was quick, cheap but really fresh food! Their spicy falafel and tabbouleh were our favorites.
Traveling food snobs may have their opinions about going to a TimeOut Market but after a day at the beach, it was the ideal place to get a quick bite to eat. Plus you can see the famous fountain show in front of the Burj Khalifa from the market.
Came here for Karak Chai and some light bites while staying in Old Dubai.
What we did
We came here with our friends and it was the perfect day for lounging. The ambiance here is great and the Greek food is definitely better than most pool/beach food you’d get at a resort.
Platinum Heritage Desert Safari
We had originally booked another safari through “Get your Guide,” but our friend recommended Platinum Heritage and I’m glad we made the switch. They have the largest fleet of vintage Land Rovers and the food they served at night was phenomenal.
Needed to get a little history in so we booked a walking tour with Anis through “Get your Guide”. Absolutely loved it!
Kayaking Tour in the Mangroves
Jubail Mangrove Park is new but its a clean and informative facility. I think they are probably still working out some kinks but overall we enjoyed an hour of kayaking and learning about the mangroves. This CNN article sums up the park better than I can.
Louvre + Abrahamic Family House
The Louvre is absolutely gorgeous. It was on the top of my list to visit and it didn’t disappoint. It’s definitely smaller than it’s Parisian sister, but I think that’s a good thing if you have a shorter attention span like me.
Justinas makes fun of me because I love to eat at a museum café. It’s one way I judge a museum and it feels like a treat after absorbing so much information. The food here wasn’t bad but it wasn’t special. However, sitting on their patio by the water was super lovely. They are building quite a bit of museums in this area so you can plan a whole day in this part of Abu Dhabi.
For example, we also went to visit the Abrahamic Family House across the street from the Louvre. The Abrahamic Family House is a mosque, a church, and a synagogue in one area. The architecture is simple yet striking. It’s a beautiful place where people can worship, learn and coexist.
The tour of the Mosque only takes about an hour and you are able to walk around it’s perimeter and inside a few of it’s sections to see beautiful chandeliers. Because it’s a place of worship, it’s free to visit but you have to prebook a time slot.
Overall thoughts?
We’d be back! Obviously the UAE is quite far from California, but if Justinas and I are living in Europe again, I’m sure we’d be back for a long weekend relaxing in the desert or on one of its beaches. I also think if you’re having a layover in Dubai, definitely work extending the layover for a couple of days.