Returning to Dubai and Abu Dhabi After 10 Years

📍 Dubai · 👁 2762 reads · ❤️ 3 likes

Thanks to the visa-free policy, I came to the UAE again after 10 years. The UAE's rapidly advancing tourism projects in recent years, direct flights from Middle Eastern luxury airlines, thrilling high-speed driving experiences, unique exotic charm, and perfect shopping experiences all attracted me to visit again. This time, I brought my parents along, hoping to give them a travel experience beyond the usual Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand tours.

I flew Emirates, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 12:05 PM. After landing, I went to the Dubai Metro station to buy a silver NOL card. This card was essential for the next few days in Dubai, as metro and buses only accept card payments. The silver card is perfect for tourists staying more than 3 days. After purchasing the card, I called an Uber to the hotel. The Uber pickup area is right at the exit of Terminal 3's arrival hall. After checking in and resting, I took the metro to Dubai Mall to stroll around, focusing on the light show and musical fountain that start at 6:00 PM and end at 10:00 PM. The fountain show occurs every half hour. Dubai Mall's musical fountain is currently the largest in the world, with water jets reaching up to 150 meters—equivalent to a 50-story building. It's quite spectacular.

The free Dubai Mall musical fountain is definitely worth seeing; each water jet dances gracefully to the rhythm of the music.

In the morning, I took a taxi to the Dubai Frame, also known as the Gold Frame, to experience one of the new attractions in this wealthy country. The frame is 150 meters high, with a 360-degree glass observation bridge at the top, offering views of Dubai's skyscrapers and the old city along Dubai Creek.

At noon, I took an Uber to the Burj Al Arab for a visit. Ten years ago, the Jumeirah Beach near the Burj Al Arab was open to the public for free, but now it's paid. We booked a dining and tour ticket to spend the midday at the Burj Al Arab.

After returning to the hotel for a rest, around 4 PM, I took the metro to Dubai Creek. Taking a wooden abra across Dubai Creek for 1 AED per trip, just like 10 years ago, is an experience worth having. Watching the sunset and seagulls from the boat is truly relaxing.

The Burj Khalifa, as a symbol of Dubai and the UAE, and one of Dubai's many world records, attracts visitors from all over the world. It cost $1.5 billion to build and has remained the world's tallest building for over a decade. The Burj Khalifa area is surrounded by high-end offices, apartments, and the world's largest mall—Dubai Mall, making it the center of Dubai with direct metro access. To find the best angles and times to photograph the tower, you need to consult many guides. In the morning, I focused on taking scenic and portrait shots at locations recommended by photography enthusiasts and Xiaohongshu.

After a noon break at the hotel, I took a taxi to visit Palm Jumeirah. This artificial island, costing $20 billion, is considered the eighth wonder of the world. Initially, there were many rumors of it becoming a failed project, but now the entire Palm has been successfully developed into a high-end tourism, apartment, and resort destination, attracting tens of millions of visitors annually. In the first year after the pandemic restrictions were lifted, hotel occupancy on Palm Jumeirah was extremely high. Ten years ago, the Atlantis Hotel was fully booked in October.

This morning, I relaxed at the hotel, enjoyed the pool, and briefly visited the nearby Museum of the Future, which has a futuristic, sci-fi design. In the afternoon, I went to Global Village, a new Dubai attraction built in recent years. Although some say they regret visiting, it's still worth going. Global Village combines architecture and handicrafts from countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Due to Dubai's hot weather, it's open only half the year, from October to April. It opens at 4 PM. The buildings are distinctive, especially the Iranian pavilion, which features exquisite handicrafts worth buying. At night, the illuminated castle entrance of Global Village is stunning. For an entrance fee of less than 60 RMB, it's worth a visit.

Today officially begins our self-driving tour in the UAE. In the previous days in Dubai, we relied on public transport and taxis, which wasted a lot of time and energy. The UAE is a very suitable country for self-driving. After a few days of driving, I can say without exaggeration that the road quality in the UAE is the best. Highways in China are usually limited to 120 km/h, 140 km/h, or 160 km/h, while the UAE's speed limits are also high, and fuel prices are very cheap—our fuel cost for a few days was just over 200 RMB. The driving rules in the UAE are similar to those in the US and UK, especially close to Ireland and Spain, with many roundabouts and right-of-way rules. If you are in a roundabout or on a main road, you have absolute right-of-way, and other vehicles entering must yield. Additionally, at some intersections, there are STOP signs where you must stop for three seconds regardless of traffic, ensuring safety before proceeding.

Around 11 AM, I drove from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi, with the first stop being the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. As the sixth largest mosque in the world, it also holds many world records, attracting global visitors. Entering the mosque requires simple registration at a machine for a free ticket. The entire complex is clad in white marble from Greece, giving it a solemn and majestic feel. The mosque is a treasure of architectural art and a luxurious cultural sanctuary, featuring the world's largest carpet, Swarovski crystal chandeliers with gold and gemstones, and decorations made from 46 tons of gold.

In the morning, I drove to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the only overseas branch of the Louvre. Initially, the French cultural sector strongly opposed the project, arguing that culture should not bow to capital and that a world-class museum like the Louvre should not cooperate with wealthy Middle Eastern countries. The UAE not only spent a huge amount to build the Louvre Abu Dhabi but also paid France €1 billion for naming rights and exhibition cooperation.

After a noon break at the hotel, I drove to the Qasr Al Watan (Presidential Palace). As the national palace, it serves as the working office for the President, Vice President, and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, as well as a venue for receiving foreign dignitaries. The exterior's round white dome gives the palace a solemn appearance. Although the interior uses only four colors—white, gold, brown, and blue—the pure gold decorations, diamond and crystal inlays, and extreme geometric symmetry create an overwhelming sense of grandeur and luxury.

The 15-minute light show is spectacular and included in the ticket price.

Driving accelerated our sightseeing in Abu Dhabi. I had visited Ferrari World on Yas Island 10 years ago, so I skipped it this time and instead drove to Jebel Hafeet, the second highest mountain in the UAE, in the morning. The motivation for driving up the mountain was that the road is considered one of the most beautiful mountain roads in the world and is included in Lonely Planet's classic self-driving routes. On the way to the city of Al Ain, there was a long stretch of highway with a speed limit of 160 km/h, which thrilled me as I love high-speed driving. I kept the little MG's speedometer struggling to stay above 160 km/h.

Travel Journal Directory:

1. Arrive in Dubai, afternoon at Dubai Mall, evening at Burj Khalifa light show and musical fountain

2. Visit the Dubai Frame, lunch at Burj Al Arab, afternoon at Dubai Creek, explore the souk

3. Morning photo session at Burj Khalifa, afternoon at Palm Jumeirah

4. Morning rest at hotel, afternoon from 4 PM visit Global Village for shopping

5. Self-drive to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

6. Morning visit to Louvre Abu Dhabi, afternoon visit to Qasr Al Watan with light show

7. Visit Al Jahili Fort, climb the second highest mountain in the UAE

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