CULTURE

TOURS ALSO TRY

01 01 02 03

NAIF BY NIGHT CYCLE AROUND DISCOVER Frying Pan THE CREEK THE DESERT Adventures’ eye- Take the tour into Platinum Heritage opening photography your own hands might be pricier than and food tours (or handles) and other safari tours, but around ’s explore old Dubai it’s worth it for a real lesser-known haunts by bike. Hire one insight into Dubai’s have become the from Sheraton Dubai Bedouin history. On shares his knowledge of the past, emirate’s worst-kept Creek Hotel & Towers the overnight safari, taking us through important times in secret. Its Unseen and meander by the you can spot wild the UAE’s history and recounting how Trails: Naif By Night water, exploring the Arabian oryx from locals lived a hundred years ago. He takes you through the streets of your vintage 1950s TRIED took us through the materials Bedouins old district’s hectic and Naif, crossing Land Rover and AND streets, exploring the under a pedestrian watch a falcon display TESTED used for their camps, the techniques women used to fry up sweet luqaimat shops and cafés on tunnel to Bur Dubai, at sunset, before (crunchy donuts covered in date syrup), the way, ending with and discovering the sampling Emirati and how men would live at sea for up to dinner at one of Naif’s Heritage Village. dishes under the stars five months diving for pearls. hidden gems. Sheraton Dubai at camp, and listening A walk to remember In Deira, you’ll meander through March 2, 9, 16 and 29 Creek Hotel & Towers, to a local Bedouin’s the haphazard souks, where stalls sell Al Ras Metro Station Baniyas Street, Dubai, stories over breakfast. From pearl diving to date syrup, discover the history of Dubai everything from saffron to sieves, and Exit 2, Al Ras, Deira, Dhs25 per hour. Various locations, explore Dubai’s first school, and now Dubai, Dhs595, Tel: (04) 2281111. Sun, Tue, Thur and Fri, hen we think of Dubai, Gate Tourism – is hoisting up to sea heritage site, Al Ahmadiya. The four- 5.45pm to 10.45pm. Metro: Union. 3pm to 10am, Dhs895. its history and heritage level with new walking tours around hour tour culminates in an Emirati Metro: Al Ras. sheratondubaicreek. Tel: (04) 3884044. are pretty far down the city’s old quarter Khor Dubai, feast inside an air-conditioned majlis. fryingpanadventures. com platinum-heritage.com the list of traits that affectionately known as . While the tour doesn’t take you off com Wjump to mind – somewhere below Tales From The Past daytime tour the beaten track, it’s a fantastic crash towering skyscrapers, extreme sports and covers all the usual tourist haunts, course in Emirati history for residents, outrageous brunches. But turn the clock starting at the Heritage Village, then and a perfect guided journey for back about 70 years and Dubai was not Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House tourists keen to explore more than much more than a small trading port (where the royal Al Maktoum family the malls. known for its pearl diving and fishing. lived until 1958), then along the creek aa Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, It’s this little-known backstory that enjoying a picturesque trip in an abra , Bur Dubai, Dubai, Mon the Dubai Historical District (DHD) across the water. and Thur 10am to 2pm, Dhs350. Tel: – along with the DHD Rejuvenation As we walk through the old (04) 4421155. Metro: Al Ghubaiba. Executive Committee and Desert neighbourhoods, our Emirati guide dubaidesertgate.ae 02 03

80_What’s On_03.2016 03.2016_What’s On_81