Plan Your Trip 12 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Dubai & Abu Dhabi “All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!” TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET Andrea Schulte-Peevers, Kevin Raub Contents PlanPlan Your Your Trip Trip page 1 4 Welcome to Dubai Top Itineraries ...............16 Eating ........................... 27 & Abu Dhabi .................... 4 If You Like... ................... 18 Drinking & Nightlife... 31 Dubai & Abu Dhabi’s Month by Month ...........20 Entertainment ............35 Top 10 .............................. 6 With Kids ....................... 23 Shopping ...................... 37 What’s New ....................13 For Free ......................... 25 Sports & Activities ....42 Need to Know ................14 Explore Dubai & Abu Dhabi 46 Neighbourhoods Downtown Dubai & Abu Dhabi ................... 126 at a Glance .................. 48 Business Bay ................ 79 Day Trips from Dubai Deira ..............................50 Jumeirah .......................95 & Abu Dhabi ...............171 Dubai Marina & Bur Dubai ......................64 Sleeping .....................180 Palm Jumeirah ............ 111 Understand Dubai & Abu Dhabi 193 Dubai & Abu Dhabi Politics & Economy .... 201 Environment .............. 209 Today ........................... 194 Identity & Culture .......205 The Arts....................... 213 History ......................... 196 Survival Guide 215 Transport ..................... 216 Language .....................229 Directory A–Z .............. 221 Index ............................ 234 Dubai Maps 241 ANDREW MONGOMERY / LONELY PLANET © PLANET LONELY / MONGOMERY ANDREW / WHITE GETTY IMAGES © AMANDA (left) Spice Souq, Deira ZHUKOV OLEG / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHUTTERSTOCK / OLEG ZHUKOV p53 Local spices are on sale at this working souq. (above) Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi p135 A cultural hub of the city. (right) Gold Souq, Deira p52 A dazzling display of gold. Jumeirah Dubai Marina & p95 Bur Palm Jumeirah Dubai p64 Deira p111 Downtown Dubai & p50 Business Bay p79 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 6 Dubai & Abu Dhabi’s Top 10 7 Burj Khalifa (p81) Sheikh Zayed Slicing through the slipstream of the Grand Mosque (p127) 1 sky’s superhighways, there is no more Abu Dhabi’s snow-white landmark potent a symbol of Dubai’s aspiration to 2 mosque was conceived by Sheikh position itself as a major global player Zayed, the country’s ‘founding father’. It than its phalanx of futuristic skyscrapers. has truly impressive dimensions with 80 Above them all looms the Burj Khalifa, marble domes held aloft by 1000 pillars shaped like a deep-space rocket and at and space for 50,000 worshippers. Open 828m the world’s tallest building. Clad in to non-Muslims, the main prayer hall is a 28,000 glass panels, it also lays claim to visual extravaganza drenched in gold leaf several more superlatives, including the and boasting massive crystal chandeliers, highest outdoor observation deck, the the world’s largest handwoven carpet and most floors, the highest occupied floor pillars adorned with intricate semiprecious and a lift (elevator) with the longest travel stones and floral marble inlays. distance. 1Abu Dhabi 1Downtown Dubai & Business Bay UMAR SHARIFF / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHUTTERSTOCK / UMAR SHARIFF SANCHAI KUMAR / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHUTTERSTOCK / KUMAR SANCHAI TOM DULAT / STRINGER / GETTY IMAGES © ESCHCOLLECTION / GETTY IMAGES © DUBAI & ABU DHABI’S TOP 10 PLAN YOUR TRIP 8 9 IAIN MASTERTON / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / MASTERTON IAIN PLAN YOUR TRIP DUBAI & ABU DHABI’S TOP 10 TOP DHABI’S ABU & DUBAI Louvre Abu Dhabi Shopping (p37) Exotic Souqs (p52) (p156) Shopping malls repre- For a dose of Arabian The much anticipated, 4 sent an integral part 5 Nights flair, head to 3 Jean Nouvel–designed of the culture and lifestyle Dubai’s historic core and Louvre Abu Dhabi finally in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. plunge headlong into its opened to great fanfare in Not merely places for max- charmingly chaotic war- late 2017. Sunlight filters ing out your credit cards ren of souqs. There are through its huge perforated on fashion, electronics or sections for spices and dome onto a cluster of 23 gourmet foods, malls are perfume, but the head- galleries sheltering 600 also where locals go to liner is the dazzling Gold priceless works that illus- socialise in cafes and res- Souq. Even if you don’t trate our shared humanity taurants, to catch a movie have a thing for bling, a across time, ethnicity and in a state-of-the-art mul- walk through here will feel geography. Highlights tiplex or to get adrenaline like you’ve entered a giant include a Da Vinci painting, kicks in an indoor theme Aladdin’s Cave. It’s fun a Chinese Buddha and a park or game arcade. The to just watch the action, bronze statue from Benin. best and biggest of the especially in the evening. The dome pays homage to bunch is Dubai Mall, which If you’re buying, sharpen desert-palm shading – its features not only 1200 your haggling skills no geometric openings rep- shops but also a giant matter whether shop- resent the interlaced palm aquarium, an indoor ice ping for teensy earrings, leaves used in traditional rink and a genuine dinosaur an engagement ring or a roofing – and creates a cin- skeleton. DUBAI MALL (P82) dowry-worthy necklace. ematic ‘rain of light’ as the 7Shopping SPICE SOUK (P53) sun’s rays pass throughout 7Deira the day. 1Abu Dhabi 10 Al Fahidi Burj Al Arab (p97) Historic District (p67) This landmark luxe hotel, with its dra- Wandering around this restored 7 matic design that mimics the billowing 6 heritage area in Bur Dubai provides a sail of a ship, floats on its own artifical tangible sense of historic Middle Eastern island and has become the iconic symbol PLAN YOUR TRIP architecture and culture. Low-lying tradi- of Dubai’s boom years. The interior is all tional courtyard buildings flank this quiet about impact, drama and unapologetic labyrinth of lanes, many of them featuring bling, with dancing fountains, gold fittings, arabesque windows, decorative gypsum shiny marble and whirlpool baths your screens and wind towers. Some contain butler can fill with champagne if you so craft shops, small heritage museums, art wish. If a stay exceeds your budget, you galleries, artsy guesthouses or cafes serv- can still partake in the opulence by making ing local fare, including Arabic breakfasts reservations for cocktails, afternoon tea or DUBAI & ABU DHABI’S TOP 10 TOP DHABI’S ABU & DUBAI and camel milk smoothies. The Sheikh dinner in the underwater restaurant. Mohammed Centre for Cultural Under- 1Jumeirah standing leads guided tours of the quarter. 1Bur Dubai IRYNA RASKO / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHUTTERSTOCK / RASKO IRYNA 11 S-F / SHUTTERSTOCK © SHUTTERSTOCK / S-F PLAN YOUR TRIP DUBAI & ABU DHABI’S TOP 10 TOP DHABI’S ABU & DUBAI WALTER BIBIKOW / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / BIBIKOW WALTER Dubai Museum (p66) Housed in Bur Dubai’s 8 Al Fahidi Fort, the city’s oldest surviving structure, this museum provides a well- laid-out introduction to the history of Dubai. Marvel at the turbo-evolution of this city from simple desert settle- ment to futuristic metropolis in just a third of a century. Dioramas recreate traditional scenes in a souq, at home and in the mosque, while other galleries focus on life at sea and in the desert. An archaeo- logical exhibition illustrates the ancient history of the region with a display of items unearthed during excavations at local digs. 1Bur Dubai 12 IMG Worlds of Adventure (p91) © ADVENTURE OF WORLDS IMG OF COURTESY IMAGE In 2016, Dubai added four theme parks 9 to its stable of attractions, including IMG Worlds of Adventure, the world’s larg- est indoor theme park. Daredevils can join PLAN YOUR TRIP the Avengers in battling the evil Ultron, get pummelled by Thor in a lunch-losing top- spin ride, pose for selfies with a walking dinosaur and feel like a cannonball when going from zero to 100 in 2.5 seconds on the Velociraptor coaster. Little kids, mean- while, will be enchanted by Ben 10, Gumball and the Power puff Girls in the Cartoon DUBAI & ABU DHABI’S TOP 10 TOP DHABI’S ABU & DUBAI Network wing. 2Downtown Dubai & Business Bay LUC DE ZEEUW / 500PX © LUC DEZEEUW / 500PX Emirates Palace (p135) One of the most expensive hotels ever built, Emirates Palace allegedly came at a 10 price tag of a cool US$3.5 billion. Surrounded by carefully manicured fountain- laden gardens, it has its own marina, helipad and 1.3km-long sandy beach. The interior is an opulent feast decked out in marble, gold and mother of pearl, hundreds of palm trees and 1000 Swarovski crystal chandeliers. The exterior looks especially magical when illuminated at night. 1Abu Dhabi ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 233 Behind the Scenes SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travellers – your comments keep us on our toes and help make our books better. Our well-travelled team reads every word on what you loved or loathed about this book. 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WRITER THANKS Kevin Raub Andrea Schulte-Peevers Thanks to my wife, Adriana Schmidt Raub, who Heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful people who so joined for a few days and fell unexpectedly in love graciously and generously supplied me with insider with Abu Dhabi! Lauren Keith, Andrea Schulte- tips, background info and insights to make my Peevers and all at LP.