World Travel Guide

Thailand’s capital city is a fantastic place to visit. It is the travel hub for the whole Southeast Asian region. Most people come back and forth if they visit the different regions of Thailand, for example Chiang mai, Koh Samui or Phuket or Trang. Its bad reputation for long traffic jams and pollution is no longer justified. At the end of 2000, the new BTS Sky Train went into service and new roads have been built. To get around there is also now the MRT metro (underground railway), which serves a number of locations in the centre of the city. Tuk Tuk is an other way of transportation (taxi), it is an open air ride, however the polution is very high and the weather is very hot and humid it is not recommented to ride with it. It will be a noisy ride also  inhale all  gas from cars in front of you.. In comparison to other mega-cities, Bangkok is also a very safe city and has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

In the ‘City of Angels’, you’ll soon find out that walking, instead of taking a taxi or bus, is often the quickest option.

Another good option is the water-taxi (catch it at the end of the Silom sky train line at Saphan Taksin).  Besides the fact that it is an experience in itself -defy the polluted canals with the wind in your hair and see the back part of life in Bangkok, many of the city’s attractions are near to the various stops along the river. Make a stop at the Temple of Dawn and tour the klongs in order to find the floating market (sorry to disappoint you, but it has been transferred to solid ground) or just get off nearby Kao San Road. There are three monkeys and a gorilla in the haystack.

Despite the fact that most of them are located in the center of the thriving modern metropolis, Bangkok’s sights, temples belong to the finest ones in Asia. The most spectacular are located on the same compound: the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Keo, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The rooflines and spires are extravagant, ornamented richly and will probably leave you dazzled at the spot…and this is only one compound away from Bangkok’s Chinatown.

Other sights in Bangkok include the National Museum (a great introduction to the county’s history and artifacts), the Red Cross Snake Farm (to watch venomous snakes being milked) and the Weekend Market near Chatuchak Park (there’s a little bit of everything, including giant dead roaches neatly arranged for sale in the food section). Also worth a visit is the Suan Lum Night Market at the corner of Wireless Road and Rama IV Road.  It is right next to Lumpini MRT station.  The Jim Thompson’s House brings alive the era of a U.S. citizen who was almost solely responsible for reintroducing Thailand’s silk-weaving industry. His home is a tribute to Thai art and architecture.

Bangkok offers also an amazing nightlife with bars, discos, live music and even Latin Salsa is becoming popular. A lot is said about and done in Patpong, Bangkok’s red-light district. It’s not particularly different from red-light districts elsewhere. At night-time, Patpong’s brightly and colorfully lit streets are packed with people who parade along the clubs lining the streets —some of which might even shock the most worldly visitors. Maybe there is already enough excitement for you going on Kao San Road and its neighboring area. This is the street to go when you’re looking for cheap accommodation, small restaurants and fellow travelers full of good stories (of which one might give you a treasure-map of one of the unknown deserted islands just off the coast…)

If you want to get a personal advice how to get the best out of your one day Bangkok visit, check out the “A perfect day…” section.

By the way, do you know the real name of Bangkok? It’s Krungthep Mahanakon Bovorn Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokpop Noparatratchatathani Burirom Udomratchanivetmahasatan Amornpiman Avatarnsatit Sakkathattiyaavisnukarmprasit.

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Most people go on holiday with either their family or their friends…the idea is to have lots of fun and relax. But what do you do when your travel companions are busy and you are desperate for a vacation? Well, you go all by yourself, just like I did around North Goa.

Goa is a beach-lovers haven and a great place for simply lolling, eating, drinking and most importantly sleeping.
With three days in hand, I decided to indulge myself in some of the most visited yet unexplored areas of North Goa - Candolim & Calangute, Morjim and the Goa backwaters.
Candolim In Daylight
Candolim becah is tucked between Sinquerim and Baga which are synonymous of crowds. The Candolim beach does not is quieter compared to the neighbors. I found that most of its visitors were like me from nearby resorts and hotels.
Candolim beach like most beaches in Goa, has its fair share of shacks and vendors, offering everything from a massage to a sarong. If you want to enjoy your time alone, this is the place where you can feel the music all by yourself.
Candolim And Around At Night
While Candolim beach may be the best way to spend the day, at night North Goa can spoil you for choice.
Since I was travelling alone, I decided to spend my evening at Bomra’s close to my resort.
Bomra’s is the only restaurant in Goa specializing in Burmese cuisine and if you’re lucky, you may just end the day by being serenaded like I was by the owner Bomra himself. I sort of coerced him into playing a Burmese song on his guitar for me.

DAY TWO IN GOA
After spending a day exploring Candolim and Calangute. I decided to head further up north towards Morjim. An hours picturesque journey took me through scattered Goan villages and small quite towns like Siolim.
I found Siolim ideal to break my journey. It’s situated around 7 kms from Mapusa and life here is concentrated around a Corinthian style Church and a lively corner of shops selling wine and cookies.
Morjim
Morjim is perhaps the one beach that’s easily overlooked by an average tourists, who is looking for hectic fun. But if you’re like me simply looking for quiet time away from the maddening crowd, Morjim will give you a sense of serenity unlike any other. Empty sandy beach stretches, swaying palm trees, wide open sky’s and barely any shacks.
Mogjim At Night
Morjim has no exciting night life except for in the hotel you may be staying in. The owner of my hotel–Aneel Verman not only turned out to be a perfect host but also introduced me to like minded people and made sure I had new friends before I left for home.
Boredom was one feeling that didn’t hit me.
The Backwaters
I love the beach and now that I’d had my fill, I decided to explore Goa’s backwaters so I decided to drive to a village called Britona.
Britona
There is only one resort in this tiny fishing village. A perfect setting of the backwaters of the Mandovi river, an old heritage where houses today beckons travelers to come and experience the true meaning of quiet solitude.
The property has eight private rooms and if you’re traveling alone, the friendly and warm environment ensures company with the scenic beauty surrounding the property.
I found the place to be small and intimate. My favorite spot was the beautiful deck, overlooking the backwaters, it was ideal for enjoying an early morning breakfast and lounging till the wee hours.
The beaches of Goa, the beautiful boutiques hotels and the wonderful people I met during my three day holiday, left me with the unfailing memories.

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Filed under: Goa Travel, Goa, India Travel

Agra is the one of the prominent destinations of the World Tourism map with three heritage monuments-The Taj Mahal, Red Fort & Fatehpur Sikri. It is more just a dacadent city of graveyards and stones, but it is a vibrant centre of Culture, Art and Religious philosphies that have enriched mankind and shaped humen thought over centuries.
Agra is situated in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India.Agra is famous for handicrafts products such as Inley work on Marvel, Leather work, Footwear, Brasswear, Carpets, Jwellery, Zari and Embroidery work. It is also well known for Petha, Dalmoth and Gajak.
Agra is famous as being home to one of the seven wonders of the world-the Taj Mahal. The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is a vivid remainder of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is a vivid reminder of the capital in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
While its significance as a political centre ended with the transfer of the capital to Delhi in 1634 by Shah Jahan, its architectural wealth has secured its place on the international map.
A pleasant town with comparatively slow pace, Agra is known for its superb inlay work on marble and soastone by craftsman who are descendant of those who worked under the Mughals. The city is also famous for its carpets, gold thread embroidery and leather shoes.
Agra was once the capital of the Mughal empire and even today it seems to linger in the past . Not surprising , for the Mughal emperors with their passion for building, endowed the city with some of the finest structures in the world . It is very easy to slip away here through the centuries into the grandeur and intrigues of the Mughal court .

Agra is an old city and it is said that its name was derived from Agrabana, a forest that finds mention in the epic Mahabharata.
In more recent times Agra came into prominence when Sikandar Lodi made it his capital city in 1501 . The Lodi rule was to end very soon and Agra passed into the possession of the Mughals .
It was during the time of the third emperor Akbar that Agra came into its own . He embarked on the construction of the massive Agra Fort in 1565. Though Akbar was diverted into building a new capital at Fatehpur sikri not far away.
Agra continued to retain its importance and Shah Jehan, Akbar’s garndson ornamented the city with that masterpiece of Mughal architecture - the Taj Mahal and built several other beautiful buildings within the Agra fort .

Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world, and some Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon. On a foggy morning, the visitors experience the Taj as if suspended when viewed from across the Jamuna river.

Taj Mahal was built by a Muslim, Emperor Shah Jahan (died 1666 C.E.) in the memory of his dear wife and queen Mumtaz Mahal at Agra, India. It is an “elegy in marble” or some say an expression of a “dream.” Taj Mahal (meaning Crown Palace) is a Mausoleum that houses the grave of queen Mumtaz Mahal at the lower chamber. The grave of Shah Jahan was added to it later. The queen’s real name was Arjumand Banu. In the tradition of the Mughals, important ladies of the royal family were given another name at their marriage or at some other significant event in their lives, and that new name was commonly used by the public. Shah Jahan’s real name was Shahab-ud-din, and he was known as Prince Khurram before ascending to the throne in 1628.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers. It was completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of 32 Million Rupees. The construction documents show that its master architect was Ustad ‘Isa, the renowned Islamic architect of his time. The documents contain names of those employed and the inventory of construction materials and their origin. Expert craftsmen from Delhi, Qannauj, Lahore, and Multan were employed. In addition, many renowned Muslim craftsmen from Baghdad, Shiraz and Bukhara worked on many specialized tasks.

The Taj stands on a raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements.

Its central dome is fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 213 feet. It is flanked by four subsidiary domed chambers. The four graceful, slender minarets are 162.5 feet each. The entire mausoleum (inside as well as outside) is decorated with inlaid design of flowers and calligraphy using precious gems such as agate and jasper. The main archways, chiseled with passages from the Holy Qur’an and the bold scroll work of flowery pattern, give a captivating charm to its beauty. The central domed chamber and four adjoining chambers include many walls and panels of Islamic decoration.

The mausoleum is a part of a vast complex comprising of a main gateway, an elaborate garden, a mosque (to the left), a guest house (to the right), and several other palatial buildings. The Taj is at the farthest end of this complex, with the river Jamuna behind it. The large garden contains four reflecting pools dividing it at the center. Each of these four sections is further subdivided into four sections and then each into yet another four sections. Like the Taj, the garden elements serve like Arabesque, standing on their own and also constituting the whole.

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Filed under: Taj Mahal, Agra Travel Guide, India Travel, World Travel

Australia is a world apart from most holiday destinations, with deep sea diving, the Outback and bustling cities all within reach of each other.

Melbourne
Once rated the world’s most liveable city, Melbourne is often compared to London, minus the chaos. But, as with London, the best places to drink are often in hidden locations.
Central Melbourne is divided by Collins Street, with one end featuring Gucci and Prada stores and the other end Chinatown and a host of grungy bars, such as The Croft Institute (www.thecroftinstitute.com.au).
The venue is three floors high, with a grass-covered bar on the third floor. It also boasts the city’s largest private collection of laboratory equipment. Set out like a chemist’s workstation, shots from bubbling test tubes are £3 while prescription cocktails range from £4 to £12.
Lily Blacks (www.lilyblacks.com.au) near Parliament House on Meyers Place is a new addition. Indoor palm trees and 1930s antiques give it an art deco feel, but it is the cocktails that bring the punters back. The bar’s signature cocktail “The 96 Tram”, costing £5, is named after a mnemonic device.
One bar that doesn’t have a drinks menu is St Jeromes (www.stjeromesguidetosummer.com) in the central business district, on Caledonian Lane.
More a roofed-in alley than a bar, it offers drinks from £1.50 and vegemite on toast as a snack. A heady mix of soca music, hip hop and late 1970s-inspired electro gets this alley jiving so hard, St Jeromes Laneway now has a festival named after it. By Retna Wooller
Sort it out
FLIGHTS: Austravel offers flights from Heathrow to Melbourne from £589 per person with China Eastern. For more information, call Austravel on 0870 166 2020 or visit
HOTEL: The Langham Hotel Melbourne starts from £65 per person per night, http://melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au
DIVE PARADISE BYRON BAY
If you don’t fancy hauling yourself all the way up to tropical Queensland for the Great Barrier Reef, there is another, arguably better, option: Byron Bay on the east coast, 500 miles north of Sydney.
Although the Great Barrier Reef does have a monopoly on the coral front, Byron is a far better choice in terms of marine life. In addition to a huge selection of fish, I was able to see turtles, stingrays and leopard sharks on a single dive.
One of the other advantages of Byron is that all this takes place at the Julian Rocks Marine Reserve, which is only a ten-minute boat ride away from the beach.
One of the main industry-accredited diving and snorkelling schools is
Sundive, which charges £21 for a snorkelling tour including equipment hire. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can pay £160 for a four-day diving course. I was pleasantly surprised by how empty even the popular sites are, as you’re free of the Great Barrier Reef “teabagging”, where one-off divers are taken in and out of the water like teabags.
It’s relaxed, unpretentious, and – just in case you needed another reason to pick Byron for diving – you can swim all year round without needing a stinger suit.
Sort it out
FLIGHTS: Etihad Airways flies to Sydney from £795.
Byron is a 12.5 hours by train from Sydney and costs £40.
Or pick up a domestic flight with Jetstar for around £40, not incl taxes. www.jetstar.com
HOTEL: Planula is set in tropical bushland near Byron Bay. Doubles start from £50 per room per night. Lot 1, Melaleuca Drivewww.planula.com.au
DIVING: Sundive, Shop 8, Middleton Street. www.sundive.com.au
Luxury Outback, Wrotham Park
The Outback doesn’t exactly inspire thoughts of luxury – it’s all about dust and tumbleweeds, right? Not quite. Especially if you stay at Voyages Wrotham Park, a five-star luxury ranch and a 600-hectare working cattle station. After a 45-minute flight from Cairns, the first thing you’ll see is the horse paddock, followed by a cluster of wooden cabin-like buildings, the largest of which is the homestead. This looks out over the escarpment and towards the Mitchell River.
No more than 20 guests are hosted at a time, and you’ll stay in one of the ten cabins called “quarters”. Calming lemon and myrtle oil burns in the evenings, and a ceiling-to-floor window beside the shower looks out over the wilderness.
Meals are delicious gourmet affairs using fresh local ingredients like barramundi (a fish) and crocodile. But be warned – when you make the trip from the restaurant to your cabin at night, prepare to see all manner of critters. The advice in the guests’ information book is no comfort. It warns: “If you see any crocodile tracks or eggs when fishing along the river, please walk away and find another spot.”
As for keeping yourself busy, you can either borrow a bicycle or go for a walk. When doing either, you will have to sign out at reception and give staff an estimated time of return. Alternatively, take a station tour, as I did with Cameron Harms, the resort’s assistant manager.
After cooing at the resort’s resident Brahman cattle, we stopped for refreshments. I was extremely surprised when Cameron produced tea with beautifully cut sandwiches, scones and homemade cream and jam from the back of his 4×4.
Other activities include fishing, picnics, mountain biking, cooking demonstrations and quad biking. If that seems too strenuous, get a chilled glass of Australian riesling and watch the dragonflies buzz lazily by.
Sort it out
FLIGHT: Fly from Heathrow to Cairns with Cathay Pacific and transfer flights from £875
RESORT: Two nights at Wrotham Park from £265 per person, including all meals and lodge activities such as mountain biking and picnics
PACKAGE: A 7-night Queensland Outback/Island package starts from £2,099, including return flights, two nights at Wrotham Park, three nights on Dunk Island and two nights on Bedarra Island, all inclusive.
Australia for £240
If you don’t have much money, a new travel pass from the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) in Australia can save you a bundle. For £240, you can get a ten-day pass that includes free bus transfers around the country and lets you stay in any one of Australia’s 130 YHA hostels, including Cape Tribulation in Queensland. YHA hostels have moved on in terms of quality, with many found in superb locations such as Bondi Beach and near the Great Barrier Reef.
Tiwi Island Tours
For an insight into Aboriginal life and the distinctive art the community produces, take a two-day tour to Tiwi Island, 80 miles north of Darwin. The pick-up is from Darwin airport and you’ll take a 20-minute flight to Bathurst Island. You will then visit the museums and art galleries, share billy tea with the Tiwi ladies, and watch a smoking ceremony being performed. You can then take a dip in the local watering hole, search for local turtle nests and learn how to traditionally hunt and gather food. Hats off to you if you try the local delicacy – mangrove worm. Two days cost £235.
Bike around Darwin
If ever there was a city that made the successful shift from frontier town to vibrant city, it is Darwin. There’s no better way to explore than by bike, and you can now do this with the newly-launched Darwin Bicycle Tours. You’ll cycle past historical Aboriginal sites in The Larrakia, Mindil Beach and the East Point Reserve, and meander past black cockatoos and wallabies. The three-hour bicycle tours start at 9am and 3pm. Prices are £20 for adults and £11 for children.

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Having expanded along both banks of the Creek, Dubai is divided into two parts - Deira on the northern side and Bur Dubai to the south. Each has its share of fine mosques and busy souks, of public buildings, shopping malls, hotels, office towers, banks, hospitals, schools, apartments and villas. Dubai is blessed with golden sunshine and silvery beaches, world-class golf facilities and an upcoming Sports City.

From the timeless tranquillity of the desert to the lively bustle of the souk, Dubai offers a kaleidoscope of attractions for visitors

It is difficult to believe today, when Dubai has emerged as a global economic player and a major tourist destination, that less than a century ago Dubai was little more than a desert-strewn wildscape where Bedouin tribes roamed the sands and a huddle of settlers crowded around the banks of the lifeblood creek. Even as Europe embarked on the mass industrial destruction of WWI, Dubai still had no running water, no real roads and the main mode of transport was the camel.
Dubai first grew as a hub on the ancient trading route between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley and, by the 19th century, a small fishing village had taken root on the Shindagha peninsula, at the mouth of Dubai Creek. The village was inhabited by the Bani Yas tribe, who were led by the Maktoum family, the dynasty that still presides over Dubai today.
The city’s remarkable success story really began in the 1960s. During the process of shaking off the shackles of British colonial rule, oil was struck in 1966 and Dubai has never looked back. Since the 1960s, the population has mushroomed to almost 1.5 million and now an ever-growing number of hotels welcome in the temporary expat workers and tourists who help propel the economy. Indeed, only 22% of the Emirate’s population, at last count, were actually ethnically Emirati in a population mixture that has to be one of the world’s most cosmopolitan. This diversity discourages any real ethnic tensions and while conflict might rage further north in Iraq, Dubai so far has been trouble-free.
Dubai’s evolution has been dramatic, with sweeping skyscrapers and gleaming office blocks rising up on the banks of the Creek. Development has been well managed, with a structure and order to the city that demonstrates that the oil wealth has been well handled and channelled. The rulers of Dubai have a penchant for grand projects – one year a new extension to the port facilities, the next the world’s tallest purpose-built hotel and now the Palm Islands, a massive project that will bring over 100km (62 miles) of new beachfront, through the creation of the world’s three largest manmade islands, as well as hotels, villas, shopping malls, cinemas and Dubai’s first marine park.
Land-hungry Dubai is increasingly looking to the waters of the Arabian Gulf in search of new land on which to develop, as recently evidenced by yet another outlandish project, ‘The World’, which aims to build 300 islands in the shape of the world’s countries. Dubai seems to know no end to its ambition, nor does it have any inhibitions, with new plans, such as those for the Middle East’s largest shopping mall, the new airport at Jebel Ali and the world’s tallest tower in Burj Dubai, constantly on the drawing board. Even the lifeblood Creek itself is not sacrosanct and plans have recently been announced to alter its course and widen it.
The regional instability that has followed the Iraq war and the rise of Al-Qaeda has, however, put a strain on the emirate and still threatens to hit tourism, one of its most successful industries. Tourism currently remains remarkably resilient with more and more tourists flocking to Dubai every year, which is unsurprising really, considering the idyllic climate for much of the year, with constant sunshine and only an average of five days of rainfall annually. During summer, however, the heat is extreme, making trips away from air-conditioned vehicles and buildings unbearable.
The future prospects of the emirate’s tourist industry and its economic situation as a whole may be increasingly governed by developments in the rest of the Middle East, but for now Dubai is a city on the rise and rise.

Aerogulf Services

Aerogulf Services is located at Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates and in as November 2003 Aerogulf moved into our new purpose built helicopter operations and maintenance facility located on Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Contact: Aerogulf Services - Tel: 2200331

Al Boom Tourist Village

Adjacent to Creekside Park, the village consists of a 2,000 seat banquet hall, a coffee shop, restaurant, amusement park, ornamental lake and a marina with five cruise boats. Its traditional architecture forms a stately city landmark. Located next to Wonderland Family Fun Park. It is open 7 days. Timings: 9am-1am. Entertainment includes evening boat cruises with dinner served.

Contact: Al Boom Tourist Village - Tel: 3243000

Archaeological Sites

There are three main archaeological sites in Dubai. They are located in Al Ghusals, Al Sufooh and Jumeirah. Al Ghusals and Al Sufooh have over 2000 years old graveyards. You can visit the excavation sites at Al Ghusais, Al Sufooh and Jumeirah where you will find artifacts from the 7th to 15th century.

Contact: Off Road Adventures - Tel: 04 3432288

Bait Al Wakeel

Built in 1934 by the late Sheikh Rashid, Bait Al Wakeel was Dubai’s first office building. At the edge of the Creek near the abra landing, the building has been completely restored and now houses a museum devoted to Dubai’s fishing and maritime traditions.

Bastakiya

The old Bastakiya district with its narrow lanes and tall wind-towers gives a tantalizing glimpse of old Dubai. Immediately to the east of Al Fahidi Fort is the largest concentration of traditional courtyard houses with windtowers.

In the past, the city was famous for a mass of windtowers which lined the Creek on either side. These were not merely decorative; they were the only means of cooling houses in the days before electricity.

Bedouin Village

For those who are adventurous by nature, trip to Bedouin Village would be quite exciting! Experience the traditional way of living in a desert! Enjoy the camel riding lessons from the inhabitants of Bedouin Village. Looking for more excitement? Then plan for accommodation at Al Maha! It is one of the most popular and unique luxury resorts and is spread over 3,300 acres of sun kissed dunes. Staying here would enable you to experience the thrill of desert safari.

Burj Nahar

Year 1870 marked the foundation of Burj Nahar. Three watchtowers are guarding this beautiful city. Burj Nahar is one of the three-watch towers, positioned in Deira. Picturesque gardens and exotic locales provide the perfect backdrop for photographers and tourists. People from all over the world come to visit this magnificent and beautiful tower.

Deira Covered Souk (District)

The Deira Covered Souq has more of an Indian feel than an Arabic one, with folks hawking textiles, spices, kitchen wares, clothes and henna. It�s a perfect place for a housewife to feel home! The aromas, the sights and the flavours of this place is quite intoxicating!!!

Dubai Creek

The Dubai Creek is considered to be one of the most significant and safe harbor for all the ships. It has a very beautiful, calm and serene atmosphere. Abras are serving as water-taxis for crossing from Deira side to Bur Side.

Dubai Museum

Year 1799 marked the building of Al Fahidi Fort. It was built against foreign invasion. This splendid fort is now Dubai Museum. Thus, allowing the visitors to peep into the rich culture and heritage of Dubai. Entrance of Dubai Museum is marked with a great collection of old maps exhibiting urban expansion of Dubai in the year 1960 to 1980.

Dubai Museum offers a unique trip to desert life, traditional Arabian homes, mosques, fishing, pearl diving and trade. Major highlights of Dubai Museum are artefacts from excavated graves, musical instruments. Deadly weapons also form the major part of Dubai Museum, such as swords, spears, bows, arrows, shields, pistols and axes.

So, what are you waiting for? Get ready for an exciting trip to Dubai Museum and make your Dubai tour a remarkable experience!

Dubai World Trade Centre

The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) was established to stimulate trade and commerce in the United Arab Emirates in 1979. Over the past two decades, the DWTC has become a symbol of economic growth and prosperity in the Middle East. It undertakes three core activities: organizing exhibitions, providing hospitality services and property leasing.

From humble beginning in 1979 to being a state-of-the-art complex today, the DWTC has recorded remarkable growth in all areas of its core activities. The Complex includes a 39-storey office tower, 492 serviced residential apartments with a sports club, seven international standard interconnected and purpose built exhibition halls, a 200-seat theatre, a congress center and a private member’s business club.

Contact: Tel: 04 3321000

Gold Souk

Dubai boasts one of the largest retail gold markets in the world, selling everything from ingots to intricately worked jewellery at bargain prices. The street-front stores hide alleys of smaller shops with glittering show windows.

Grand Mosque

Situated on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek near the Ruler’s Court, Grand Mosque was re-built in 1998 and now has, at 70 metres, the city’s tallest minaret. It has 45 small domes in addition to nine large ones boasting stained glass panels, making it a distinguished landmark and important place of worship.

Address: Al Mussalla Road (near Ruler’s Court)

Hatta

In the foothills of the majestic Hajjar mountains, Hatta is a comfortable resort, ideal for a weekend getaway. The historic Hatta fort overlooks the town. The area is a much frequented picnic spot, and is about one hour drive from Dubai.

Contact: Alpha Tours Tel: 04 2949888

Hatta Mountains

From Jurassic Park to Hatta in one swoop. Larger than life: The 30 metre long Dinosaur dwarfed by the Hatta Mountains. Stairs under its tail will lead to a room built in its stomach where replics of the stone Age will be kept.

A white prancing horse adorns a hill on top at the farm. Visitors to the farm are greeted by a cannon. The driveway, internal roads and walkways are made of stone with pictures created from different coloured stones.

Heritage and Diving Village

A traditional heritage village, located in the Shindagah area has been created where potters and weavers display their crafts. The Diving village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire area into a cultural microcosm, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by. Located near the mouth of the creek, this area is also popular in the evenings as a venue for its open-air cafeterias and live entertainment. Several shops also sell handicrafts. No entrance fees.

Contact: Tel: 04 3937151

Jumeirah Mosque

Located on Al Jumeira Road this mosque, one of the most beautiful of all, and a fine example of modern Islamic architecture. The beauty of the mosque, the city’s largest, is seen at its very best particularly when floodlit after sundown, when the subtle lighting throws its artistry into relief. The mosque is one of the most visited and photographed sights. Tours are at 10am every Sunday and Thursday mornings. For tour information, contact the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, which is open 8am - 3pm, Sat-Wed.

Contact: Tel: 04 3447755

Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House (Museum)
Port Rashid, Dubai

Shaikh Saeed was the grandfather of the present ruler and his house has been restored as a museum. Dating from the late 1800s, Sheikh Saeed’s House was built in a commanding position near the sea so the Ruler could observe shipping activity from its balconies. With its windtowers and layers of rooms built around a central courtyard, it is a fine example of regional architecture. An ambitious restoration project has returned the house to its former glory and makes it a showcase for the history and development of Dubai.

Sheikh Saeed’s house can be visited as part of the Big Bus Company’s tour of Dubai. The ticket price of Dhs 75 includes the entrance to Sheikh Saeed’s House and Dubai museum as well.

Contact: Tel: 04 3937139

Shindagha

At the mouth of the Creek, Shindagha is the original site from which Dubai grew. Sheikh Saeed’s house, the former home of the ruling Maktoum family, has been carefully restored here. Open daily from 8:30am - 8:30pm, except Fridays: 3pm - 8:30pm.

Timings: Open daily from 8:30am - 8:30pm, except Fridays: 3pm - 8:30pm

Spice Souk

The narrow lanes of the spice souk are redolent with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, incense, dried fruit and nuts. Imported from all over the Middle East, they are sold straight out of open sacks that surround the shop keepers

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