So you may have heard me talk about Egypt a lot the past few months, but did you know that before my Egypt adventure, I did a little stopover in Dubai? (Less than 48 hours, to be exact).

Dubai is a thriving metropolis of a city in the United Arab Emirates. It’s known for it’s eclectic mix of traditional Arab culture and cutting-edge architecture, technology and fashion. It’s a pretty popular place for a stopover, helped by the fact that Dubai Airport is one of the major airports of the world – and has been named the busiest in terms of international passenger traffic.

To get myself from Auckland, New Zealand to Cairo, Egypt, the journey had to consist of at least 1 stopover. And for me when it comes to flying, the more direct and faster it is, the better! (depending on price, of course! 😉 ), so the most direct route was via the airline Emirates…. i.e. a 17-hour flight from Auckland to Dubai… eek! 😮

So rather than transiting straight onto my Cairo flight (about 3.5 hours from Dubai), I decided to take a pit stop after my long journey and crash in Dubai for the night.

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While I didn’t get around to doing everything that I would’ve have liked to in my less-than-48-hours-stop, this is what I got up to (and also what other activities are recommended for a Dubai stopover!)

Desert Safari

One of the most popular activities for tourists to do in Dubai is go on a dessert safari adventure. This involves the following…

“Dune bashing” (a bunch of SUV’s racing around the sand dunes – so fun!)

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And then heading to a safari camp (in the middle of the desert) for a delicious BBQ buffet dinner and entertainment show – featuring traditional Arabian dancing (yes, there was definitely some belly dancing!)

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Also at the camp you can choose to go camel riding, or hold a falcon, and there are of course some trinket shops for all your touristy souvenir needs.

It makes for some awesome afternoon and evening. You get picked up from you hotel and dropped off afterwards – easy peasy!

Unfortunately, this did take up most of my spare time in Dubai, so I only got to see these next places driving by from the SUV on a city tour. In saying that, these are also highly recommended places to visit while in Dubai!

The Dubai Mall

At over 502,000 square meters and consisting of over 1200 shops, The Dubai Mall is one of the largest malls in the world. Everything from your usual run-of-the-mill clothing stores to the elitist of designer brands, this is a shopper’s paradise (and even worth a visit just to ogle in awe at the sheer size!).

Dubai Gold and Spice Souks

Souks are traditional Arabian marketplaces where you can haggle and buy a variety of interesting foods, trinkets and curio. The most famous souks in Dubai are the Gold souks (gold is generally cheaper in Dubai) and the spice souks, where you can find every spice imaginable!

Whether you’re a cook or a gold buyer or not, it’s well worth a stroll down these marketplaces to take in the sights, sounds and, well, smells. And try your hand at haggling for a bargain!

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa skyscraper is the tallest building at the world, made up of a whopping 829m and 160 stories. You can go right up to the top and enjoy (or freak out at!) the amazing view from the viewing decks.

While you’re there, check out the Dubai Fountain at the base of the tower, which is the world’s largest choreographed water fountain. i.e. it dances!

So, if you’re thinking of doing a stopover in Dubai, I highly recommend at least 2-3 days to take in the main attractions and immerse yourself in the culture of this awesome city! I’ll be back for sure for some more in-depth exploring.