Your travel specialist on: Making it extraordinary in Dubai

This is without a doubt, the most amazing place I have ever been to, and considering I have been to 129 countries, that is not a statement to be taken lightly. My husband had been many times to Dubai on business, but not in the last 20 years. He told me there was one decent hotel, and the paved road was only a few miles long. He was flabbergasted at the changes. Skyscrapers and freeways everywhere, modern shopping malls, and the whole place just shouted luxury and was full of foreigners.

We flew on Emirates Airlines which is the best way to go. Outstanding service, bigger seats, and comfort like you use to get on Pan Am first class years ago. They have an offer if you book business class they will upgrade you to first class one way. You also get a chauffeur driven car to and from the airport. I would avoid going thru London and instead change planes in Dubai for any long haul flight you have to this region of the world.

Dubai has fostered a reputation for over the top opulence and mile high standards. The city’s dining scene offers the same panache with world class cuisine ranging from exemplary Middle Eastern dishes to impressive international gastronomy. Discover our top seven ways to dine against dazzling backdrops that only exist in Dubai.

I was surprised to learn that Dubai is the No.l. destination for the English and Scottish tourists when I was home a few months ago. The planes are full so they are sending two a day from Glasgow and Manchester airports since it is considered a bargain place to visit. The shopping is out of this world and gold prices are a deal. Even if you go when it is hot, you can spend a lot of time in the air conditioned malls which is a big attraction. We are also seeing the major cruise lines putting Dubai as a port to visit.

Underwater Worlds. Names for the Arabic word meaning “oyster shell” Al Mahara inside the Burj Al Arab delivers an opulent dining experience that transports you to an underwater world. Following a simulated submarine ride, you’re seated around the Oval, a 35,000 cub foot aquarium that stretches from floor to ceiling and houses an array of exotic fish from blacktip reef sharks to big lipped batfish. Marvel at the maritime menagerie as you served your meal of poached oysters, white sturgeon caviar and line caught sea bass covered in a decadent tomato and pepper sauce. We enjoyed an outstanding dinner, celebrating our wedding anniversary.

Dine among Desert Dunes. Dubai is a land of contrasts where whimsical skyscrapers are surrounded by low lying desert scrub quickly giving way to an otherworldly landscape of red Arabian sand. An absolutely exciting tour is going thru the sand dunes in a four wheel drive vehicle to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. A slower placed adventure follows on a sunset camel ride to a secluded Bedouin style tent where you snack on fresh dates and pistachio pastries between sips of champagne as a henna artist paints your hands with intricate designs. Dine under the glittering stars on fresh salads and spiced grilled meats as a colorfully clad belly dancer takes center stage performing to the joyful sounds of traditional Arabic music.

Few spectacles define a landscape as clearly as the 163 floors of the Burj Khalifa tower. You can see the iconic sail shaped hotel the Burj Al Arab where we stayed. Most outstanding over the top luxurious hotel I have ever stayed in. For an unforgettable waterfront feast, cruise Dubai Creek on a private dhow, a vessel outfitted with a triangle sail, as you sip cardamom spiced Arabic coffee paired with dates on the upper deck as the sun sets.

Go on our website – www.allhorizonstvl.com – and read about our two offers, 1. Arabian Nights, No. 1217841 and 2. Sands of Arabia, Offer 1220625. Experience something different.

Maureen Jones

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.