Popular Destinations for Dubai Expats During Eid Al Fitr

Today marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan in the Muslim world. The huge population of Dubai expats are one with their  Emarati brothers and sisters in celebrating the occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr. The holiday is of course celebrated by having a nice time with friends and family and gift giving.  Here are the places where expatriates from countries all over the world will most likely be during their two or three days away from work.

1.       Malls. Dubai has plenty of beautiful malls that offer all the good things money can buy at great value. Especially during holidays, great deals and discounts are all over the place. A mall is also a great place to be in for people who want to escape the summer heat.

2.       Beach. For those who really love the outdoors, not even the desert summer can keep them off Dubai’s beautiful, clean, and well-managed beaches. Alright, most  of them may adjust the timing so they won’t be there at 12 noon. But expect the  beach to be teeming with people around sunrise or sunset.

3.       Neighboring Emirates. With family and friends scattered in the 7 emirates of the UAE, it is reasonable to expect that they will grab the couple of days away from work to meet outside Dubai. For others, this could be the perfect time to finally see the other emirates. Al Ain (a part of Abu Dhabi) has always been  a popular choice because of  the great view of Jebel Hafeet  and the huge Al Ain Zoo, among many other attractions. The capital city of Abu Dhabi also has numerous attractions like Ferrari World  and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Iceland water park in Ras Al Khaima may also be appealing to others.  Or simply, they may want to go on a joy ride and discover the beauty of  Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ajman.

The UAE is a  country that is already offering a lot of good things for everybody while keeping everyone thrilled for more surprises. Expats will not miss occasions such as this.  

The Historical Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House

One of the greatest surprises about coming to Dubai is the richness of its history. Of course, with the city's feats in architecture, engineering, human development and rapid economic growth in recent years, it is easy to forget that Dubai also has a great history to tell.

Crossing the creek from Bur Dubai to Deira through the Shindagha tunnel, one would notice, on the right, a line of palm trees slightly covering a strip of  what looks like old Arabian designed buildings.

This strip, the Historical Shindagha  is just about a few hundred meters long but holds a lot of clues about Dubai's rapid economic rise as a business hub in the region.

Of particular interest is the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House. Built in the late 1800s, it is one of the older buildings along the creek and has witnessed the development of the emirate. It has been nicely reconstructed and turned into a museum.

Inside one can really have a better picture of what life was back then. It is a museum where one can see the evolution of the coins used, from the lareen dating back to 1480s AD, to the time of British rule and up until the modern day UAE.

It also features stamps that highlight local and world events through its young years. There is also a room dedicated to historical documents, marine and social life. Inside the house are pictures that so brilliantly captured scenes of their daily life in the fifties. One can also have the chance to catch a glimpse of how Dubai Creek looked like when there were no tall buildings.

 After visiting Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, one cannot help but have a deeper respect and understanding of the emirate and its people.It is really worth a visit for Dubai tourists and expat residents alike.

A Visit To Ice Land Aquapark in Ras Al Khaimah

About an hour’s drive from the heart of Dubai, there is an aquapark that is really worth a visit. Iceland Waterpark has become a favorite destination for families and groups of friends in the emirates. 

The area certainly reminds you of the movie Happy Feet, with images of penguins scattered all over the place. It has an area of  about 100,000 square meters featuring attractions for people of all ages. Aside from the usual things you would always expect from similar parks, they offer attractions that are found nowhere else.

The  entrance of the park seems to inform every newcomer that they are in for some of the unique things the place can offer. The largest man made water fall, the Penguin Falls, stands at  120 feet and is  540 cm’ wide.

Not all slides are for everybody, as  there is also a variety of attractions that will surely give adults the adrenaline rush. Thrilling rides are usually swarmed by  young people, and rightfully so, because they require  riders to be physically fit.

If  you don’t feel like you are totally in shape for the  high octane rides, there is also plenty of places to laze around. You can enjoy the scene near the wave pool, or from the cabanas and gazebos.

Being a father to a toddler, I like best their Kid’s Cove. A huge portion of the park dedicated for children, offering 12 different water slides and attraction sure to fit kids of different ages. Lifeguards are also most concentrated in this particular area, trying to watch over the kids and stopping overactive teenagers from  running around the place.

This are is actually about a 90 kilometer journey from Dubai, but here the roads are so well constructed and maintained you will definitely enjoy the ride and the scenery. I suggest  visitors will take the E11 route instead of the emirates road as the speed limit is just around 80kph and there is much less traffic and you can enjoy the view.