Belonging to the Middle East and influenced by Islam, Dubai is currently one of the seven United Arab Emirates in the southern part of the Persian Gulf (Arabian Peninsula). Unlike other Muslim regions, Dubai is like a paradise in the desert interwoven with skyscrapers and modern lifestyle. This is also a rare city in the world with automatic gold machines. If you only have 24 hours to explore or a short time while waiting for a transfer in Dubai, you can refer to some of the plans below.
Go to the observation deck
On the 124th floor, visitors have the opportunity to see a panoramic view of a modern Dubai in the Middle East. Photo: EPA
One of the best ways to explore the modern city is to go to the observation deck on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building at 828 m. Tickets to the observation deck cost about 40 USD for an hour. At sunset, it increases to 55 USD for 1.5 hours. Children under 3 years old are free.
Visit the world's largest fountain
The water jets from the fountains can reach up to 125m high. Photo: Amusing Planet
Next to the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, you can easily find your way to the Dubai Fountain - the largest construction in the world, with a budget of up to 218 million USD. The fountain is always lit up with electronic music to serve a series of different shows. The water jets from the nozzles can be up to 125 m high, pulsing to the music. On windy nights, you should be careful to choose a seat far away if you don't want to get wet after the water music show.
Parachute fromplane
The plane will drop you from a height of 4,000 meters above the sea below. Photo: Howesdubai
An adventurous but equally interesting game, you can try skydiving from a plane to see the entire Palm Jumeriah - an artificial archipelago owned by Dubai. In the shape of a giant palm tree, this island is considered one of the most perfect artificial structures in the world when viewed from the air. The plane will take you up to about 4,000 m and drop you freely onto Palm Jumeriah beach. The price for each game is about 60 USD.
Go to the gold market
The quality of gold in the market is always under the strict control of the Dubai Government. Photo: Flashpackatforty
At any given time, the amount of gold in the Dubai Gold Souq is about 10 tons. The scene here is always brilliant with gold and bustling bargaining between customers and more than 300 vendors. Dubai Gold Souq is currently considered one of the cheapest places to buy gold in the world.
Although still affected by the exchange rate, when shopping here, tourists are often advised to bargain more in all cases. The Dubai government also has many strict laws to manage the quality of gold in the market and often conducts surprise inspections to avoid fraud in transactions. To get to this unique market, you can travel by public transport, the most popular being the bus.
Explore the spice market
Strolling through the small alleys, the scent of spices will stimulate your sense of smell. Photo: Christopher Suttenfield
Just a 2-minute walk from the Gold Souk, the Spice Souq is a place where all kinds of spices are gathered and displayed, and if you walk down each small alley, you can easily catch their scent. The strong aroma of white frankincense combined with ginger and green-skinned lemon will stimulate the taste and smell, making visitors feel hungry. Some stalls also display colorful dried chilies next to sacks full of lavender petals.
Eat and drink
Falafel in Dubai with main ingredients made from chickpeas, sesame olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Photo: Timeoutdubai
With over 80% of the population being foreigners (mainly from the US and Europe), Dubai still maintains a strong Middle Eastern culture, typically mentioned in the cuisine. The dishes in Dubai also come from some countries such as Iran, Lebanon or Arabia. Some snacks to try here includeesh asarya(cream cheesecake) orfalafel(name of an appetizer made from green beans, sesame olive oil, lemon juice and garlic). And the main dishes in Dubai that you should not miss areghuzi(roasted lamb) oral harees(wheat kneaded with salt and stuffed with meat).
