By Tom Kelly
It’s the middle of the desert. The temperature outside is over 40 degrees. And we’re wrapped in thick jackets, scarves and gloves about to launch ourselves down a ski slope.
For a place that boasts the world’s tallest building, the world’s only seven-star hotel and the world’s largest shopping mall, generating 22,500 square meters of snow in searing heat for an indoor ski center is to be expected.
In Dubai it truly feels like anything is possible.
One of the few cities where the skyline rivals New York, a good place to start a visit is at the 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa tower.
Not only is it the largest free standing structure on the globe, it also has the highest number of stories (160), the highest outdoor observation deck and the world’s longest elevator to carry you to it – at a stomach-turning 10 meters per second.
From the top, the 360-degree views take in the bustling city and surrounding desert on one side and sea stretching out on from the other direction. Venturing up the tower by night offers glorious view of the stars as they battle for attention with the dazzling lights of downtown Dubai far, far below.
Back on the ground, it’s worth visiting another record-breaking attraction, the Dubai Fountain. At 275 meters long and with jets that shoot 83,000 liters of water more than 150 meters in the air at any one time, it is the largest dancing fountain on the planet. Choreographed to music and with the rays from thousands of lights refracting off the water, the shows are a remarkable sight, running every 30 minutes each evening.
As impressive as the Burj Khalifa is Dubai’s flagship creation is the Burj al-Arab – a 321-meter sail-shaped structure built on an artificial island jutting out of the mainland. The favorite Dubai lodgings of England footballer Wayne Rooney and his wife, Colleen, double rooms start from RMB10,000, while the Royal Suite will set you back the princely sum of RMB120,000 a night.
In what is referred to as “the world’s only seven-star hotel,” guests are provided with a 24-carat plated iPad for the duration of their stay, and can also dine at the underwater aquarium restaurant and, ask very nicely, and they might let you play on the helipad-turned-tennis court – the world’s highest spot for a knock-up.
Those planning to peek inside at the opulence enjoyed by the lucky guests must book in advance for afternoon tea or cocktails. Meal reservations need to be made a few days beforehand – and room bookings months ahead of arrival. Smart clothes are a must if entering the playground of the super-rich.
Amid the glittering skyscrapers and luxury modern hotels, there are some surviving pockets of old Dubai giving a glimpse of how things might have been before it transformed from a poor pearling village to a thriving metropolis. Bastakiya District maintains winding streets and windcatcher towers – an ingenious Persian design that kept buildings cool centuries before air conditioning was invented – as well as the Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest surviving building in Dubai.
The Dubai Museum also features a reconstructed souk – traditional market – including authentic sights and sounds to capture street life in the days before oil was discovered. A few real life souks also survive around Dubai, selling everything from traditional crafts to cheap tourist t-shirts.
Most shopping, however, is done in the numerous modern malls. Shopping is such a popular pastime here that there is an annual festival dedicated to it each January, when citywide sales, street fairs with food stalls and nightly fireworks all help you spend your money.
A popular place for retail therapy at all times of the year is The Mall of Dubai – you guessed it, the world’s largest – which packs in 1,200 shops, as well as an aquarium and ice rink. Across town, the sumptuous Mall of the Emirates is loved for its wide avenues, polished marble floors and skylight, as well as its chic boutiques, designer shops and department stores, including a Harvey Nichols.
All the malls are air conditioned, which is vital because there is no getting around it, Dubai is very hot. In summer it averages 42 degrees Celsius in the daytime – making even a short walk in the street almost unbearable – and 28 degrees at night. Even in winter it is hot (and rains very rarely), with daytime highs of 25 degrees and nightime lows of 10 degrees.
Given the heat, many visitors spend their days on the long white sandy beaches, but be warned, taking a dip in the water often does little to cool you off as water temperatures can hit 37 degrees in summer.
For sports lovers, Dubai has an eclectic range, including the Tennis Open, Dubai Rugby Sevens, World Offshore Powerboat Championship and Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Race. Horse racing fans will enjoy the Meydan racecourse and especially the Dubai World Cup held on the last Saturday in March. Those after something more exotic should visit the camel racing, held every Thursday and Friday during the winter.
Those brave enough – and who don’t suffer from car sickness – can take a trip out of town to the desert for extreme ‘dune bashing’ in jeeps or quad bikes.
And if you need to cool down after a day on the dunes, take a trip to the Ski Dubai center back in the Mall of the Emirates.
Sliding down the 400-meter run in sub-zero temperatures surrounded by French-style cafes and restaurants modeled on an Alpine resort, it’s almost possible to forget you are in Dubai. Almost.
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