BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE
by Siddha3th
Major buildings in the city (plazas, hotels, malls, and the like) can be divided into two categories. Those where the interior decor is gracefully understated, gently inviting you to spend some time within. And then there are places where the decor just screams Dirhams - like the wannabe rapper with more bling bling than brains!!! You'll find plenty of the latter - many of the major hotels, the Burj al Arab included, come off embarassingly gaudy.
At the other end of the spectrum, clubs like Peppermint and Tangerine, and restaurants like Asha's and the Vietnamese place at the Shangri-La have got it just about perfect... you'll end up going back to these places again and again.
Hopefully, more of the new projects will be like Madinat, where they've managed to fuse a classy international feel with a vibe that's all about heritage.
Dhows (old cargo ships) on the Creek
by Airpunk
Although you’ll always see some skyscraper in the background, the Deira side of Dubai’s old town is surely the best to see a more traditional side of Dubai. Not only all the souks give you an idea of pre-boom Dubai. What I would like to recommend is a short walk along the Creek between the two Abra stations (Old Souk and Sabkha). Here, archaic, wooden cargo ships are being offloaded. The goods you see here are not those you’ll find in the shopping malls. Here, you see cheap far-eastern household products as feel as some food and spices for the nearby shops. Don’t expect it to be too traditional as most stuff comes in boxes. But it’s apart of the Creek you won’t find in many tourists guides. Be careful, as it is a working harbour and not a purpose-built tourist attraction, and see one of the most authentic parts of the city.
Oriental perfumes for all tastes.
by Nemoa
If you like strong oriental scents the Perfume souq is your best bet.
Only bear in mind that the perfumes here are a lot stronger that back at home and that they stain because they are not based in alcohol but in oil.
They are sold by the Tolah, which is a unit of 12 ml.
there are some beautiful shops where you can come and test some.
Also some tacky shops sell fakes of well known brands. They are very cheap and some of them smell very much like the original or even better sometimes !
Don't stock of them as gifts though :) Eastern style perfums.
Frankincense of the best quality (callled luban)
Fakes ?? anythinkg from 100Dh ad 1000Dh, depending on the quality of the goods.
A CLUB WITH A TWIST
by Siddha3th about iBO
I don't do clubs (unless it's an open air set-up under the stars, preferably in Goa!). But I get dragged along by "well-meaning" clubbing enthusiasts from time to time, and end up spending the night thinking I could be somewhere by the ocean, taking in some live music! But it's different strokes for different people, and Dubai's got a bounty of clubs to choose from, if that's what tickles your fancy.
One place I DO vibe with is iBO, a gritty, back-to-basics kinda' joint. For one, their theme nights & events aren't run-of-the-mill, with a pretty unique roster of guest DJs and house music from all over the place. Secondly, the mood and decor's very stripped down, garage-like. Which invariably means that the crowd's laidback, just into the music, and nothing else.
A worthy detour for the night, iBO's got that different light.
Dinner in Dhow Cruise
by ChrissyMoog about Dhow Cruise c/o Intercon Hotel
It's definitely worth it to go for the Dhow Cruise when you visit Dubai. I think it's one of the "musts". We went with the Intercon hotel dinner in dhow and it was really good. They have variety of food from starters to dessert! Main course is superb! All food is a mix of international and "local" if I may say so...The Dhow is massive and the cruise along the river is quite romantic...I can definitely recommend it to anyone in Dubai. The salads are soo good....all ingredients are fresh and the sauce is really nice...sorry I can't quite describe the sauce..you have to try it out! Beef and Lamb dishes are excellent as well! They've got steaks, curries, and the lot...not to mention the mouth watering chocolate dessert!!!
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Wandering around the gold souk
Palm Jumeirah Island
Zaatar and Cheese Saj
Bella Donna - Bin Hendi Avenue
