A mere few decades ago, people would blink if they were asked to cite reasons to visit the Middle East. Today, all that has changed. The UAE’s glittering cities and magnificent man-made marvels have changed the way people look at the Middle East now. There are more than a mere 7 reasons to visit the UAE, but we’re covering the grandest and the very best of them here. In fact, there are dozens of reasons to visit the UAE, but we’ll let you discover those for yourself when you get there. For now, come with us as we take you to check out these incredible wonders.
- The UAE Desert
Its sand, sand and more sand for as far as your eye can see. The UAE has many deserts – each more spectacular than the other. The Liwa Desert near Al Ain in Abu Dhabi is pristine, with tall dunes. No matter which desert you explore when you visit UAE, it’s bound to be a special place.
So much of the UAE people’s history, food and culture is from the desert. While the big cities of the UAE show off their modern architecture and super tall buildings, much of what makes the UAE special is the desert. There’s a desert tour to make every heart happy, with dune bashing, quad-bike riding, camel riding and sand-boarding for sports. Some tours, such as the evening or overnight tours include a relaxed dinner in the dessert.
- Gastronomic Adventures
Credit : thenational.ae
A foodie tour of the UAE is nothing but a culinary education. It’s a history lesson served with a lamb kebabs and a side of hummus. If you want to know how Syrian ice cream differs from regular ice cream, or what’s the difference between a Middle Eastern and French Tagine, you need to head to the UAE.
You can stuff yourself to the full while in the UAE, especially Dubai, known as the culinary capital of the UAE. Every February, there’s a Food Festival in Dubai where the city’s many Michelin-starred chefs pull out the stops and create unbelievable delights to thrill people’s palates. Everywhere there are food stalls and promotions by famous restaurants. The Food Festival lets you experience multiple cuisines and rare dishes from around the world without breaking the bank.
- Gold Galore
If you are in the least attracted towards the bright sunshine of gold, you must visit the UAE. You’ll find gold souqs all over the UAE, but especially in Dubai. When you enter a gold souq, you’ll experience such chaos – that’s the usual scene in these places. For one thing, there’s gold everywhere – the gold is so yellow it’ll blind you. A gold souq is one of the coolest places to visit in UAE.
So come, stare, partake and enjoy the totally extravagant display of wealth in the form of the yellow metal in the UAE. No other nation in the world so brazenly displays its wealth as does the UAE and the gold souqs are prime examples of this tendency.
- Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi
One could write for a month about the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi and not tire of it. The sheer size of the building takes your breath away. The translucent white marble glows with a luminescent inner fire that can be seen clearly under the brilliant Arabian sun.
This breathtaking, beautiful, and awe-inspiring mosque has over 40 minarets, apart from the main dome. There is an untold number of pillars, all carved and inlaid in gold and precious stones. It’s the eighth largest mosque in the world, which you can see from miles away. People visit this mosque from all corners of the earth, just to bear witness the mosque’s beauty and grandeur.
Be sure to dress modestly before you enter the mosque. Women are required to wear the black abaya and the hijab, while men are required to cover their arms and legs. If you want to take any selfies in your usual garb, do so before entering the mosque.
- The Burj Khalifa, Dubai
The Burj Khalifa is an incredible feat of engineering, innovation, design and opulence. It’s the tallest building the world has ever seen so far, till perhaps the Jeddah Tower is up. The world’s tallest free-standing structure is a sight to behold. When you stand below it and look up, you’ll have to crane your neck backwards quite a bit to even take in half the height. The best ways to get fabulous views of the building would be from a distance, and from a helicopter, passing close by.
Be sure to travel up the uber-fast elevators to gaze out at the incredible view from the 125th floor’s observatory deck. There’s another observatory deck at the 148th floor as well, but that one does not offer 360 degree views all around. The views of the surrounding city, the desert and the sea beyond are unbelievable.
- Jebel Jais Zipline, Ras al Khaimah
The world’s longest zipline is located at Jebel Jais, Ras al Khaimah. Jebel Jais – the highest mountain in the UAE, is the perfect place for the zipline, which has attracted millions of visitors to Ras al Khaimah in just a few years.
Thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies get to travel at speeds of up to 120 kph to 150 kph, at an unbelievable height of 1,680 meters above sea level. The zipline traverses from a point close to the top of Jebel Jais Mountain till the ground.
Participants get fitted with a special harness, and are given a safety briefing before setting out on the adventure. The longest flight itself takes approximately two to three minutes. Two lines run in parallel, so friends and couples can zipline together. The zipline comes to rest on a suspended landing platform where participants are transferred to a second line to complete their trip to the ground.
- Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
The Yas Island is a delightful parcel of land offering fabulous experiences to travelers. The Yas Marina Circuit hosts the final race of the Formula 1 seasons in late November every year. Yas Ferrari World is the world’s largest Ferrari-themed park that offers exciting rides. The Formula Rossa is the world’s fastest roller coaster that travels at a top speed of 240 kph (150 mph). The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has interactive experiences, fun themed rides and much, much more. Yas Water World is the biggest water park in the UAE which offers terrific and scary water rides geared to thrill people. Warner Bros. World offers people a fantastic chance to explore Warner Bros. characters. Yas Island is one of the top UAE tourist attractions.
Conclusion
The UAE is a cornucopia of thrills, adventures, romantic escapes, food delights, hedonistic pleasures and sheer luxury every which way. If you haven’t visited this remarkable country yet, it’s time you did.
Martin Wynn
