Is there anything to do in Dubai?

[LadyWellian]

Planning to escape somewhere warm in half term but having been looking on appalled as the Canaries get more and more expensive (really should have booked in August!).

Found 5 nights' HB in a 5-star in Dubai for the same price as a week SC in Lanzarote. However, DH comes out in a rash (literally!) if he goes in a pool and fears boredom. Doesn't look like the Gulf is great for snorkelling. So is Dubai the hideous cultural wasteland of our worst fears or is there anything I can use to sell this to him? I just want to relax somewhere warm and DD and I would be quite happy in and out of the pool, but that's not really fair on DH.

Alternative destination suggestions also welcome, but I am looking for bikini weather if at all possible.

Hello LadyWellian

We have been to Dubai three times, once over October half term when the weather was fabulous The standard of hotels and service is very good. Are you travelling with DC? There are the two waterparks to visit at Atlantis hotel on the Palm and Wild Wadi at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Visit the Jumeirah Souk and then take an Abra ride around the waterways within the Jumeirah International hotel complex (the Al Qasr, Dar al Masyaf and Mina a Salam hotels) The Big Bus Tour company operate in Dubai so you can take a hop on hop off bus tour with them. The jeep safari is great fun and not to be missed if you do go. Is the new Burj Tower open to the public wordsonascreen or barbie1? If so, you could think about braving the observation deck LadyW and if you still have any money left you could have afternoon tea in the 7* Burj al Arab 'sail' shaped hotel on Jumeirah Beach. The new harbour area at the 'base' of Palm Dubai and the The Walk at Jumeirah Beach are other options for 'free' 'strolling' opportunities.

Otherwise I was going to suggest Egypt which we have found to be fairly good value. Stay in Hurghada or Sharm and do a 1 or 2 day tour to either Luxor or Cairo whilst you are there. Lots of snorkelling and diving opportunities in the Red Sea obviously!

We are going to Turkey this October half term; I'm hoping that the weather will be warm enough to sunbathe. There is a risk of rain at this time but my fingers are crossed. We have been to Turkey before in October and the weather was really nice. Dubai or Egypt are probably better options weather wise though. Have you considered Kenya?! You could combine a beach based holiday with a 2 day safari

I hope you get something booked.

yes the Burj Khalifa is open copycat (I live here too :) )

www.burjkhalifa.ae/

Yikes! Have you been up it yet desertgirl?!

Pick your day for the Burj kahlifa - we went on a typical dusty day and so a lot of er dust

A day at the bab al shams hotel is quite good (although obviously involves sitting by a pool) but they do a good arabic lunch and falcon show/camel rides etc with a very toursity dinner with horse and dancing show (everyone we have ever taken loves it!)

Atlantis and Wild wadi waterparks are both good days out (Wild Wadi suits slightly younger children although disappointingly when I was crazy enough to go over the summer the main family ride was closed for refurb) although I guess you DH may have same swimming pool related issue?

There is enough to keep you occupied for a week but it wouldn't be top of my list of places to go if you don't want to sit by a pool (whereas it probably is near the top of the list if that is all you want to do)

Thanks again. Having trouble convincing DH about Dubai. Proper scheduled flights with meals on them, hotel beds big enough to sleep in together etc are not cutting the mustard. Though I'd found an affordable week in Sharm but it disappeared. Copycat we may be following you to Turkey...

LadyWellian we love Turkey; this will be our 8th holiday there. For a beach/hotel based holiday I really rate the quality of the hotels (especially in the Belek and Lara Beach areas) and the DC enjoy the on site water slide parks at the majority of the hotels. If you do think that may go to Turkey and have a particular hotel in mind, then I know a little bit about some of the hotels in the Antalya region if you want to PM me, and I thoroughly recommend browsing the Antalya Prvince forums (type the hotel name in the search box to pick up any posts about the hotel you are interested in)and hotel reviews on Tripadvisor.