Middle East Archives - Travel Destination Bucket List

Top 5 Most Amazing Places to Visit in Al Ain

October 20, 2018 By Admin Leave a Comment

Al Ain is the oasis city of the UAE, which has everything in it. The city is surrounded by the vast mountain range, Jebel Hafeet, and the desert. This is an ancient city of 3000 BC, which is till date very popular among the tourists around the world. If you are an adventurist by heart, then this oasis amidst the desert will definitely allure you to explore it.

Book the best Al Ain hotels to make your vacation even more lavish and luxurious. What can you see once you are in this desert city? Here are certain famous tourist destinations of this city. Read on to know more-

1. Jebel Hafeet

This rough mountain has grown up from the inland of Al Ain. Take a trip to the summit of the mountain through the desert so that you get a panoramic view of the mountain, surrounded by the desert. That is something mesmerizing and you can’t get the beauty until you experience it. On your way to the summit, you will find breathtaking scenic beauty. The place is heavenly for the photographers.

2. Green Mubazzarah

If your eyes have been tired of visiting the cragginess of the mountain, it’s time to soothe them. Go to this place which is covered by lush greenery. There are several hot springs and water wells. This vast place is amazing for arranging a weekend picnic with your friends or family. You can even arrange a Bar-be-Que party.

3. Al Ain National Museum

The desert city has many things to tell its tourists. To listen to its history and past, you need to visit the museum once. And while you are here, don’t forget to visit the special ethnographic section where you can get the glimpse of the regular life of the people in Al Ain along with the exhibits, like Bedouin jewelry, traditional majlis and so on. Apart from these, you can visit the coin collection, the archeological section with artifacts from the Bronze and Iron Ages and many other things.

4. Al Ain Zoo

This is the largest animal enclosure of the entire United Arab Emirates. The Zoo was opened in 1969 and from the beginning, it has been one of the famous tourist spots in Al Ain. Along with the members of the cat family, like tiger, lion, leopards, and jaguars, you will also find the endemic mammals, like oryx and the Arabian antelope here. Apart from that, the zoo is also the house of the endangered species, like African and Arabian Gulf animals.

5. Wadi Adventure Park

If you want to have the best adventure in Al Ain, visit the park where you get to do kayaking, surfing, white water rafting and so on. This park is the biggest water rafting park in the UAE where you will find the world’s largest artificial surfing waves. The kayaking channels will give you amazing experience while there are three distinguished levels of surfing for the beginners, the intermediates and the experts.

These are the top 5 visiting places in Al Ain. There are many more and each of them are equally amazing. Plan now and go for a trip.

You Are Going To Israel. What Next?

June 6, 2018 By Admin Leave a Comment

Israel is one of the most beautiful, and culturally and historically important countries in all of the world. The land has many religious affiliations and is believed to be the birthplace and death place of Jesus Christ. He is said to have traversed this country to the likes of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. An estimated 3.5 million visitors make their way to Israel each year, with many coming to enjoy the healing and transforming powers thought to lay within the land. Once you’re set on traveling to Israel, it’s advisable to learn more about the custom, culture, and particulars that are going to affect you.

Religious Significance

Tour to the holy land as a Christian and fulfill one of the most significant rites of passage for those who wish to pay their respects, renew their faith, and bring the scripture to life. Although there doesn’t often seem like a convenient time to leave your busy life behind for a week or two, many Christians recommend making the journey to The Holy Land at least once in your lifetime and sooner rather than later. Remember to take your camera along with you, as you’ll want to catch images of the setting to later reflect back upon.

Ready For The Weekend

The Israeli working week commences on a Sunday and breaks for the weekend on Thursdays after sunset. This will impact how you travel around Israel, especially if you want to get somewhere at the weekend. In some secular cities, restaurants and other establishments stay open during the weekend. However, places in more religious areas will cease to operate during the Jewish Sabbath. So, play it safe wherever you can and either check to see whether certain places and transport systems are going to be closed, or what time they’re expected to shut. Avoid traveling on the days that you cannot be 100% sure of how you’re going to reach your destination safely and smoothly.

Getting Around

Israel enjoys efficient and reliable public transport systems, and none more so than the trains, inter-city buses and the intra-city ones, as well as shared taxis, and the shared bike system too. Before you depart headed for Israel, make sure that you’ve downloaded the necessary apps for making your way from A to B.. Again, remember to plan your route taking into account the weekend period, as otherwise, you could find yourself a little stuck.

Temperatures

The Middle East boasts some of the warmest climates in the world, and Israel is believed to teeter around the average high temperature of 79ºF (26ºC) during July. If you’re coming to Israel in the height of summer, then it’s wise to pack sensibly and appropriately. Pack your bags with heat, comfort, and modesty in mind. Both men and women are expected to cover parts of their body during important dates in the religious calendar, so don’t forget to pack a long garment of clothing – long enough to cover your shoulders and your legs. With this said, the dress code in Israel is largely relaxed and laidback, and shorts and t-shirts are more than acceptable.

The Top Business Holiday Hotels In Dubai

December 8, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

Dubai has become both a business and tourism hub seeing visitors from all over the world flying over to witness the economically dynamic city it has become. From the small local trading city it once was, Dubai has now transformed into a global hub of commerce. This is accompanied along with its magnificent infrastructure and skyline of carefully designed architecture and is home to some of the top places to stay in the world. A city known for professionalism and leading corporate activity, we take a look at some of the best business hotels in Dubai to make your trip all the more impressive.

Jumeirah Emirates Towers

This business hotel is one of the most popular places to stay in Dubai among corporate travellers. The Jumeirah Emirates Tower comprises of high-end technology and unparalleled luxury. There are 400 newly furnished rooms, paired with state-of-the-art business facilities for holding meetings and events. As well as 16 dining and nightlife venues, including world renound restaurants such as The Ivy, Hakkasan and Al Nafoorah. The hotel itself is a highlight of stunning architecture within the city and overlooks the spectacular views of the Dubai skyline. When you fly to Dubai for your next holiday this hotel provides you with everything you could need or want whether your stay is for business or pleasure.

Al Bustan Rotana

The new Al Bustan Rotana Dubai Convention Centre claims to have one of the largest and finest corporate facilities in Dubai. The convention centre has been designed for businesses looking for a professional, luxury, modern meeting and conference venue and contains brand new, high end equipment. Al Bustan Rotana hotel is located in Dubai’s Business Centre and provides efficient services and facilities, including a fully-equipped meeting and seminar room making it the perfect venue for meetings and somewhere to impress future clients.

Grosvenor House

The conference centre at Grosvenor House Hotel combines both business and pleasure in the most simplistic but effective of ways. The hotel boasts a multi-use ballroom, multiple boardrooms and syndicate meeting rooms which can be utilised for a number of seminars, events or casual meetings. All facilities here are equipped with cutting-edge technology. Whatever the nature of the meeting or business event, these second to none corporate facilities are certain to make a lasting impression on all professionals.

Raffles

Raffles Dubai has become the premier venue for exclusive events. Ranging from weddings to travel shows, where some of the best aviation and technology in the industry, such as private jet charters from leading companies are on show as well as corporate and award galas. With nine elegantly furnished private meeting rooms, fully equipped with the latest technology, as well as the luxury Raffles Ballroom lit with Swarovski chandeliers and an outdoor terrace overlooking the Raffles Garden, this hotel is able to host almost every event with any requirement, and can accommodate between 5 to 500 people.

JW Marriott Hotel

A famous hotel worldwide, the JW Marriott Hotel Dubai is known for its award-winning conference facility and modern meeting space. Each conference room has state-of-the-art audio-visual services which can fit up to 1000 guests. The hotel also possess’ elegant ballrooms perfect for conferences, exhibitions, seminars and larger scale events. Business travellers staying in the heart of Dubai at this hotel will enjoy the central location which is also conveniently located near many large corporations.

From just some of these business hotels located in the heart of Dubai, you can see just why the city has become such a successful global corporate hub in recent years. Its spectacular infrastructure makes it the centre of business for all leading industries worldwide.

Israel – An Unexpected Delight

August 31, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

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Israel may not seem like the first place to think of when you are planning a holiday abroad, but there are a ton of things to see and do in this historical and diverse nation, with welcoming and friendly people throughout. From beaches to mountains to religious and deeply historical sites there is something here for almost every traveller – just read ahead to see what types of things there are to see here.

Tel Aviv

One of the major cities in Israel, Tel Aviv boasts a gorgeous coastline amid the downtown core which rivals other prominent Middle Eastern cities such as Dubai. While extravagance and luxury may not be as prominent in Tel Aviv as it is in Dubai, it just means Tel Aviv is more affordable for those travellers looking to make their money stretch a bit, and is fantastically connected with a wide variety of Tel Aviv flights. Gorgeous white sand beaches on the Mediterranean Sea allow for swimming nearly year round, with the exception being only a few short months over winter. One of the main attractions in Tel Aviv is the Bauhaus style architecture throughout its fabled “White City”, in which over four thousand of these historical buildings dating back to the 1930s stand. A result of the Nazi rise in Europe, the White City is an attraction for both positive and slightly negative sentiments, but is an interesting district to visit all the same.

Jerusalem and Bethlehem

The cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem are well etched in the history of mankind as being two of the most prominent cities at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ in Christian belief. Regardless of whether or not you follow this particular path of religion, all peoples of all faiths can find inspiration and quiet contemplation in places which hold such great religious regard for millions across the world. The Western Wall (also known as the Western Wall) is one such place in Jerusalem that actually pre-dates Christianity as a place of worship, being connected to the Temple Mount, holy place for those of the Jewish faith. Herod the Great built this wall during his reign, which ended at the time of his death in 4BC, so definitely do not miss your chance to see this!

Bethlehem alone evokes imagery of the Nativity even if you aren’t Christian, and it can be both a humbling and awe-inspiring experience to visit the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus Christ is professed to have been born. Even if you aren’t Christian or religious though, both of these cities offer up some interesting back streets to explore alongside interesting street vendors for food and wares and real cultural Israeli experience as you amble along the dusty alleyways and corridors around the city.

Nazareth and Galilee

Nazareth is a prominent locale in Christianity and even in Islam and therefore features a number of exquisitely decorated and built mosques and churches – many with ties to locations where Mary is believed to have either frequented or received messages regarding the impending birth of Jesus Christ. Regardless of your faith, these churches and other religious buildings are feats of beautiful architecture and are often built on high hills, offering spectacular panoramic views.

Galilee is an area in northern Israel which is a huge draw for the tourist being made up of a microcosm of valleys, hills, mountainous regions and forests, which allows for a lot of outdoor activity, alongside the opportunity to visit small villages and get to know the local heritages. The sea of Galilee also offers water sports and the opportunity to relax on one of its beaches, taking in this vast and beautiful inland sea.

So as you can see there are a number of things to do in Israel, which is usually left out of many peoples considerations as a potential travel destination. Why not surprise your friends and family next time you head off, and head to Israel instead of the usual tourist traps? Enjoy!

Top 5 Unique Attractions in Dubai

March 16, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

Once the playground to the World’s rich and famous, Dubai has become far more accesible in recent years to the average tourist looking for a different type of holiday. Dubai screams luxury with incredible hotels, amazing services and fantastic tourist attractions that are bigger, better and slightly more unique than anywhere else in the World. Dubai loves to be ostentatious and with so much money in this part of the World, they can afford to create the craziest and most unique places to visit. Here are my top 5 unique places where you can see the attractions in Dubai.

Indoor Ski Slope

A climate such as that in Dubai means that the presence of snow is near impossible, not to worry though as they have built one of the most incredible indoor snow-parks that you are ever likely to see. In the vast Emirates shopping centre is Ski Dubai, a park that features an 85-metre indoor ‘mountain’ with 5 ski slopes of varying levels of difficulty. Add to that some half-pipes and jumps for the adventurous types and a few penguins roaming about and you have one of Dubai’s most surreal experiences.

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is officially the World’s tallest building, standing at a gargantuan 828-metres tall this huge structure offers the greatest views of this outstanding city. At the peak of this monumental building is an observation deck where visitors can enjoy 360 degree views over Dubai and they have recently opened a new ‘spiral’ feature of a 36 step spiral staircase to fully appreciate the view. Visitors can also enjoy a meal in the restaurant on the observation deck before heading back down to ground level.

The Miracle Garden

Dubai never wishes to be outdone and when it built the mesmerising Miracle Garden they had this ethos in mind. The garden is the largest collection of flowers and plants in the World and it is a truly fantastic place to visit whether you have green fingers or not. With over 45 million plants and flowers of varying colours the Miracle Garden assembles them in stunning shapes and decorative patterns that change depending on current topics themes.

Stay Underwater

Nothing is impossible in Dubai and the Water Discus Hotel is evidence of this, this Jetsons stye design features hotel rooms that are submerged below the depths and will give guests an unparalleled view of the sea from a solid glass wall. The hotel is expected to be completed in early 2017 and will be the first of it’s kind. Imagine being able to watch fish swim above your head as you relax in the comfort of your bed, it doesn’t get much better than that and this insane design will give a new meaning to the term ‘sleeping with the fishes.’

Watch Movies in 6D

In the Oasis shopping mall they have created a 6-D cinema, an experience that along with 3D adds motion, air and water to give you a truly sensory experience. The cinema shows movies that take you on journeys through space and the prehistoric period and allows you to feel the sensation of the objects like you are truly there. This is a crazy experience and one that is not for the feint of heart.

Abu Dhabi: Jewel of the Desert

July 29, 2015 By Admin Leave a Comment

Emirates Palace Hotel: Photo by kathrin_gaisser via Flickr.

For a lot of people the Middle East might not be high on their list of exciting travel destinations. News about travel restrictions, awkward religious differences, and conservative attitudes might dissuade some people from exploring this part of the world. The truth is that, while some parts of the region are exceptionally conservative and strict (think Saudi Arabia), other places are inviting, fun, and offer a host of interesting activities.

Abu Dhabi is one of these cities. As the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi boasts a prime location right on the Arabian Gulf. If you want to do nothing else but lie on the beach at a fancy hotel while uniformed waiters ply you with cocktails, you’re in the right place. However, if you’d like to experience more of this amazing city, you’re in luck there, as well.

Abu Dhabi is home to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the most opulent and beautiful mosques in the world. Tours are available daily and they are free. While non- Muslim women who visit Abu Dhabi might be pleasantly surprised that they’re not required to cover their hair, for a mosque visit it is mandatory that women wear an abaya. Men are required to cover their arms and legs. Once you’re sufficiently covered you’re allowed to enter the mosque grounds and the mosque itself. The building is crafted of exquisite marble, the carpet is hand woven and is the largest carpet in the world, and the chandeliers are made up of thousands of Swarovski crystals. It’s truly an amazing sight.

For all of the Formula One fans out there, a visit to the Yas Marina Circuit is not to missed. Although the F-1 races only take place one weekend per year, the track is constantly in use for a number of other events. Drag racing is held several times a month, and residents who own their vehicles are invited to participate. Also, on most Tuesday nights the track is open to walkers, runners, and cyclists who want to exercise on this multi million dollar piece of property.

Located near to Yas Marina Circuit is Ferrari World. This is the largest indoor theme park in the world, and also boasts the world’s fastest roller coaster. On display inside the park are a number of classic Ferrari’s owned by local Emiratis. If you’re a fan of Ferraris, this is the place to go.

For a little more luxury pay a visit to Emirates Palace. Known around the world as a seven star property, this hotel is worth a look, even if you’re not staying there. Visitors are free to walk around the grounds, investigate the restaurants and bars, and take a peek into the art galleries and shops. It’s a great place to spend a few hours seeing how the other 1% lives, especially if it’s hot outside, as if often is in this part of the world.

If you’re looking for an exotic destination that just might change the way you view the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is the place. In what is destined to become one of the world’s next international playgrounds, Abu Dhabi is a city that delights in more ways than one and should be considered a solid option to tick off your travel destination bucket list.