Why Dubai?

Dubai being an Islamic country alone is a haven for Muslim travellers. There are beautiful mosques around every street corner, large air-conditioned prayer rooms in shopping malls, hotels, spas and adventure parks.

Not to forget it’s an orthodox emirate so Islamic dress, Hilal food and general Islamic etiquettes are the norm.

I’ve had the pleasure of living in Dubai and terribly miss that lifestyle specifically catered for Muslim women and families. For instance all the parks have a ladies only area which allowed me to jog outdoors with my hair tied up as opposed to bundled in a hijab.

Similarly the fitness centres have a separate section for women and a crèche. Beautician’s and hairdressers are ladies only!

The best buzz I got was being able to buy from the meat counter in supermarkets!

But Dubai is most famous for one thing – shopping! There’s an amazing collection of malls and souks which host an array of clothes, jewellery and shoes you won’t find anywhere else.

For those of us on a budget, there are some souks in the Deira area that are incredibly cheap (you’ll feel like you’re shopping in India) and a designer outlet where goods are heavily discounted. Don’t forget Dubai is also renowned for its electrical goods market and the famous gold souk. So if you need the latest digital camera or want to splash out on gold jewellery, head to downtown Deira with your banter hat on.

My top tips for enjoying Dubai are:

• Being Muslim, living Dubai is far more satisfying than being a tourist in Dubai! Unless you can afford the top notch hotels like The Atlantis, I would really recommend renting out a villa or apartment. There are lots of great areas to choose to stay in. I recommend Dubai Marina for apartments, and Emirates village for a villa.
  



• If you do go ahead with my suggestion above, the holiday home rental company will provide you with details of your nearest mosque, supermarket, taxi office and also cleaners (which is usually very cheap in Dubai). Be sure to make the most of buying hilal food.
  



• Hit the beach at night time. During the day, Dubai beach (around the Burj Al-Arab hotel) is crammed with tourists. Night time brings out the Muslim locals. You’ll find nasheed groups, families, picnics, violinists . . . . .I don’t know anywhere else in the world where the beach is so buzzing during the pitch black night. As the only lighting comes from the moon and the towering Burj Al-Arab hotel above, I was able to comfortably take off my hijab and abaya and swim in the sea.

• Visit the local fitness centre or spa. All residences in Dubai have a local one. If you’re in Dubai Marina many of the apartment blocks have their own on the top floor. These are no ordinary fitness centres, these are sanctuaries! I would recommend booking a massage or treatment as soon as you arrive as appointments can get booked up very fast.
  
  
• For women, Wild Wadi water park is a MUST! Every Thursday night is ladies only! Need I say more?

• Do try out the desert safari, scuba diving and sky diving. There are numerous tour companies to choose from. Again I would recommend booking early.

• If you're not staying at The Atlantis or Al-Burj, I would recommend you still visit or have a quick drink there. These hotels are like worlds within themselves.

• The best resteraunts in Dubai get booked for reservations very fast. For example, reservations at The El Cassa should be done a fortnight in advance. Try and plan ahead as much as you can before you go.
  

If you need any more information just email me or comment below. If I can’t help you out, I’ve lots of friends in Dubai who can.

Dubai’s is the world’s 21st century global village. It’s a cosmopolitan city like no other!