Cruising Oman & UAE:The Country is Dubai In, Best Guide 2023
Cruising Oman & UAE:The Country is Dubai In, Best Guide 2023
At the beginning of 2019 we were very impatient because in just a few days we were going on the journey of our lives. We ordered with Orbitz a combined trip: 1 week cruise in UAE- the country is Dubai in, Abu Dhabi, Khasab and Muscat (we enjoyed great tours like exploring the desert , the cities with attractions or down town Dubai) and from there we were to fly to Thailand to enjoy the Indian Ocean in Khao Lak.
The United Arab Emirates is a federal absolute monarchy in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, as well as sharing maritime borders with Qatar to the west and Iran to the north. In 2013, the UAE’s population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates.
Table of Contents
UAE Map
Oman Map
Informations
Temperature: The best time to go to the UAE is in the months of August-September when the temperature is comparatively mild and autumn is steadily setting in.
Language: The official language of the United Arab Emirates is Arabic. Due to the fact that tourism is one of the most important income in this country, most people speak English.
Currency: The Emirati Dirham is the official currency of the UAE, abbreviated officially as AED. 1 USD=3,7 AED 1 EUR=4,5 AED
Food Prices: Cheap Restaurant 9 USD/person, Mid-range Restaurant 2 persons 60 USD
Informations about Visa you can find here.
We paid 1400 euros per person for this whole combined holiday, and during the cruise we had all inclusive, while in Thailand we had breakfast included. Is very cheap to eat in Thailand so it was ok just with breakfast, because during the day we where always far away from the hotel. The only problem here is that, of course, I did not have visits included, so we had to take some more money out of our wallets for them.
In this article we will tell you about the cruise, and about Thailand-Khao Lak we will write another article.
Things to do
We flew 4 and a half hours from Munich to Dubai, and when we arrived, We left our luggage quickly and left with a car to the desert, because we had already ordered Desert Safari with Sandboarding & Camel Ride from the internet. We had the al these included, dinner, belly dance show and i got my hands painted with henna. I recommend you order with confidence from Viator and Get your guide these trips, because when you are already there you will pay a lot of money.
Our driver and guide, Sagar was wonderful. We immediately became friends with him and the other tourists we went on safari with and had a wonderful and fun experience:
Desert Safari with
Sandboarding & Camel Ride
The Arabian Desert is a vast desert wilderness in Western Asia. and the largest in Asia.
Gazelles, oryx, sand cats, and spiny-tailed lizards are just some of the desert-adapted species that survive in this extreme environment, which features everything from red dunes to deadly quicksand.
The next day we went on a guided tour we ordered a tour which included Old Dubai: down town Dubai, quarter of Al Fahidi, Dubai Museum, the Mosque, cruise along Dubai Creek on a traditional boat called abra, spices market and gold market.
Old and new Dubai tour
After this tour our ship Costa Mediterranea sailed to Khasab, but as we had only a few hours to visit the city and the city was small, we decided to rest and explore the ship. This is the ship where we spent 7 beautiful days:
During the night the ship sailed to Muscat-the capital of Oman. We had befriended an older German couple and we all 4 took a taxi to visit Muscat. The taxi driver, very patriotic and friendly made us a fair price and took us to visit all the main attractions of the city: The Royal Palace, The Forts and the Mosque:
The Grand Palace Muscat
Al Alam Palace, one of six residences of the sultan, has a history of over 200 years, and was built under the watch of Imam Sultan bin Ahmed, the 7th direct grandfather of Sultan Qaboos. The inner grounds of the palace remain off-limits, but visitors are permitted to stop near the gates and take photographs. Al Alam Palace is surrounded by the Mirani and Jalali Forts built in the 16th century by the Portuguese.
Mirani and Jalali Forts
Al Jalali Fort, and Mirani Fort are forts in the harbor of Old Muscat, Oman. The forts where built by the Portuguese under Philip I of Portugal in the 1580s to protect the harbor after Muscat had twice been sacked by Ottoman forces. It fell to Omani forces in 1650. During the civil wars between 1718 and 1747, the fort was twice captured by Persians who had been invited to assist one of the rival Imams. The fort was extensively rebuilt later.
Sultan Qaboos Mosque
In 1992, Qaboos bin Said al Said, the then Sultan of Oman, directed that his country should have a Grand Mosque. A competition for its design took place in 1993 and the construction commenced in December 1994. Building work took six years and seven months.
The mosque is built from 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone.
Then our ship sailed to Abu Dhabi where we chose this tour that included: Ferrari World, Grand Mosque, Corniche Beach
Then we went back to Dubai and visited Heritage Village and Dubai Mall.
Ferrari World
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a mostly indoors theme park located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is the world’s first Ferrari-themed park and features Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster.
It took three years to develop the park until it was officially opened to the public on 4 November 2010.
Grand Mosque
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the country, it is the key place of worship for daily prayers.
The Grand Mosque was constructed between 1994 and 2007. The main axis of the building is rotated about 12° south of true west, aligning it in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The project was launched by the late president of the United Arab Emirates , Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted to establish a structure that would unite the cultural diversity of the Islamic world with the historical and modern values of architecture and art.In 2004, Sheikh Zayed died and was buried in the courtyard of the mosque.
Corniche Beach
The Corniche is 8 km long, and includes children’s play areas, separate cycle and pedestrian pathways, restaurants, cafés and the Corniche Beach. Between 2002 and 2004, land was reclaimed from the sea and the Corniche was extended. Some of the earlier landmarks – the volcano fountain and Abu Dhabi clocktower – were demolished in the process. Certain parts of the Corniche have significant deposition of sand, with people using the area as a public beach.
Heritage Village
The Heritage Village was created close to the Diving Village, to embrace the heritage events and to display a live image of the old traditional life in UAE. It represents the components of wild, marine, and mountain life, where the visitor can identify closely the old traditional customs of the country and the special characteristics of old houses, handicrafts, patterns, and forms of living. Working hours at Heritage Village are Sunday to Thursday, 8:00-22:00, Friday and Saturday from 3:00 to 22:00.
Dubai Mall
The Dubai Mall is a shopping mall in Dubai. It is the second largest mall in the world after the Iran Mall by total land area and the 26th-largest shopping mall in the world . it is part of the 20-billion-dollar Downtown complex adjacent to the iconic Burj Khalifa, and includes over 1,200 shops. In 2011, it was the most visited building on the planet, attracting over 54 million visitors each year
The next day the ship made its way back to Dubai where we would have another day off, so we had already ordered a tour that included: entry to Burj Khalifa and entrance to the aquarium in Atlantis the Palm and Dubai Marina and New Dubai tour with Burj al Arab.
Burj Khalifa and Dubai Marina
The Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft) and a roof height (excluding antenna) of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in 2009, supplanting Taipei 101, the previous holder of that status.
Dubai Marina is a district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is an artificial canal city, built along a 3 km (2 mi) stretch of Persian Gulf shoreline. When the entire development is complete, it will accommodate more than 120,000 people in residential towers and villas.
There have been many instances of marine wildlife (especially whales and sharks) entering the marina, because of its proximity to the open sea.
Atlantis the Palm
Atlantis The Palm, Dubai is a luxury hotel resort located at the apex of the Palm Jumeirah in the United Arab Emirates. It was the first resort to be built on the island and is themed on the myth of Atlantis but includes distinct Arabian elements. The resort opened on September 24, 2008 .The 1,548 room nautically themed resort has two accommodation wings, consisting of the East and the West Tower, linked together by the Royal Bridge Suite. It is complemented by the Aqua adventure water park and the Lost Chambers Aquarium, home to over 65,000 marine animals.
New Dubai and Burj al Arab
The Burj al Arab is one of the most luxurious and expensive hotel in the world. With a height of 321 meters it is one of the tallest hotel buildings in the world and a landmark of Dubai. Due to the sail-shaped cubature and its exposed location, this building is unmistakable.
This was going to be our last day in Dubai and our trip to the UAE was coming to an end. But of course the next day we woke up confident and in a good mood because we were going to Thailand for the first time. Stay with us and read on the article about our trip to Thailand-Khao Lak.
Where to stay
A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. UAE offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.
Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature – UAE’s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.
We managed to find the best three companies that offer hotels, holiday homes and transportation. These are: Booking.com, Trip.com and Vrbo. We have already tested these companies and we warmly recommend them. As a result this will just bring you good deals for your next vacation.
Top hotels we recommend in Dubai: Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Grosvenor House, Park Hyatt Dubai
Top hotels we recommend in Muscat: Kempinski Hotel Muscat, W Muscat, Fraser Suites Muscat(family friendly hotel), Royal Tulip Muscat
Traditional Food UAE
- The Baleetat is a combination of sweet and salty elements. It is a breakfast dish made with an omelet and vermicelli. Sugar, cinnamon, saffron, cardamom, orange blossom, or rose water are added for flavor.
- Shakshuka is just scrambled eggs with tomato and pepper. On top of the tomato, there will be thyme and coriander.
- Chabab Bread – Emirati Pancake
- Reqaq is a crispy paper-thin bread made of whole wheat flour.
- Dango – Boiled chickpeas
- Hareeth is a wheat porridge with meat and ghee.
- Thereed is a meat stew with large pieces of potatoes. You can make it with chicken or lamb.
- Maochbos is the most popular rice dish and can be prepared with chicken, lamb, or fish
- Fattoush – lettuce, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, mint leaves, onion, garlic, lemon and olive oil and is served on Levantine bread
- Al machboos is a dish made of red meat, chicken or shrimp boiled in stock with spices and dried lime powder, or loomi.
- Khuzi, or ghuzi, is the United Arab Emirates’ national dish. It is a complete, filling and delicious meal since this dish consists of roasted lamb or mutton served on top of a bed of rice and topped with vegetables and nuts.
- Luqaimat – sweet fried dumplings made of milk, sugar, butter, and flour and covered in date syrup.
- Batheetha is but more of a cookie made of dates than a dessert.
- Aseeda – A classic dessert made of pumpkin.
Traditional Food Oman
- Mashuai – It is a dish consisting of roasted kingfish and savoury lemon rice.
- Mushaltat – soft flatbread stuffed with honey, meat, spinach or cheese.
- Shawarma
- Mishkak is grilled pieces of marinated meat, normally chicken, mutton or beef on long wooden sticks.
- Halwa is a sticky, sweet gelatinous Omani food, made from brown sugar, honey, eggs and various spices.
- Harees is a combination of boiled, cracked or coarsely-ground wheat soaked in water combined with meat clarified butter and sheep tail fat which is left overnight. It looks more like porridge when served on the plate.
Restaurants
The Best Dubai Restaurants
Aseelah, Iris Dubai,The Pierchic, Al Hadheerah, Ronda Locatelli,Eau Zone Restaurant, Bateaux Dubai, At.Mosphere at Burj Khalifa, Ossiano, Eat Greek Kouzina.
The Best Muscat Restaurants
Al Angham Restaurant, Al Khiran Kitchen, Al Mandoos Restaurant, Al Tanoor, Asado Steakhouse, Baba Salem, Bait Al Bahar, Begum’s .
The Best Abu Dhabi Restaurants
Milas, COYA Abu Dhabi, Bonna Annee, Parker’s, Mezlai, Catch, BBQ Al Qasr, Bord Eau, SALT, Tamba, Bu Tafish, Hakkasan.
Saving Tips
- Book your stay at a budget hotel
- Avoid consuming alcohol
- Look for cheap or inexpensive restaurants
- Use Metro for domestic travel
- Find a cheap brunch
- Attend a happy hour
- Eat in Old Dubai
- Take the metro
- Groupon is huge in Dubai and you can find tons of discounts, 2-for-1 specials, and deals on the website.
- The Entertainer, a magazine and app that offers discounts and specials on restaurants, hotels, and activities.
If you do not go by car and need to know more informations about the tours, things to see and do, we recommend this two companies that are offering tours for any kind of activity you want to do and where you can buy trips much cheaper than if you buy them when you arrive at your destination. It is always good to be able to save some money!
Viator and Get Your Guide : the best activities in town!
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Shopping
Shopping in Muscat, Oman
Markets and souks are central to the Omani way of life and provide many families with their staple purchases. Shopping in Muscat souks can be a fantastic experience.
Mutrah is the old commercial heart of the city. Though concrete units replaced the original palm structures in the 1970s, it remains one of Arabia’s most authentic souks. It is easy to get lost if you head off the souk’s main street, although this all is part of the experience. West of the main section, explore the dazzling Gold Souk, accessible from further down the Corniche. Souk Ruwi not far from Mutrah and Old Muscat, is also worth a visit.
Shopping malls, markets and souks in Abu Dhabi
The Mall at World Trade Center Abu Dhabi houses a huge shopping complex with a traditional Arabic souk.
Souq Abu Dhabi Mina Markets – traditional Arab souk in Abu Dhabi selling freshly caught fish, vegetables, fruits.
The Galleria Al Maryah Island Located in Abu Dhabi’s new Central Business District, the mall offers spectacular views of the harbour.
Yas Mall is the ideal place for entertainment, shopping and dining.
Abu Dhabi Mall has over 200 stores as well as major brand outlets.
Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi is home to over 400 luxury and branded stores.
Shopping malls in Dubai
- The Pointe Mall – A shopping promenade on the palm island Palm Jumeirah
- The City Walk is Dubai’s longest shopping street. Many great shops in all price categories cover an area of more than 13,000 square meters.
- The BurJuman Centre is one of Dubai’s most luxurious shopping centers, home to many designer boutiques such as Calvin Klein and Hermes.
- Dubai Festival City Mall it has 500 shops as well as a Hard Rock Café, a cinema complex and a large selection of restaurants and cafés.
- Mercato Shopping Mall – Mercato with fresh fish, meat, fruit, and vegetables. The mall also offers italian delicatessen and some fashion boutiques.
- Dubai Outlet Mall – Affordable shopping that is easy to be reached with the free shuttle bus
- City Centre Deira – Low prices and a children’s paradise
- In the Cityland Mall, you will find more than 350 shops, about 75 restaurants, a cinema and an amphitheater for children. is the world’s largest mall on one level!
- The Mall of the Emirates has 630 shops and many restaurants. It also has a cinema, a theatre, and a playground.
- The Nakheel Mall on Palm Jumeirah has five floors with more than 300 shops, restaurants, and entertainment.
- The Dubai Mall – 350,000 square meters of luxury shopping and entertainment
Getting Around
There’s very little public transport in Oman. Buses will, at a pinch, get you between the main towns and cities, but to really see anything of the country you’ll need your own transport, either by signing up for a tour, hiring a guide-driver, renting a car or getting a taxi.
If you’re visiting Abu Dhabi, you’ll want to make the most of your time by visiting the emirate’s world-class attractions. For that, you can call upon taxis, buses and rental services to connect you to your desired destination. You’ll also find some attractions within walking distance depending on where you stay.
Getting around the UAE is easy with a pretty good network of roads. One can find a cab easily to travel between the emirates. There are also other options for transportation including metro, monorail, bus, plane and ferry service. One can also hire a car in order to have a smooth and convenient trip.
METRO
The Dubai Metro offers a cheap, fast and convenient way of getting around, with state-of-the-art driverless trains running on a mixture of underground and overground lines, and eye-catching modern stations.
The metro consists of two lines. The 52km-long Red Line starts in Rashidiya, just south of the airport, and then runs via the airport and city center south down Sheikh Zayed Road to Jebel Ali. The 22km-long Green Line arcs around the city center, running from Al Qusais, north of the airport, via Deira and Bur Dubai and then down to the Creek.
TRAINS
Trains run roughly every 4–8 minutes, with services operating Sat–Thurs from around 5.30am until midnight (and until 1am on Thurs), and on Fridays from 10am to 1am. Fares are calculated according to the distance travelled ranging from 3dh up to a maximum of 7.5dh for a single trip (or from 6dh to 15dh in Gold Class), or 20dh for an entire day’s travel
TRAM
Opened in late 2014, the new Dubai Tram has plugged one of the last major holes in the city’s transport infrastructure, offering a convenient way of getting around the Marina and north towards Umm Suqeim – the system is eventually planned to extend all the way up to the Madinat Jumeirah.
BUS
Dubai has an extensive and efficient bus network (wdubai-buses.com), though it’s mainly designed around the needs of low-paid expat workers so is of only limited use for tourists – most routes cover parts of the city that casual visitors are unlikely to want to reach. The majority of services originate or terminate at either the Gold Souk Bus Station in Deira or Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in Bur Dubai (many services call at both).
Public buses are a cost-effective way to travel around Abu Dhabi and they operate round-the-clock. To pay for your bus journey in Abu Dhabi, use a Hafilat Smart Card. Hafilat – which means ‘buses’ in Arabic – is a pre-paid card that you can use onboard any public bus to scan in and out of your trip.
The UAE has a network of excellent and well-maintained roads, making it an easy destination to explore by car. Vehicles are driven on the right-hand side of the road. Traffic signs are generally in English and Arabic.
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Getting Here
Tourists and visitors can arrive into the UAE or Oman by land, sea or air. The UAE is well-connected by major airlines of the world. Road transportation is by private cars and public buses. Several cruise-ships have added Abu Dhabi and Dubai on their Asian itineraries.
The UAE’s airlines offer direct connections to most cities in the world including to the faraway continents of Americas and Australia. You can use these airlines’ offers for online booking facilities, incorporating eTicketing. Payments can be done quickly and efficiently using many options including: credit and debit cards, eWallet or real-time bank transfer.
In addition to Oman Air, there are several airlines that operate direct flights to Oman on a daily basis, including low-cost carrier Salam Air. For overland travel, the Sultanate shares its borders with UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. There are five land-based border crossings.
Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Dubai are popular stops on the itineraries of major cruise lines. The UAE ports provide modern facilities and fast processing of entry/exit at immigration counters in terms of visa clearance. The ports provide easy transportation to the cities.
You could also arrive by buses operated by national transportation companies. All visitors must have the correct exit permit from the country of origin and a UAE entry permit/visa.
It is possible to drive into the UAE from the neighbouring countries of Sultanate of Oman and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Visitors driving into the UAE require an international driving permit and a valid vehicle insurance. Residents of GCC countries can drive in the UAE with their driving licence issued by the country they reside in. Citizens of the following countries can drive with their driving licence issued by their home countries: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.
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