The Big Bus City Tours Dubai

It has been constructed on a man-made island, with a short causeway linking the hotel to the mainland. A brilliant white during the day, as evening falls the Teflon coated exterior becomes a dazzling canvas as computer controlled spotlights create an ever changing array of colour.

The Burj Al Arab has 202 double floor suites, each lavishly decorated and with its own private butler to cater for your every need. Hotel guests can even take a submarine ride from the hotel lobby to dine in the hotel's underwater seafood restaurant, the Al Manhara.

 :: Close     

The Jumeirah Mosque is considered to be one of the most attractive mosques in Dubai. It is built in the Medieval Fatimid tradition and is a fantastic photo opportunity while on the tour.

The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding organizes visits to the Jumeirah Mosque which are aimed at promoting cultural understanding and insight into the Islamic religion. Tours of the mosque run every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and start at 10.00am.

The fee for the Jumeirah Mosque Tour is 10 AED per person.

 :: Close     

The fort that once defended Dubai has been many things over the years including a ruler’s residence and a government centre. At one time it served as a prison for wrongdoers!

Once inside the museum, you enter into a fully air-conditioned underground exhibition centre where you can learn about the history of the fort and Dubai’s development from its origins as a small pearl diving community right through to the discovery of oil in the late 1960s.

 :: Close     

There are over 200 stores in the Gold Souk and it is estimated that at any one time the souk contains over 10 tons of gold. The shops are bursting with gold necklaces, brooches, rings, bangles and earrings. It’s well worth haggling to see if you can get yourself a bargain!

 :: Close     

The Burj Khalifa was officially opened by HH.Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in January 2010. Until then the tower had been known by its local name of Burj Dubai, however, at the opening ceremony the name Burj Kalifa was revealed, in honour of HH. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of the United Arab Emirates.

Its massive height makes the Burj Khalifa an almost ever present sight on the Big Bus tour as it can be seen from all over Dubai. However, the Tour takes you right into Downtown Dubai so you can discover the true scale of this amazing building.

Hop off the Tour to visit Dubai Mall, the worlds largest shopping complex. Intrepid visitors can also venture up to one of the Burj Khalifa’s viewing decks for a stunning birds-eye view over Dubai.

 :: Close     

The Spice souk provides a heady feast for the senses and its fragrant aroma can often be noticed many streets away. Hop off the tour and wander through this traditional market place; a world away from Dubai’s modern shopping centres.

 :: Close     

Once inside, the park offers a variety of amenities, such as games for children, barbeque areas, food kiosks, volleyball courts and walking tracks. Head to the nearby beach for a swim in the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf, or relax under the palm trees on a sun-lounger. There is even an amphitheatre where live musical performances are held.

Tickets for the park can be purchased at the entrance. The park has special “Women and Children” only days on Saturdays and Sundays, but is open to all throughout the rest of the week.

Alternatively head a little further along the coast and visit the Jumeirah Public Beach. Soft, golden sand and crashing surf make it ideal for a free day at the seaside! The beach has its own public showers and you can also hire equipment for water sports.

 :: Close     

Located on the Palms outer breakwater is the Atlantis Hotel and Resort. The Atlantis hotel is made up of two towers linked by a breathtaking archway. The resort has more than 1,500 rooms and features four Celebrity Chef restaurants.

The resort’s wide pedestrian avenues are lined with a host of luxury boutiques selling everything from the finest designer brands to locally sourced products and mementos. Atlantis is also the home of the Aquaventure water park which boasts Dubai’s highest waterslide, and Dolphin Bay, where guests are able to swim with dolphins.

 :: Close     

The house has a large courtyard and comprises a large number of rooms, bathrooms and verandas, divided into independent family units.

The building was created with very thick walls to keep the interior cool, but today the house is converted into an air-conditioned museum, with historical photographs and documents charting the development of the Dubai Emirate.

A visit provides excellent insight into the lifestyle and heritage of Dubai’s ruling family.

 :: Close     

Along the Dubai creek is also where historians inform us that the first Dubai settlement was build. Remains of this early Dubai settlement were found at the mouth of the Dubai creek.

The creek in Dubai was originally smaller in size however as the land along the coast quickly filled up with residents and businesses, people were forced to go land inwards.

As little water was available land inwards due to the desert type landscape, the Dubai creek was enlarged by the local authorities through intensive dredging.

The Dubai creek also was used by boats for transporting goods and people so it was important that these boats could go land inwards as far as possible.

 :: Close     

At the time of construction the twin buildings were the third tallest building pair in the world and have been designed using equilateral triangles inspired by an Islamic theme.

Architect Hazel Wong, described the use of equilateral triangles within the construction to distribute the structural load at the three corners of the building, whilst encompassing a form that is evocative of the Islamic culture in the pattern of a triangle. The three points of the triangle represent the earth, the sun and the moon, and the recurring circle elements in the tower at the base and the top mean eternity within the Islamic context.

Jumeirah Emirates Towers has been awarded ‘‘Best Business Hotel in the ME’’ for 9 consecutive years. This year the hotel celebrated the 10th year anniversary. The tower has become an icon, a place where ‘business meets pleasure’.

 :: Close