Lifestyle

A girl’s travel guide to Dubai

23rd July, 2015
All set! With the girls in the First Class Lounge prior to take off!

All set! With the girls in the First Class Lounge prior to take off!

I recently had the opportunity to visit Dubai as a guest of Dubai Tourism to experience the city with a group of girlfriends. Who better to go with than my fellow Fashion Bloggers girls Nadia, Sara and Zanita? If guys go to Vegas for a boys’ trip, Dubai is definitely the ultimate destination for a girls’ trip. You can do everything from enjoy cocktails by the pool, to indulge in spa treatments and shop ’til you drop. Below is my guide to what to see and do during a visit to this incredible city.

How to get there:

We flew to Dubai with Qantas and quite enjoyed having a slumber party of sorts in our pyjamas during the flight!

Flying to Dubai on Qantas Airways.

Flying to Dubai on Qantas Airways.

Pyjama Party! With the girls in our Qantas PJ's.

Pyjama Party! With the girls in our Qantas PJ’s.

 

Where to stay:

If there’s one thing Dubai knows how to do it’s luxury hotels. We stayed at the Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa. It was a gorgeous hotel right by the beach and was incredible. We hung out by the pool and enjoyed a lot of amazing meals there. For a totally different experience we also stayed at the PER AQUUM Desert Palm which was right near the desert. The hotel hosts the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge and was a beautiful location.

Anantara Dubai The Palm

Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa

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Beachside at the Anantara Dubai

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With my girls!

Per AQUUM Desert Palm

Getting glammed up for dinner

Per AQUUM Desert Palm.

PER AQUUM Desert Palm’s beautiful surroundings

Hanging with Nadia at Per AQUUM Desert Palm.

Hanging with Nadia at PER AQUUM Desert Palm pool

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Strolling through the gardens

 

What to do: 

Visit the Al Fahidi District which is the historical quarter of Dubai. It’s got some really beautiful sightseeing and was a great insight into the history of the city.

Do a longtail boatride to take in the city via water. The boat leaves from the Anantara Dubai and goes to the Dubai Marina. They do four return trips daily.

If you’re feeling adventurous try indoor skydiving at Inflight! Such a great adrenalin rush. Just don’t do what Nadia did and attempt to do a photoshoot mid-air…

Pamper yourself with a spa treatment. Dubai really knows how to do spa treatments! I had a great spa experience at both the Anantara and Per AQUUM.

The weather will be really hot so take some time to hang out by the pool and just relax. Order some fresh coconuts and enjoy an afternoon in the water.

Exploring in the historical quarter of Dubai - Al Fahidi District.

Exploring in the historical quarter of Dubai – Al Fahidi District.

Desert Sands.

Desert Sands

The long tail boat ride.

The long tail boat ride.

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Pool time while sipping coconuts. Is there anything better?

Poolside - Per AQUUM Desert Palm.

Poolside

 

Where to shop:

Prepare your credit card for a workout as Dubai definitely has some amazing malls to satisfy every shopping whim. Head to Dubai Mall, one of the biggest shopping malls in the city to enjoy some retail therapy.

Check out the Spice Souk for spices, the Textile Souk for textiles and the Gold Souk for jewellery (Dubai has some of the cheapest prices for gold anywhere in the world). I picked up a few pashminas of really beautiful quality and some little ornaments for Sophia. You can also pick up some great homewares such as cushions and blankets.

Spice souk.

All the amazing spices at the Spice Souk

Old Souk - textile shopping.

So much colour!

Old Souk - textile shopping.

Beautiful homewares at the textile souk.

 

Where to eat/drink:

The Eden Beach Club is the perfect place to have a drink. We went there to have cocktails and watch the sunset and it was gorgeous.

Enjoy a delicious Jewel Afternoon Tea at the PER AQUUM Desert Palm, complete with views over the polo fields. If you’re looking for gourmet experiences try Gaucho, Zuma, La Petite Maison and Nobu.

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Cheers!

Sunset at Eden Beach Club

Sunset at Eden Beach Club

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Cocktails at Eden Beach Club

 

Must-do: 

You can’t miss the Arabian Desert Safari. It was incredible. We drove through the desert in four wheel drives and when we got to our location joined a camel train and were able to ride on camels through the desert to get to our camp. When we arrived at our campsite we were greeted with lavish tents with beautiful Persian carpets. We enjoyed a traditional Arabian feast at sunset after which we also had henna tattoos done, smoked shishas and were entertained by bellydancers. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. The scenery was so picturesque Zanita actually did a photoshoot right there in the desert.

 

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Getting up close and personal with a falcon

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Our ride!

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Having too much fun with the girls

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The sand dunes provided the perfect backdrop

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Riding to camp

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The desert surroundings

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Our glamorous dinner location

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Magical trip with these ladies

What to pack:    

Dubai is very hot. When we went where it was 40 degrees everyday so bring lots of light and airy clothing. However be mindful that it’s a more conservative culture so no midriffs, have something to cover your shoulders and wear skirts to the knee.

 

Want to win your own Dubai experience? You can win a dream holiday for two to Dubai thanks to Fashion Bloggers TV!  The prize includes return premium economy flights to Dubai with Qantas, 2 nights at the exclusive PER AQUUM Desert Palm and 2 nights at the beachside sanctuary, Anantara Dubai the Palm Resort & Spa. To enter, simply create a Dubai inspired flatlay, follow and tag in our partners @anantaradubai @peraquumdesertpalm @qantas @fashionbloggerstv, and #mydubai plus #followinourheels. The most creative post will win! Entries open to Aus/NZ residents only and close 19 August. Winner to be announced on INSTAGRAM and Facebook 20 August. Full terms and conditions here – http://bit.ly/1MjueXx”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2 Comments

  • Reply Emma 17th February, 2016 at 11:36 pm

    Hi Kate,
    I was just wondering the name of the company you did the Dubai Desert Safari with? I am in Dubai often and would love to do this it looked amazing!
    Thank You!
    Em x

  • Reply Maria 13th December, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    Hi Kate, what’s the name of the Arabian desert safari you went on? I’m visiting in January and this looks so much chicer than the rest. Thanks, Maria

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