If you’re planning a trip to Dubai, then you’ll be pleased to learn that there are several dozen destinations which even high-flying celebrities would dream of visiting. Let’s look at a few of them, and see how we might follow the footsteps of the stars.
Burj Khalifa
When you come back from Dubai, one of the first questions your friends and family will probably ask is: ‘did you see the Burj Khalifa?’
So, a trip to the very top of the world’s tallest building is probably obligatory. This is where Tom Cruise famously filmed some incredibly impressive stunts for the fourth Mission Impossible film, and it’ll be the world’s tallest until at least 2021 when the Jeddah tower goes up in Saudi Arabia.
Burj Al Arab
This extravagant hotel costs more than a grand per night, and it’s a famous haunt of celebrities like Justin Bieber and Samuel L Jackson. The word has somehow gotten out there that this is a ‘seven-star’ hotel. While it’s undoubtedly very nice, there’s no such thing as a seven-star hotel – and even the hotel management has distanced itself from the term. “There’s not a lot we can do to stop it,” one forlorn executive told The National in 2009. Ten years later, and the term hasn’t gone away!
Skydiving
Will Smith and Bella Hadid are two celebrities who’ve recently taken to Instagram to enthuse about the merits of jumping out of a plane in this part of the world. This activity enables the traveller to take in the city and its marvellous architecture from an entirely new perspective. With that said, it’s not for the faint of heart! If you’re so-inclined, Skydive Dubai also offers a school for those of us who’d like to jump solo, and a gyrocopter tour of the city for a more relaxed aerial experience.
Palm Jumeirah
‘The Palm’ as it’s known, is a sprawling beach resort that’s entirely artificial. It’s shaped like an enormous palm-plant, and provides excellent views over the nearby marina, and downtown. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have their own private island just off the coast, and David Beckham once owned a seven-bedroom villa here – that is, until he elected to present it to his wife’s parents.
Desert
There’s plenty of desert to go around, and there’s nothing that Hollywood A-listers enjoy more than taking a trip out there to pose in front of a suitable sunset. The views in the desert can be breathtaking – just be sure that you watch out for gazelles and camels, and to get lots of evocative, sweeping landscape pictures.
Things to remember while travelling to Dubai
When you’re planning a break to Dubai, it’s worth bearing a few things in mind. The first is the hidden cost of Dubai airport transfers, which can be minimised by booking well in advance. The second is to remember the country’s conservative religious outlook, and to dress modestly, especially during Ramadan.
Image credit at the very top of the article: melis/Bigstock.com
