Everything is plush and posh in Dubai. And we are reminded of this, quite literally, as our car approaches a 150 metre-high majestic sky towering gold frame capturing views of both Old and New Dubai. One of those iconic landmarks that you stop for quick selfies, but once inside, you are in awe of the beauty of this city. A man-made mountain top in the middle of a concrete jungle that looks like a photo frame is a testimony to say – welcome to Dubai.
Screeching through the soaring buildings and posh roads, we reach our destination Atlantis The Palm. The 19-metre grand lobby presents a dazzling interplay of water, light and sound with a wall of windows offering stunning vistas of water. As we move across the lobby's travertine marble floors, the symphony of sounds gives a soothing reminder of the surrounding sea. The majestic 10-metre-high glass sculpture at the centre of the lobby, we learn, took about two years to complete. With brown, orange, red, and tranquil blue crystals, the sculpture makes for the first selfie point before we notice the lobby's high arched ceilings featuring hand-painted murals on canvas depicting Arabian mythology, solar calendar, constellations and planets telling ancient stories.
Beauty and the balcony
Soon we were at the reception desk hoping to grab delicious dates and Arabic coffee, which is a delight and say we are officially in the desert city. Soon we were in our room which opened with a breathtaking view of the azure Arabian Sea and white open shacks complementing the tranquil blue waters. Divided into the West and the East tower, the splendid residency has unique underwater rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows looking directly into the aquarium that connects the entire walkway of the East tower on the ground floor. We learn that Shah Rukh Khan had stayed in one of the rooms during his visit to the resort. Isn't it interesting when you have the pleasure of sleeping in the middle of the ocean aquarium where a herd of illuminating sea creatures keep you company? At first sight, we were scared, but soon we found comfort and the Titanic score ran back in our head. A playground of darkness, light, and sound — suddenly no one is talking very much as we simply let our senses soak in as much wonder as we possibly can.
Interiors of the East tower |
Room with an aquarium view |
View from the balcony |
Into the wild
Between our luxurious stay with gourmet breakfast at Saffron, lunch and dinner spreads at Michelin Starred-restaurant Bread Street Kitchen and Bar by Gordon Ramsay, and South American En Fuego respectively, adventure rides at Aquaventure, dolphins encounter, and an enriching tour of Dolphin Bay and Sea Lion Point, the days go by fast and in a blur. The up-close encounter with sea lions and dolphins is mesmerising. We take a quick tour with a marine expert to learn how marine life is taken care of. The dolphins and sea lions swim freely and crawl to the slab near you, and we meet new friends. Sea lions are stunners, they jump around as the human guide introduces us to them and feeds them their day's meal. Following meal time was for a shower which is part of their daily schedule. The animals, it appears, are as thrilled as we are, enjoying a quick cool down on a hot summer day.
The Lost Chambers Aquarium |
As we walk forward, we are straight into the medical laboratory. Expert veterinarians and technicians provide the highest level of care and welfare for marine mammals. In fact, the hygiene of a dolphin or sea lion is nothing less of any human. They take showers, brush their teeth, and eat on time, yes, we were surprised and in awe. We learn that both species have monthly blood checks to ensure they are healthy. The marine expert walks us through the kitchen where the food for these sea creatures is prepared with due diligence of cleanliness and temperature.
Apart from the option of booking an underwater residential suite and playing with dolphins, you can also try a shark safari which we hear doesn’t require you to be an experienced diver as a prerequisite and is open to first-timers.
Being on top of the world
This most expensive area of the city is designed like a palm, which is what we heard even before we reached our destination. It was only when we took a Dubai balloon ride, we realised there was so much truth in it. The spectacular view of the city quickly takes over, literally making us feel 'on top of the world'. This is not for the faint of heart, but if you are game for the ‘height’ of thrill — step onto this balloon and the pilot will take off to show you one of the world's most beautiful architectural plans made right in the middle of a desert.
The landscape shifts dramatically from day to night when you are at Atlantis. While we loved the mysteries of the deep and fascinating facts about marine life in the day, you might want to sing Twinkle Twinkle sitting on the balcony while you admire the evening skyline of the city.
Desert trail
Later that day, we went dune bashing on a safari. As adventure as it was, we advise you to skip lunch or breakfast before this wild ride. The morning safari on a hot summer day wasn't a good idea. As the sun sets, we enjoy the cool night air of the desert with dancers spinning to traditional tunes, covered in bright costumes. The fire show paired with dancing beats was the highlight of our tour. Coming back to roads, we find ourselves hopping stores through the market keeping our eyes peeled for exciting dates, chocolates, saffron, and other edibles to bring back home.
Desert safari |
Evening set up at desert safari |
A Day with a Prince
Not literally, but everything is prince-like in the city of Abu Dhabi. The wide roads, beautiful glass towers and of course the complex Etihad Towers of The Fast and Furious. The city has its charm with the Grand Mosque being the highlight. When you enter the city's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, you understand why it is such a special place. Here, people from all walks of life come together to take in modern architecture's beauty. One of the world's largest mosques draws you into an enchanting fairytale of 2D illustrations, carpeted floors and all-white walls. Only the visitors are in colour. We loved the artistic work inside the mosque — gold-plated Swarovski chandeliers, vast marble mosaic artwork and reflective pools that mirror some of the many amethyst-and-jasper-embedded columns.
Interiors of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque |
When outside, we look up to see the mosque's four stunning 106-metre minarets. The beauty of the outside world seems to be fading as we inhale deeply to see this majestic mosque enough till we visit here again. For those wanting to visit, we recommend wearing clothes that cover you completely, the security and rules here are strict, but you have no limit to how much time you want to spend here once inside. There's no talking, but allowing yourself to soak in the beauty of peace of this enchanted mosque.
The French connection
You may find this renowned Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi a bit expensive. But it's worth it. Enter the first universal museum in the Arab World, and you find it translating intercultural understanding seamlessly. You get to see the revered painter Pablo Picasso’s artwork highlighting a distinct facet of his artistic process. This French museum is a house for some of the world's finest arts. The dazzling architecture combined with French designs and Arabic heritage makes it a beautiful site to visit at least once.
Louvre Abu Dhabi |
Museum of Future |
Our visit to Dubai came to an end with a grand visit to the iconic Burj Khalifa. The light and sound show in the evening is a sight to behold from the old town. We head over to the airport but are definitely coming back for more exploration of this city, especially the Museum of the Future which, we learn, transports you to the year 2071.
