Winter Sun (Dubai in Particular)

Looking to try and get away somewhere hot for a bit at the end of January. Has anyone been to Dubai in January before? According to Google, the temperatures are around the low 20s this time of year. Bit of a naff question, but does it 'feel' warm out there? I.e. pleasant enough to sail, swim etc.

I'll take any other recommendations on board too, although I don't fancy much spending 15 hours on a plane.

Dubai Phil is your man!

And here he is.

End of Jan. Well, for us it is already freezing here. 24C daytime and 18 in the evenings. For us the sea is too cold for swimming.

For you Europeans, the sea will be as warm as the Med, the sun will still burn you to a crisp after about 20 minutes without Sun-Screen.

It is our high season for good reason, this time of year, each day is just like a perfect English Summers' day, and the humidity stays low. BUT - we DO get rain this time of year. Haven't seen any yet, but we do catch the edge of the Indian Monsoon occassionally and see a few grey days each year between Jan & March

There will be a load of events on around the Emirates, golf in Abu Dhabi 19th onwards, in Dubai 8th Feb onwards and there will be a number of gigs coming up (check out Time Out Dubai)

The Beach hotels tend to be "Luxury" level with prices to match a bottle of Heineken is AED 49 at The Royal Mirage - that's about 9 quid, but there are many in City Hotels that offer good deals, plenty of all you can eat and drink evenings and shuttle buses to the public beaches or Beach Clubs.

Also check out "Serviced Apartments" quite a few come with Maid Service and a pool and can get VERY good deals - mate got a two bed apartment for a week at around 100 quid a night.

Eric & I will always be around to give advice on where to go. But if you are bringing the other half she needs to understand not to wear see-through tops on the way to the beach by taxi - once there - no problemo

Le Meridien Mina Seyahi is always popular and has one of our best Beach Bars for evenings, Jebel Ali Hotel has a great beach and facilities but is almost 60km from the City so you really are marooned unless you want to spend 30 quid each way on a taxi or wait for a bus but do some research first.

Backpacking budget holiday with some sunshine - forget it. The wrong 2 or 3 star hotel will find you trying to check in to some Asian Mafia Brothel, but PM me for more detail if you need help

There's enough to do for a good 10 day or so trip and it really isn't much more than a 7 hour trip now.

Personally I'd always recommend Centara Villas in Phuket as the perfect Winter Sun and Hotel combination but you are then talking 12 hours from UK to Bangkok, a messy transfer and another 90 minutes to Phuket before you have a one hour transfer

Cheers for that Phil. Was looking at Le Meridien Al Aqah, which looks to be on a nice secluded beach and has absolutely rave reviews on Trip Advisor. A bit pricey, but you only live once.

I'm not looking to get baked. As long as it's warm enough to lie on the beach or swim, in only a tasteless thong, that's fine for me.

We stayed there in February a couple of years ago for three nights on the way back from the Maldives. The El Habtoor was the only place we could get, but there are lots better (and pricier). My wife loved the sybaritic excess of it all. It was a bit chilly to sit outside in the evenings, you would have need a jacket or jumper, and the sea was too cold for even a paddle but sitting around the pool in the daytime with the temperature in the mid twenties was very pleasant. I'm afraid that the Maldives have spoilt us for anywhere else, but it was well worth the stop on the way back.

Cheers for that Phil. Was looking at Le Meridien Al Aqah, which looks to be on a nice secluded beach and has absolutely rave reviews on Trip Advisor. A bit pricey, but you only live once.

 

I'm not looking to get baked. As long as it's warm enough to lie on the beach or swim, in only a tasteless thong, that's fine for me.

The Meridian Al Aqah is over on the east coast near Fujeirah and apart from the beach bugger all to do, except lie around in a thong. Nightlife would be pretty dead I'd guess.

We are overdue a bit of rain so at least dubai has indoor attractions ie Shopping Malls!! Take your pick - go Skiing in The Mall of The Emirates, Sky Diving in a wind tunnel in The Mirdiff City Mall or swim with sharks in The Dubai Mall ..... or even just shop!!!

As Phil said PM us if you want any info.

A quite good guide to places to eat / drink / nightlife is www.timeoutdubai.com

I went to Dubai a few years ago and was bored after 4 days.

Dubai is one of the places in the world that I have least desire to visit. It is like a beacon of so much that I find unattractive. What would I know though, I think Norway is beautiful and we've got no real skyscrapers at all here.

Dubai is one of the places in the world that I have least desire to visit. It is like a beacon of so much that I find unattractive. What would I know though, I think Norway is beautiful and we've got no real skyscrapers at all here.

That is Blingland, a theme park that was designed and promoted by The Daily Snail for it's readers.

There is a real holiday to be had down this way in a real City. The East Coast (and the drive their) through the Mountains is stunning

Le Meridien is a really good hotel, lovely rooms, but as Eric said you are stuck in the Hotel so it has a Cocktail Bar on the Top Floor and the pool bars. Some Snorkelling & Scuba diving but that really is it. About a 90 minute drive from the airport. If you simply want to hit a beach then also next door is the Rotana Al Aqah which is more basic but the rooms are really decent and it will be cheaper.

A good mix would be to spend some time over there chilling and then move back to stay in one of the City Centre locations, Movenpick in Bur Dubai (NOT the Marina) is a hotel we've used for business guests, away from the whole Burj & Marina stuff and able to get to some good (no booze) cheap restaurants.

Deppo is right, 4 days would be boring if you didn't 1) know someone here or 2) do some research on actual stuff to do Naif Bazaar, Abra'a trips, Jumeira Mosque educational centre, Dune bashing in a 4 x 4 (no offence but something I know many would like to do)

IF you go to a hotel you are allowed 4 litres of booze per person at Dubai Duty Free Inbound. That would cover 3 bottles of wine, a bottle of Spirits and usually two half case of Beer (Tsing Tao is our favourite 7 quid for 12 cans) but they do Fosters & Bud and occassionally Guiness which WILL save you a fecking fortune on Hotel prices.

leave any left overs with me or Eric

 

........ Dune bashing in a 4 x 4 (no offence but something I know many would like to do)

 

Lovin' it

The Meridian Al Aqah is over on the east coast near Fujeirah and apart from the beach bugger all to do, except lie around in a thong. Nightlife would be pretty dead I'd guess.

 

We are overdue a bit of rain so at least dubai has indoor attractions ie Shopping Malls!! Take your pick - go Skiing in The Mall of The Emirates, Sky Diving in a wind tunnel in The Mirdiff City Mall or swim with sharks in The Dubai Mall ..... or even just shop!!!

 

As Phil said PM us if you want any info.

 

A quite good guide to places to eat / drink / nightlife is www.timeoutdubai.com

Just want to re-iterate, again, re Al Aqah. There are 2 hotels alongside each other, then a big rock, then another hotel on a beach about 3kms long. You buy a hotel stay - period.

There is then a VERY VERY VERY scruffy unfinished set of accomodation that may one day become a village with a shop that sells stale food and soft drinks. That REALLY is it, there is NOTHING else Mountains behind you and sea in front. The hotel and Nada, Nichts, Nothing that any "Non-Local" is going to want to go anywhere near for about 30kms in each direction.

Sun & Pool & Hotel International Buffet and almost English prices in the Curry House, so spend some time there but FFS not 2 weeks you would go as mad us me & Eric

Lovin' it

Oh we love to do it. You can't take it slow and careful though, you've got to give it everything. Hell even Clarkson loves it

Oh we love to do it. You can't take it slow and careful though, you've got to give it everything. Hell even Clarkson loves it

Oh I thought you were referring to 'our' Dune on here.

Oh I thought you were referring to 'our' Dune on here.

You may think that BTF, but I could not possibly comment

I was there for more than 4 days. That's just when boredom struck.

Go to Miami or Havana or even Cyprus.

Go to Miami or Havana or even Cyprus.

Key Lime Sailing Club in Key Largo, about an hour's drive away. If I was in UK and wanted a chill out winter sun holiday I'd go back there in a shot

Key Lime Sailing Club in Key Largo, about an hour's drive away. If I was in UK and wanted a chill out winter sun holiday I'd go back there in a shot

Good call

Good call

http://www.keylimesailingclub.com/

Acoomodation is a bunch of converted outbuildings & old garages, but the one I stayed in was 2 bedrooms with kitchenettte & bbq. Each pad comes with a 20 something foot sailing boat and you can book lessons - was zipping around like an Olympic Yachter within a day. Great American Diner at the top of the lane for Breakfast and Publix up the road for beer & muchies and then all the whole chillaxness.

But this is THE best chillax place I've found on Phuket, small bungalows on the side of a cliff each surrounded by forest.

http://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/ckv/ckv_default.asp

But Miami is 9 hours and then an hour for immigration, Phuket is 15 hours away and 7 hours of time zone change. Key Largo is a 7 day trip, Phuket 7-9 days with 3 days in Bangkok to get the trip out the system, which is NOT what the OP really wanted.

Dubai this time of year does have it's good side now that the Daily Snail crew & Property Luvvies have all run home to mummy crying about how they've been stitched up by buying property here. A mix of Al Aqha & downtown Bur Dubai will be a great trip. (Which is why I was outta here most of December)

Cheers for all this guys. Will probably do Dubai in March now (for 6 days), seeing as it looks about 5 degrees warmer on average and the Caribbean is pretty hot at the mo. According to the website, the Meridien has a free shuttle service to Dubai, so I could do that and have a couple of days out in the city.

Phil, Eric; I'll come and find you out there

Cancun is a good shout, no chance women wearing too many clothes there...

Stayed at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, nice beach and pools. Good food and not far out of town. They did a free shuttle run into town last time i was there. Go to Dubai again if you can its a great place. Skiing in the mornning, beach in the afternoon

Cheers for all this guys. Will probably do Dubai in March now (for 6 days), seeing as it looks about 5 degrees warmer on average and the Caribbean is pretty hot at the mo. According to the website, the Meridien has a free shuttle service to Dubai, so I could do that and have a couple of days out in the city.

 

Phil, Eric; I'll come and find you out there

Check you dates carefully. The stupid big Horse Race with no gambling (Dubai World Cup) is at the end of the month (26th). All very nice if you want to blow cash on Champers at 100 quid a bottle but the flights & hotel prices go up.

My lad should be over at the start of March for 2 weeks so that should mean we can rummage up about 5 or 6 Saints fans for a tour of the Dark Side (and yes, GF's/Wife etc will enjoy it)

(and yes, GF's/Wife etc will enjoy it)

Thats next on his wish list

my mate suggests you visit the York Bar

Thats next on his wish list

Yes, I'm not having much luck at the moment. I may consider becoming a chutney ferret.

my mate suggests you visit the York Bar

No, it is The York International Hotel in Khalid Bin Waleed Street. A legend and a great night out. The Dubai Massive were last there en masse about 4 months back.

It has declined slightly of late as they no longer have a live band on, but still worthy of a stop over on the tour

Already indicated we will tour the Dark Side, and the York is but one small cog in that wheel. The York has the best all round fusion takeaway menu, Mariners Bar in The Seaview has the best Music (in the whole of Dubai) but relies on Chinese Cuisine and Rattlesnake (at The Metropolitan) has the best Compromise between dining out and music.

Then there are the less well publicised parts of Deira where you can range from SE Asian takeaway menus at less than a tenner through to the delights of the more advance cuisine of the former Soviet Socialist Republic at the likes of the InterCon & Sheraton.

Yes, I'm not having much luck at the moment. I may consider becoming a chutney ferret.

Strangely you may be coming to the right place then.

I quote a former Emirates Hostess

"Men in Dubai are like Toilets. They are either full of sh1t or engaged"

So yes, there are around 3,000 single female aircrew now with Emirates, all as fed up of the b**sters as we are of finding something interesting to talk to them about. The good thing about them is they fly so much their average attention span is around 3 days.

I kid you not, the number one never fails chat up line when talking to them is

"So what do you do in Dubai?"

"I work for Emirates"

"Oh what do they do?"

Sorted. they can start to tell you all about their day and after 15 minuted of listening they'll tell you that you aren't like all the other guys in town and whoosh.

Why does it work? Because all the rest of us just glaze over at the thought of hearing yet another load of "Tales from The Mumbai Turnaround"