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COVID-19 Travel Diaries: Dubai Edition

Just as Tier 4 hit around the corner this Holiday season, my family along with numerous others, escaped London for a short trip to the prime Middle Eastern paradise! This post will share our 4-day Dubai itinerary and experiences in celebrating the New Year during the global pandemic.


Despite making Dubai trips quite frequently from Bahrain, this New Year was an exceptional experience for both having all our family members with us, and celebrating amongst a global pandemic. Our four-day itinerary consisted of very laid-back day plans while enjoying Dubai. The Emirate city, known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture, and infinitely bustling nightlife never fails to disappoint with the exclusion that there is never enough time to explore all of the city.


Dubai Desert Safari


Before You Go (COVID-19 Edition):


  1. Anti-COVID Bag. We carried anti-COVID ziplock bags individually consisting of sanitizer, masks, gloves, wipes, and sprays. Please make sure to have anti-virus products for maximized protection.

  2. Pre-bookings and Reservations. We normally make all our pre-bookings and reservations for hotels and tours via Booking.com and GetYourGuide prior to our trip. The tours were all private and maintained COVID protocols of social distancing, temperature checks, sanitation, masks, etc.

  3. Transportation. My family and I rented two cars during our short trip. This is HIGHLY suggested as Taxis are only permitted to two passengers per car (inflexible, expensive, and unreliable for large groups especially during a peak season). Car rentals are decently priced but must be booked considerably prior to trip to ensure availability and reservations.

  4. Restaurants & Bars. During the duration of our stay, many rooftop bars and hotel restaurants were accessible only for 21+ adults. A limited number of desirable restaurants were family friendly.


DAY 1: Global Village


Upon our arrival and negative test results (complimentary at DXB), we freshened up at the hotel and headed straight to Global Village. As our group comprised of 18 people, we stayed in three suites in a Marina Bay Hotel. The views were stunning both during the day and night. The day-time blue hues of Marina Bay transition into sparkling nightlife as skyscraper lights reflect on the Marina strip upon evening.


As evening falls, the super-yacht dedicated turquoise begins to reflect the glistening of the skyscrapers situated above.


Global Village, open only during the evenings of winter months, is one of our favourite destinations to visit in Dubai! From Europe to Asia, the wondrous park consists of mass country-themed pavilions featuring street bazaars, shops, entertainment, and culinary exposure from around the world. Tourists and locals visit Global Village every year to experience an array of cultures and fascinating architecture. Due to the pandemic, social distancing measures, masks, outdoor arrangements for normally indoor entertainments, screening, and sanitation took place regularly within the park.



Explore the 3,500 near-far cultural pavilions and displays of Global Village - part market/part theme park...



DAY 2: FIVE Palm Jumeirah & NYE '20


On the morning of our second day, the family spit up to explore different interests and decided to reunite in the evening for our grand New Year's celebration. My parents and I decided to head out for brunch at FIVE Palm Jumeirah (slight disappointment), followed by a short shopping spree at Dubai Mall. FIVE Palm Jumeirah is a popular insta-worthy destination. Specifically, their roof-top bar, The Penthouse, offers an exceptional view worth visiting during twilight hours!



My family and I returned to the hotel around 6 pm to recharge for the long-planned evening. We rented a 6-hour private yacht tour for NYE to ensure maximum safety due to COVID-19. The yacht picked us up at Marina Bay Yacht Club around 9 pm, toured around the Palm allowing us magnificent evening views featuring Marina, JBR, Zabeel Saroy, Atlantis, Burj Arab and many more, as we lounged on drinks, snacks, and music. Finally, we enjoyed a fantastic 360 fireworks from the Atlantis, Burj Khalifa, and Burj Arab as midnight struck! I recommend pre-booking a private yacht for your group to avoid the bustling NYE crowds.



NYE 2020 on a Yacht... view all the panoramic fireworks Dubai




DAY 3: Desert Safari


Our third day started early as we had reserved a Desert Safari tour for the entire day! The Desert Safari is one of UAE's top tourist adventures. Despite having gone several times, the experience remains timeless and is increasingly fun in larger groups. We were picked up in three cars categorized as cousins, parents, and grandparents, and our day comprised of dune dashing, camel rides, sand surfing, ATV, and finally a campsite dinner with live entertainment. All activities maintained COVID safety measures.




Experience Dubai's sun-kissed sand dunes and a unique thrill-seeking adventure...




DAY 4: Shopping & Beach


Our last day in Dubai was chill. We all separated on shopping sprees (typical), then met in the late afternoon for some quality beach time and a sunset picnic. There are many stunning private beaches in Dubai, but most were 21+ for New Years until the second week of Jan. Nevertheless, some public beaches include Kite Beach, Jumeirah Open Beach, and JBR.




GALLERY





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