Abras are super old wooden boats that remain the main transport for crossing the river. The crossing costs only 1 dirham (just under 2 reais) to board along with the locals who use the transport – it is also possible to negotiate a private transport, but it is best to do it in the traditional way.
The crossing, despite taking just a few minutes, will show you Dubai from a different angle. Take this time to enjoy and admire the region. The last time I went by the Creek, it was Muslim prayer time, when all the mosques play a song, and that’s when I really felt like I was in the Middle East.
Al Fahidi, Al Seef and the Dubai Museum:
After crossing Dubai Creek, you will be in Al Fahidi – and here you will have some options that will depend on your mood. This is one of the oldest areas of Dubai and where many immigrants live. This is also where the Dubai Museum is located, an unmissable attraction for your trip that you can visit right after lunch.
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, when I last visited Dubai, the museum was closed. Despite having already met it on my first visit to the city, I would have liked to have entered it again. Check if it will be open on your trip and if it is, don’t leave it out of the schedule.
As it will be at lunch time, this is the time when you will be dreaming of stopping to eat somewhere. Here I will give you two options: one if you have more time and another if you have little time.
If you have more time, I highly recommend that you head to the Al Fahidi Historical District. In this cultural space, they serve a typical Arab lunch: you will eat with a group of people, all sitting on the floor and with only the most typical dishes of Arab culture.
The entire experience is guided by two hosts. They will explain traditions and customs, not only regarding food, but also life in Dubai. It’s really interesting because after lunch they open up the possibility for questions and a chat about the culture – I thought the experience was incredible.
Food:
This lunch costs about AED 160 dirhams, which is, depending on the current price, approximately $60 dollars. For those looking for more information about the culture of this region and really want to live a different experience, I highly recommend it.
It is also worth taking a stroll through the Al Fahidi Historical District and observing everything it holds and tells the history of Dubai – there is also the Coffee Museum, which I really wanted to visit.
If you don’t have much time, my suggestion is to head straight for the Al Seef tour – where you’ll have several options for places to have lunch – as well as being beautiful for taking pictures.
Al Seef is a neighborhood in Dubai and one of the most recent tourist attractions in the city. The sandstone constructions, where wind towers spread across the roofs, allow us to travel back in time and feel like we are inside a movie set. For Visa Consultation Click Here
It is in this space, in fact, that there is a Starbucks store that went viral a while ago on social networks for having a totally different architecture – it is worth going there to take some pictures.
For lunch, my suggestion is the Khofo Restaurant – it faces Dubai Creek and has a delicious deck for you to enjoy the view of the region. In case it is very hot at the time of your trip, they also have an indoor area with air conditioning.
Dubai Frame:
After you have visited the Dubai Museum and finished your tour of Al Seef, my suggestion is to head to the Dubai Frame – which is not only one of Dubai’s main attractions but also the largest frame ever built in the world.
To get to Dubai Frame, you must take the metro and get off at Al Jafiliya or ADCB station. Unfortunately, none of them are that close to the attraction – and walking in Dubai is not such an easy option and, I can say, it is impossible at certain times of the year.
The best alternative, in my opinion, is to use a taxi/Uber – which is why this is the best time to visit Dubai Frame. The drive from Al Seef is approximately 3km – it will take you less than 10 minutes to get there.
Tip: check the Uber app, but it is possible that the taxi ride, because it is close, is cheaper than Uber. It’s worth taking the test.
The Dubai Frame is an attraction that really impresses. At 150 meters tall and with a golden structure that shines from miles away, it’s impossible not to be stunned when you get close to it.
Even if you don’t have time to go inside, the visit from the outside is already amazing. But, if you can fit into the schedule, I highly recommend that you make the full visit. Inside, a panoramic elevator will take you to the top of the Frame and you will be able to walk through a glass floor at 150 meters high – it’s sensational!