Howdy!! Wots the craic? Well I'm returning to Dubai @ the end of July (yyyeeeeooooo!!) for two weeks, not one but two weeks!! and I was wondering whether or not the Big Bus Tours are much good.....or is it better just to taxi it from A TO B AND C TO D, I suppose it would be a more interesting way to see the city? Yeah or Nay??xx

Hi,
it is really depens on you, if you want to have a freedom and stop at some more interesting place for a longer time, I would say taxi (quite cheap), but since its going to be pretty hot (end of july & august) its not bad idea The Big Bus Tour...hope there is A/C and you will get general overview of Dubai. Two weeks is also enough time to discover it yourself... just get a small guide book over there and then decide...
It was just my thought.
Good luck!
:-)

Yeah I agree. I think you'll be better use big bus tours, you can jump on/off wherever you like and you have 24hours ticket. Dubai has not places where you can be drove by taxi and then just walk around so it's not well paid to use it. There are 2 lines so you can use both lines in different days, then decide where come back by taxi.
Hope this help you.
Cheers mate, Roberto

It's going to be very hot and very humid at the end of July, so wandering around outdoors isn't really an option. I'd certainly go on the BigBus tours to get your bearings - they have one tour around the older city and another around parts of the 'New Dubai' developments. You can hop-on hop-off so you can easily spend a day on each tour by getting on and off at the various stops to have a look around.

The rest of the two weeks it'll be best to use the taxis to go wherever it is you decide to go.

I go yey to using big bus tours, at least you can get off the bus anytime you want and get in to another one (during the 24 hours :-). For locations out of the reach of the big bus the only choice is to use a taxi or Public Transport (Buses).
Good luck.

Salaam Amir. We just got back to Dubai early this morning so I'll be back on the forum again :-)

Hi from Dubai!

As all others have said: due to the immense heat (up to 50 degrees!) at the end of July you're better-off taking the airconditioned Big Bus Tour. As you'll be here for 2 weeks (plenty of time to see everything the city has to offer), you could always take notes during the big bus tour of places or things that you want to explore further, and then travel there by taxi on another day by yourself!

TIP: best places to grab taxis are in front of shopping malls or 5-star hotels... getting a taxi just somewhere random on a main road is difficult in Dubai, and you don't want to be standing around in the heat for ages! Trust me!

Hi Jess - on the weather, I've just heard the weather report and it's currently 42C (in the shade that is) with up to 47C possible this afternoon.

Humidity is low so it's comfortable, but when that goes up to the usual 80% to 90% in the next couple of months it won't be!

Thank-you all for your replies, muy interesante! When I was in Dubai last year (in July) it was warm....well roasting, but I liked it (I know weird!!), it's like a constant Spanish heatwave PLUS the humidity, I thought I could handle it (being my usual cocky self..oj!) but after a while it was hard work walking from A to B in the heat. Although in saying that what I missed in Dubai was not being able to walk around many places, going for a wee dander, I know the heat can be restrictive but when I went to Mexico (during a heatwave might I add!!)it was nice to walk around the town (although there's not much culture in Cancun....don't go there....Puerto Vallarta is much nicer!), I missed that in Dubai, is there anywhere one could have a wee dilly-dander (a walk in Northern Irish!), have a rummage in the shops, stop by a cafe and people watch?? I've heard the Bastakia area is good for this, what about Jumeirah?
Also ...Spanish or Mexican restaurants...can you recommend any, I miss good Spanish food...esp churros con chocolate...if you haven't tried it ...do! And then go on a diet for a month!! Thanx guys -much appreciated!!x

Hi and welcome back, Colin :-)

Well, just now this has popped-up on the Gulf News website:

People stay indoors as temperature rises to 49C in some parts of UAE

By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
Published: June 29 2008, 15:48

Al Ain: The temperature has shot up to 49 degree Celsius in Al Ain and some other parts of the country on Sunday, forcing people to stay indoors.

Sunday turned out to be the hottest day of the year in Al Ain and some other interior parts of the country; rising humidity in the costal cities also added to public discomfort.

"It is the hottest day of the year in the interior parts of the UAE," said a weatherman, noting that the temperature has gone to the maximum level (for now...!) and people must take protective measures.



BUHUUUUU! Summer, summer go awaaaaay!

Caroline,
Dubai simply isn't a pedestrian-friendly city. There are a handful of small areas you can explore on foot, but then you have to drive again to go somewhere else of interest. It annoys me, too.

My favourite area (and I think Colin's, too) is the old town area down by Dubai Creek: the area of the Textile Souk and Heritage Village. There are also some lovely little restaurants down there.
Of course, you'll have to go after sunset, but I'm afraid even after dark 36 degrees and the 90% humidity rising-up from the Creek might just slap you hard in the face!

Another good place for people-watching is DIYAFAH STREET (near Jumeirah Mosque)

For a Spanish restaurant, I recommend SEVILLE'S:
Link:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/12e281/

A more fancy Spanish Restaurant is AL HAMBRA:
Link:
http://www.madinatjumeirah.com/al_qasr/al_hambra/



Hope this helps,
Jess ('c',)

Hi Jess, it's good to be back :-)

Caroline, I agree with Jess about the Spanish restaurants she recommends. I love Mexican food but I haven't found any here (apart from awful franchise fake Mexican fast food!). If anybody knows of one please let me know.

I also agree about the places to walk that Jess mentioned. The souk areas either side of the creek, which extend into local shopping streets around Al Faheidi Street in Bur Dubai and around Naif Road in Deira. Satwa is another great area including the various restaurants in Al Diyafah Street, although it'll be very uncomfortable sitting outside. Sit inside in the air conditioning on a window seat to people watch! You can do the same at the top of Jumeirah (Beach) Road in one or two restaurants in the little shopping malls such as Jumeirah Plaza.

Salaam Habibi Colin and all other VT friends,
I also returned back to Dubai in the middle of last week. Its good to see all of you on the boards and hopefully we may have a great VT meeting in the near future. Let us see who is interested :-)
See you all..........
Amir

I took the big bus tour twice at the end of May and the A/C on it was horrible. I cannot even imagine how bad it would be in July. There are 2 different tours. One of them mostly just stops at malls. I would just make sure the A/C is working before you get on board.