11
may 2012
best of the rest
Hard Rock Café
hardrock.com
Dine at the Dubai version of the
world-renowned Hard Rock Café and
catch live performances from the resident
band before collecting your Hard Rock
Café pin and famous T-shirt.
The Dubai Fountain
Catch this spectacular attraction as it shoots
jets of water 150 metres into the air in time
to Arabic and international music. Free to
watch, the fountain, which is the tallest of
its kind in the world, operates every 30
minutes from 6pm and is located in
Downtown Dubai next to the Burj Khalifa.
At The Top
800
AT THE TOP, burjkhalifa.ae
See the most impressive views of Dubai
from At The Top, the 124th-floor
observation deck in the world’s tallest
tower, the Burj Khalifa. See sights
including Dubai Creek and The Palm
Jumeirah and learn about the
construction of the 828-metre-high tower.
Name
Helen Michael, Sales & Marketing
Coordinator, InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Experience
Emirati cuisine
Location
Al Fanar, Dubai Festival City
Why
Al Fanar is Dubai’s first and only Emirati
fine-dining restaurant. It features dioramas such as a Bedouin
tending to his camel and a donkey pulling fuel to light old
lamps, as well as old-style architecture and traditional
ornaments. The restaurant has a cosy ambiance and
photographs of the emirate when it was still a small town
located on the banks of Dubai Creek.
Travel tip
Be sure to try the rice, which is of excellent quality
Contact
Call
04 2329966
or visit
alfanarrestaurant.com
Name
Leoni Jones,
Assistant Spa Manager,
InterContinental Dubai
Festival City
Experience
Pearl Museum
Location
Emirates NBD Building, Deira
Why
The Pearl Museum is a breath of fresh
air from Dubai’s modern malls and
skyscrapers. It gives the visitor great insight
into the emirate’s pearl diving industry,
which used to be the main source of income
Name
Christopher
Delrosario, Concierge,
Crowne Plaza Dubai –
Festival City
Experience
Cultural
breakfast at the Sheikh
Mohammed Centre for
Cultural Understanding
Location
Bastakiya, Bur Dubai
Why
The breakfast experience is just like
being welcomed into a real Emirati home:
you share food while chatting with at least
one national, which is so unique. It’s an
eye-opener for visitors who often know
very little about the history, religion and
culture of Emiratis.
Travel tip
The breakfast is hosted every
Monday and Wednesday at 10am and is a
great place to visit with friends or family.
Contact
Call
04 353 6666
or visit
cultures.ae
Name
Francois
Simon, Assistant
Chef, Reflets par
Pierre Gagnaire
Recommends
Quad
biking in the desert
Location
Hatta-Oman Road
Why
Quad biking is so different from
the typical activities people usually
do in Dubai. You’re in charge of
creating the experience, which makes
it all the more thrilling. I absolutely
love the beautiful views of the dunes,
especially during sunset, and the
interaction with camels!
Travel tip
Avoid going in the hot
summer months.
Contact
Call
04 357 2200
or visit
desertrangers.net
before the invention of the cultured
pearl. The pearls are beautiful and
many have been collected by hand
from the sea bed.
Travel tip
For a culturally rewarding
day out, stroll around Bastakiya and
admire the traditional Arabian
architecture, cross the Creek to Deira
in a traditional abra (old-style water
taxi) and head to the Pearl Museum.
Contact
Visit
pearlmuseum.ae
Al Fanar restaurant
Quad biking
Cultural breakfast