DUBAI

[Myealexis21]

^Sis you can book desert safari tour in any hotel you are staying, concierge/front office staff will assist you with this.  Hindi sya exclusive for desert resort hotels.

The only downside about the desert resort hotels is malayo sa city proper compared to beach hotels.  In terms of public transportation mas madali kung either city hotels or beachside hotels ka magbook.  Since you have kids, the beach resorts would have more amenities for the kids - beach / waterpark like in Atlantis (Aquaventure), Jumeirah Beach Hotel / Madinat Jumeirah (Wild Wadi Waterpark).  Although I know Jumeirah Emirates Towers, which is a city hotel, might offer access to Wild Wadi din (please check this baka wala na itong offer na ito ngayon)

For me na dito sa Dubai nagwowork, I love staying sa hotels na nasa desyerto or other emirates like Fujeirah, Ras Al Khaimah...for the mere fact na I don't need to go around the city of Dubai.

[bagaholic_chewy]

Sis, how about Al Maha Dessert Resort? Mukhang maganda!

Heard about Al Maha but di ko napuntahan. a friend stayed there for a weekend, and it's about same travel time daw from Mall of Emirates area as Bab Al Shams, so less than an hour.

For desert dinner safari, I would recommend Arabian Nights. Sulit sya. We joined them twice. Once, kami lang ni hubby. 2nd time, with my in-laws who visited us in Dubai. Pangit kasi yung unang napagdalhan namin sa kanila na mas mura (super-bitin ang dune-bashing, pangit ang sasakyan, etc), so we decided to book another desert dinner safari trip for them na sure na ok, para maganda experience nila, so we booked with Arabian Nights again. Si hubby and officemates went to another desert dinner safari trip, ibang tour company pero similar price range as Arabian Nights. Ok din daw, forgot lang the name... usual inclusions: pick-up/drop off from Dubai, dune-bashing, camel ride, sand-boarding, dinner with shisha and entertainment, free henna tattoo, etc. Meron din ATV, pero for a fee.

If you'll stay in Bab Al Shams, they have free camel ride. Then you can dine at Al Hadeerah (they have a golf cart to take you to the resto), that's their desert buffet restaurant, nice ang mga performances, di lang belly dancing and tandoora dancer, me iba pang entertainment and daming food choices.

But since you have kids with you, I guess you'd be better off staying in a hotel within the city, doesn't matter whether beach-side or otherwise, so it'd be easier to move around. You can also check out the hotels in Marina area.

^ oo nga sis, nice ang resorts in RAK. Chillax-mode lang dun.

[Myealexis21]

^Oo and mas mababa pa ang room rates pagbalik dito ni hubby plan ko to book a weekend again at Ras Al Khaimah. 

I love Bab Al Shams, but was not able to stay there.  Back when it was part of the Jumeirah Hotel chain nagpupunta kami dyan for lunch and dinner.  I love their infinity pool!

[aranses]

may nakapunta na sa ferrari world? sulit ba puntahan?

may nakita ako agency na mag-aayos ng transit visa namin USD100, mura na ba eto? bale ang sponsor ko friend ko nurse sa dubai.

namamahalan lang ako sa ferrari world tour nila USD245/per person ang rate tapos may isa pa sila offer na miracle dubai city tour half day USD135/person. Di ko tuloy alam kung mura ba o hindi. Balak din namin magrent ng car sa Dubai para makalibot

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ I-DIY nyo na lang ang Ferrari World and city tours both in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, sis. Mas mag-eenjoy pa kayo, IMO. Parang ang mahal nga ng quote sa inyo. Madali lang naman puntahan mga lugar dun, kahit pa di kayo mag-rent ng car. Madami naman taxi e.. if may car, lalong mas madali.

ok naman ang FW, but don't expect much kasi medyo maliit lang sya. Di sya mala-Disneyland or USS kalaki.

[chockulit]

^^Masyadong mahal sis yung quote na yan.  Yung entrance fee sa Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is AED 225 lang tapos ang singil sa inyo is USD 245.  Hello!!!  Almost three times ang tubo nila sa original price.  Mag public transpo na lang kayo papuntang Ferrari World from Abu Dhabi bus station kung galing kayo ng Dubai.  Siguro around AED 80 lang ang babayaran ninyo kung magta-taxi kayo.  Kung magba-bus naman kayo AED 4 lang per person.  Plus, pwede pa kayong maglibot sa YAS Island.  Marami kayong mapupuntahan dun like Ikea, Yas Waterworld, Yas Marina Circuit, etc.

Yung Dubai Miracle Garden, AED 20 lang ang entrance fee doon.  Medyo nasa tagong lugar nga lang din sya, pero kahit na magtaxi kayo hindi kasing laki ang babayaran ninyo compared dun sa ni-quote sa inyo. 

[vain_kixie]

I got my e- dubai visa na. 2 days processing only. Kaya ba day trip lang ang abu dhabi?

[shegie_285]

^ we did a day trip of abu dhabi, ang napuntahan namin is the Grand Mosque and F1 circuit (un ba ang Marina circuit).  Tapos drive drive lang around, nagpapicture dun sa isang hotel ng shiekh (can't remember kung anong tawag basta sabi friend ko sikat daw un). Lunch time na kami dumating ng abu dhabi, nag-bus lang kami from Dubai. But we have a friend in Abu Dhabi so may driver kami. We left abu dhabi around 7pm..

If you want to go sa Ferrari World may friend said stay for another day para masulit daw, hubby and I are not theme parks fan naman so we skipped this.

aranses agree mura lang taxi sa Dubai, 3AED flagdown (Nov 2012). Visa - I think I paid almost the same amount for my visa (processed via Emirates Airlines).

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ kaya naman day trip but if you plan to go inside Ferrari World, two days. You can go to Emirates Palace Hotel (they have a scheduled guided tour, nasa website yata ang time. Maganda yung mga suites. Pwede din naman walang guided tour, picture-picture lang sa labas and sa lobby. Grand Mosque, lakad-lakad sa Corniche. Sa Yas Island, andun ang Ikea, Ferrari World, etc.

Taxi lang kami to/from Dubai tsaka around Abu Dhabi. Sulit na kasi 4 kami nun. Then overnight namin sa hotel sa city. Unang punta, kami lang ni hubby so nag-bus kami from Dubai then taxi around Abu Dhabi, then bus ulit pabalik ng Dubai. Sa hotel sa Yas Island naman kami nag-overnight kasi 2nd day kami nag-Ferrari World.

[vain_kixie]

Not into theme parks din. Id rather see the beauty of the city. Ive been to Dubai before so i want to see Abu Dhabi
naman this time. But i need to let the hubby tout Dubai. Have not experienced the dessert safari too. Okay ba?

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ masaya ang desert dinner safari. Make sure you book with a good tour agency para talagang sulit. One of those good agencies yung Arabian Nights.

[vain_kixie]

Thank you bagaholic_chewy, will take note on that. Will hoard on chocolate dates and glysolid tin cans.

[yapeegurl]

vain_kixie, kami pinaka nag enjoy sa Camel ride and naaliw sa belly dancing Me and my husband were able to wear the local Emirati clothing para sa picture lang. Nakakatuwa

mrs. sweet, hindi kami nag stay sa Desert Resort/Hotel. Nag balikan lang kami sis.

Kami naman we stayed at Pearl Residence Hotel Apartments. Walking distance lang ito sa Bur Juman Metro station (and sa isang mall) pero hindi din kami naka try ng Metro. Palagi cab or naghi-hire kami ng van/car.

bagaholic_chewy, sis mas maliit pa si FW than USS? Gusto din namin puntahan ito May next year.

[bagaholic_chewy]

^ yup, small lang sya. Yung thrill rides, siguro 2 lang. The rest kinda pang-kids na. Me mga exhibit lang ng Ferrari cars, racing, etc me kontng show din. Kung nataon na wala masyado pila, lunchtime onwards, pwede na. Pero open na din daw yung Yas Waterworld, so me added attraction na sa Yas Island.

We stayed in Rotana when we were in Yas. Mala-staycation weekend na din. Sa next balik namin nung me bisita kami, lunchtime onwards lang sa Yas, then hotel sa city (sa city na kami nag-dinner), then Abu Dhabi tour kinabukasan.

[yapeegurl]

bagaholic_chewy, thank you! I'll keep my eye on this thread para updated ako in case meron new attraction sa Dubai or AD. Sobrang init kasi ng punta namin. 2nd time namin next year na month of May ang punta (to attend the graduation kasi).

[simplykristine08]

^ excited na ko makita ka dito next year!

[yapeegurl]

^I know mars!!! Samahan mo ako sa Ferrari World and AD tour? Skip ko na ang Desert Safari pero parang gusto ko ulit kasi hindi naman kami nag sandboarding last time.

[simplykristine08]

^ sure!! may exact date na ba ang pagparito nyo?

[yapeegurl]

^Yahoo!!! Depends sa graduation date mare. Pero last time it was the last week of May. Basta as soon as mag release ang school ng date of graduation, saka kami mag book. Sana makakuha kami ulit ng 1 bedroom apartment like last time. Miles lang kasi ang ginamit namin noon kaya nakatipid kami. 9 days din kasi kami sa Dubai last time. Maybe next year a week or less lang kami.

[simplykristine08]

^ bakit ang bilis nyo lang next week? sana mga 9 days ulit!