United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE for short) is a medium-sized country in the Middle East, on the Arabian Peninsula, along the Persian Gulf. Many people know it for its oil reserves, but few know that real estate and tourism now account for a large part of the UAE’s GDP. The country is made up of about 90% immigrants, and its population of about 10 million has only grown to this size in the recent years.

It is a true multicultural place, where the locals try to preserve Arab culture and values, yet the many tourists and migrant workers feel at home because everyone’s own culture is respected. Coupled with this is a brutal technological development that is surprising when travelling to the Middle East. The UAE has a perfect road network, where you can enjoy your car on 7-lane highways and listen to Arabic music while you drive. Public safety is excellent, you don’t have to worry about being robbed. The public spaces are professionally maintained, everything shows that a lot of effort and money is invested in everything. And the people are super nice, probably the nicest we have ever met. The respect for the customer and the guest still exists here, so the quality of service is very good and everything is customer centric. Here you can feel that everything is there to make you feel good, of course with everyone else.

The only problem is that the UAE is a bit expensive. We haven’t managed to organise a cheap trip here yet, but many people do (we don’t know how). Prices are at or above Western European levels. Even with average, non-luxury needs, plan plenty of budget when organising.

In the United Arab Emirates, the summer is blazing hot, so travel is not recommended at this time, except for those who prefer a cheap trip. As summer here is the off-season, it is the cheapest. In general, the period between November and April is the most expensive, especially around the holidays. If you want to go to the beach, it’s important to know that the sea can get quite cold in the winter months, so it’s best to choose autumn or spring.

The UAE’s largest city, Dubai, is a true tourist paradise, full of the best attractions and activities. Dubai is home to the world’s tallest building, the largest Ferris wheel, the largest flower garden and much more.

The capital is Abu Dhabi, where you can visit the magnificent Grand Mosque. And in the countryside, you can go on a desert safari almost anywhere, you can visit the stunningly beautiful Hatta or drive up into the mountains to hike in the Hajar Mountains.

All in all, we think the UAE is the top place you could ever travel to.