old dubai tour
We all know what beauty Dubai holds. The heart and soul of the city is old Dubai. The city houses many marvelous structures, luxurious places, and also is one of the major cities in the United Arab Emirates.
In this article, we will talk about the old Dubai tour, which will help you when you make your trip to the old Dubai market. Read this article till the end to find out the details.
THINGS TO DO IN OLD DUBAI
If you want to taste the traditional part of Dubai and enjoy the magnificent architecture, you must visit Old Dubai. Let us look at the places that you can visit in old Dubai, Bur Dubai, and Deira.
GOLD SOUK
This is a labyrinth in the Dubai souk market. There are almost 300 jewelry shops here that will blow your mind. You can also buy jewelry for you and your family at very low and reasonable cost from here. You can also haggle for a much reasonable and better price. The current prices of the gold items are displayed all over the souk. You should definitely visit this place, even if you are buying gold or not.
GRAND SOUK DEIRA
This was once famous as Al Souk al-Kabeer. It is the largest in the old Dubai souk. It is also one of the most important markets. However, people claim that it is not as attractive as it used to be before. The cleaned up appearance has taken away its charm. However, being the largest and the most important, this is a major tourist spot in the city. You can walk around the traditional aroma filled aisles and enjoy your time. You can also visit the amazing textile market, which is definitely one of a kind that you can experience in the city.
READ ALSO: Things to do in Dubai International Airport
DUBAI CREEK
It is a saltwater creek and an important part of the city. It was previously used as a fishing site. It also served as a pearling site for the traders’ way before oil was discovered in that area. The view around the creek is wonderful. The place is a major tourist attraction. You can take an abra ride in the creekside old Dubai. Abra is a wooden traditional boat that can be found in the deira souk station. You can take a ride on that to reach the other side of the creek. Bur Dubai lies to the other side of the creek, which is a unique experience.
Additionally, you can also take the dhow boat ride and enjoy the beautiful night sky of the city. Along with that, you can enjoy the traditional emirati dinner at reasonable costs while sitting upon a boat.
HERITAGE VILLAGE
This traditional Arabian village has been preserved well and is a magnificent experience. It is located in the Al Shindagha district and is a must visit place if you are a history lover. You will be amazed by the amazing architecture of the place and get to know several things about Dubai when it was a fishing and pearling nation.
SHEIKH SAEED AL MAKTOUM’S HOUSE
This place has been converted to a museum. This was the former residence of Sheikh Saeed who was the grandfather of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. He is the current ruler of the city. You can find the display of important documents and pictures over this place which might amaze you with the history of this place.
READ ALSO: Best Dubai markets shopping experience
OLD SOUK DUBAI
This is yet another fabulous market place in the city. The souk is traditionally covered with Arabian masterpieces. It consists of traditional Arabian textiles, trinkets, food, footwear, and so much more. There are around hundreds of traditional shops in the market. You would never get bored while shopping your heart out here. There are a plethora of things that you can choose from. Even if you do not want to shop, you can walk and enjoy the beautiful place. You can also haggle a lot, because the locals love it.
DUBAI MUSEUM
If you are visiting Dubai, you are bound to visit Al Fahidi Palace. It is the oldest building in the city. With so much heritage and history, the Dubai museum is a perfect treat for the history lovers. This could be yet another architectural attraction of old Dubai for you to learn and know more about the history of the city.
BASTAKIYA QUARTER
This historical neighborhood lies just beside the creek. This is the favorite spot for the tourists to visit. The rich merchants of the ancient city used to live here and they have preserved this place so well. The houses still have the wind catchers or barjeels. They are natural air conditioning system that keeps the house cool.
Walking through the maze of the bastakiya and sensing the traditional feel is a once in a lifetime experience. You can also shop from the galleries and gift shops. There are also some cafes where you can munch something.
READ ALSO: Dubai food tour
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
The city is an advanced cosmopolitan. But, the main religion here is Islam. And when you visit a foreign country, you should adopt the level of culture and sensitivity towards the people of the country and their beliefs. Hence, when you visit Dubai, you should remember the following points:
- Keep your body covered. It is not necessary to wear a burqa, but you should not wear revealing clothes.
- You should not indulge in PDA.
- You must not swear. Not in the streets, not on social media, nowhere.
- Do not indulge in alcohol or drugs. They are banned and you could be fined severely.
- You should know that Friday is a holiday there and most of the shops are closed. Hence, you should plan accordingly.
- The temperature of the city is extremely hot. You should carry cotton clothes with you.
- The preferred mode of transportation should be cabs. The price of petrol is really low and hence taxi rides will not cost you much. It is safe for women as, there are also female cab drivers. These are referred to as the pink taxis and are extremely popular in the city.
Old Dubai tour is a must you visit this amazing city, because as it is said that the heart and soul of the city lie here.
