WEEkEND TRIPS
Three visa-on-arrival countries GCC residents can travel to this long weekend
It’s that time of the year again, where you get three glorious days to enjoy the weekend. This Sunday (October 2), will be an official holiday for all ministries and federal government entities as well as private employees on the occasion of the Hijri New Year. Here are three visa-on-arrival and visa-free countries GCC citizens and expats can travel to this long weekend.
GEORGIA
Visit an ancient culture, vastly different to the one we have in the UAE and is just a hop, skip and jump away. Georgia is close by, inexpensive, culturally rich and offers a geography that is very different from anywhere else in the world. The capital city of Tbilisi has so much history, it’s sure to keep you occupied. With no visa restrictions for GCC residents, it’s just the right place to escape. It’s only three hours 30 mins away. Fly Dubai packages start at Dh1,500 from Dubai.
NEPAL
There’s no country more welcoming than Nepal. The tiny kingdom nestled between two Asian superpowers might just be the mountainous escape you need from the desert. In Kathmandu, Boudhanath Stupa is by far the most calming and serene spot in the city even with it’s hordes of pigeons just sitting around. If you head over there right before dusk or dawn you can watch the monks chant and take their daily clockwise rounds of the stupa. Don’t forget to go to Thamel to shop! You can even go bungee jumping 30 mins away from the capital. Kathmandu is just four hours away from Dubai. Etihad Airways flies to Kathmandu from Abu Dhabi at just Dh1,490.
JORDAN
This country has been long romanticised by movies like and
and Jordan has always been a popular destination among GCC expats and residents. UAE residents are keen to go to Jordan for the amazing desert landscape of Wadi Rum, the tranquil beaches of Aqaba, the magnificent ruins of Petra made famous by and most of all for the Jordanians themselves, who are among the friendliest and most welcoming people in the entire region. There are a plethora of flights to Amman offered from Dubai, Abu Dhabi And Shajah. Flights to Amman from Dubai start at Dh800 on Fly Dubai. Curated by: Bernd Debusmann Jr @Berniedebusmann, Sherouk Zakaria Milrina Martis @MilrinaM @Sherry_sh93 and