Middle East: Exploring mega cities
The Middle East is not just an off-season sunbed. Adam Coulter looks at a region of ‘mega’ cities offering culture, dining and shopping in spades
When I was a child living in Dubai in the late 1980s you could walk the full length of Jumeirah Beach – from Dubai Mosque to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel – and see mostly fishing villages and tiny marinas. Little remains of that today.
One thing hasn’t changed: the institution of Friday brunch. Back in the day the Hyatt Regency, which opened in 1980 in the heritage area of Deira, did it exceptionally well and offered a wonderful glimpse into Dubai’s past, looking out over the trading and pearl fishing port.
Today I’m back in the recently refurbished hotel. Its revolving Al Dawaar restaurant on the 25th floor (which for me as a kid was just about the coolest thing ever) is now styled in a retro-colonial fashion, and the great views are still there. I take in the bold and endless Dubai skyline, including the monolithic Burj Khalifa and the sparkling cluster of buildings downtown.
Brunch starts at 12.30pm and goes on all afternoon. If you fancy seeing the city lit up, there’s also a seafood buffet on a Thursday night that’s well worth a visit. Either way, just be careful when you step from the fixed centre to the revolving section – especially if you’ve had a signature Al Dawaar mojito.
Changing focus
For many, a holiday to the Middle East is about soaking up some winter sun – the Gulf States average a pleasant 21C-25C throughout January and February – but the region offers more than sun and beach and its cities can rival Europe for museums, shopping and dining.
It’s almost as if the whole area has recently discovered it has a rich and fascinating history, with museums celebrating cultural heritage popping up all over the region.
The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha has a collection covering 14 centuries of the finest art and artefacts from across the Islamic World, while the Bahrain National Museum in Manama contains local artefacts dating from antiquity
In Abu Dhabi, the city’s oldest stone building, Qasr al Hosn, is to reopen in late 2018 following extensive restoration work and much of the anticipated Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum is open, the first time
“There are some real city-break gems in the Middle East not on everyone’s radar. Muscat, Oman’s port capital, is a delight”
Tricia Birmingham, Gold Medal
the Paris-based museum has ventured outside France.
In Dubai you can visit the Dubai Coffee Museum (coffeemuseum.ae), which showcases the key role coffee has played throughout Middle Eastern history; the Etihad Museum
(etihadmuseum.dubaiculture.ae), which chronicles how the UAE came into being; and The Dubai Museum (dubaiculture.gov.ae), which is housed in Dubai’s oldest building, Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1787.
Muscat is home to the Muscat Royal Opera House, National Museum and Bait Al Zubair, a private museum and cultural complex packed with artefacts, weapons and displays showing the many unique cultures of Oman dating back 500 years.
But it’s not just museums. Abu Dhabi and Dubai boast some of the finest restaurants in the world – by Gordan Ramsay, Thomas Keller and Nobu, to name just a few. Many of these are famous for their Friday (our Sunday) brunches, which can last all day, ‘such as La Vie en Rose’ at Nikki Beach, Dubai, which re-opened in September after a summer break.
The area also boasts some of the best shopping in the world at duty-free prices.
Qatar’s capital, Doha, is fast-becoming an alternative city break to Dubai and has some great shopping options: the modern Festival City Hall to the traditional Souq Waqif – and Villaggio, where you can even take a gondola ride through the mall.
“Qatar is an ideal winter-sun destination for those wanting to escape the northern hemisphere’s coldest months and enjoy a sunny holiday steeped in culture, adventure and cosmopolitan sophistication,” says Russell Meara, Strategic Director UK & Ireland, Qatar Tourism Authority.
All these cities are ideal for short breaks, with multiple flights from multiple carriers (BA, Virgin, Etihad, Emirates, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air and easyJet) from regional UK airports with flight times averaging seven hours (five in the case of Jordan).
There are also many lowcost Gulf carriers should your client wish to twin cities and in the UAE you can drive between some.
Tricia Birmingham, Product and Commercial Manager, Gold Medal, says: “There are some real city-break gems in the Middle East that might not be on everyone’s radar. Muscat is a cultural delight and an ideal destination for a city break.”
If your clients want the best of both worlds, twin a city break with a desert stay - like the five-star Dukes Dubai set on the glitzy Palm Jumeirah followed Al Maha, a luxury tented resort in a desert oasis.
Urban versus desert
Muscat City Tour:
Explore the opulent Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, which boasts the world’s largest Persian carpet, and Bait Al Zubair Museum. Next visitors can take in the colourful Fish Market, visit the Royal Oman Opera House and have traditional lunch. Muttrah Souq, the largest and best souq in the Middle East, is a riot of fun best explored at night.
Close to Nature:
Pair the bright lights of Dubai with one of Sharjah’s seven nature reserves. At Khor At Kalba there’s kayaking and paddle-boarding, nature walks and bird-watching expeditions.
Affable Aqaba:
This bustling city is a jumping-off point for Red Sea dive trips, Wadi Rum treks and the Rose City of Petra. The waterfront is full of restaurants and dive shops while the town encapsulates old Arabia, with a warren-like souq, shisha cafes and the 14th century Mamluk Fort.
Qatar’s Inland Sea: Beyond Doha, send your client on an exhilarating desert safari to meet camels or zip across the dunes in a 4WD. Stop off at Khor Al Adaid, one of the few places in the world where the sea encroaches deep into the heart of the desert.
What’s new
Museum/cultural centres: Built in 1761 to defend the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi Island, Qasr Al Hosn (qasralhosn.ae) – also known as the White Fort – has become a symbol of Emirati heritage. Following years of restoration and careful development, the iconic fort will open to the public in late 2018, showcasing a range of historical artefacts, photographs and memorabilia.
One of the UAE’s lesser known emirates, Sharjah, has launched an ambitious project called Restoration of the Heart of Sharjah, which aims to revitalise the heritage district as a cultural destination.
Designed by world-famous French architect Jean Nouvel, the new National Museum of Qatar (qm.org.qa/en/project/national
museum-qatar) is scheduled to open to the public in the first quarter of next year. Hotels: Accor Hotels (accorhotels.com) has a number of hotel openings in the region including: MGallery Old Dubai, MGallery Doha Msheireb and Rixos Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. The latter boasts 378 rooms and suites, plus a dozen villas, restaurants, a spa, private beach and water park set in an Oriental-style palace.
Now part of Accor too, Fairmont Abu Dhabi Marina Hotel & Residences will open in Abu Dhabi early next year, with a private beach, spa and five swimming pools overlooking the Corniche.
Airlines: Qatar Airways (qatarairways.com) launched new routes from Gatwick and Birmingham this year. EasyJet (easyjet.
com) is launching flights from Gatwick to Aqaba in Jordan in December.
Trade initiatives: Sharjah (visitsharjah.
com) is launching a trade campaign in the UK and Ireland with a focus on key product areas including family, culture and eco-tourism.
Where to book it
IF ONLY– 0141 955 4036
A four-night package based on two people sharing at the five-star Jumeirah Beach Hotel, half board, with return economy flights with Emirates from Gatwick is priced from £1,855pp. The offer is for travel for travel in November and December.
ifonly.net
“An ambitious project called Restoration of the Heart of Sharjah aims to revitalise the heritage district as a cultural
destination”