It's Better to Travel than Arrive?

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive"

Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque, 1881.


"Robert Louis Stevenson speaks utter tosh and has

obviously never flown long haul economy class"

Kristy, first ever blog post, 2011.


Thursday, February 7, 2013

Dubai - Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour



You know I'm a big fan of the Hop On Hop Off Bus tours.  We've done them in loads of places, and I've blogged about them before.  I think they're a great way to see a place if you're not there for long.

On our first full day in Dubai we decided to buy some tickets and do the loop (it's a BIG loop!) of Dubai.  We bought the 24 hour ticket for AED220/person and I thought it was quite pricey, compared to other ones we've done, but this one comes with added FREE tours and they certainly made it worthwhile.

The free tours are the Khan Murjan Discovery Walk (15 minute guided walk through the Khan Murjan Souk), the Arabian Treasure Walk (90 minute guided walk through the Spice and Gold Souks, and an Abra ride across the creek) or the Arabian Dhow Cruise (60 minute Dhow cruise down the creek).





We chose the Arabian Treasure Walk and it was fantastic!  Our guide walked us past several different places of worship to the Abra stop where we jumped on the local boat transport and headed over the creek to the Spice Souk, and into a store where you could taste and purchase spices if you wished.  In the Souk there was a camel milk gelato store (tried it!) where I bought a little bowl of Lemon and Mint Gelato - gorgeous!




We walked on to the Gold Souk where you can either stay and shop or jump back on the bus at a different stop, continuing your tour.  Gold isn't really our thing, so we jumped back on the bus and kept on going.  We hopped off at the Dubai Mall stop, heading into the vast mall for some shopping.  We all know that I don't mind a bit of shopping, but we bought nothing - there was just too many shops and too many things.  It was quite over-facing and off-putting.  Great to look at the HUGE indoor aquarium though.




You can book online, through your hotel tour desk, or just at the bus stops.


Big Bus Tours Dubai

3 comments:

  1. Did you buy any spices? I would've went crazy I think!!! Interesting to hear about the mall shopping being too much?! You've really made me want to visit Dubai...
    Sada
    beachloversmiddleton.com.au

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    Replies
    1. We definitely bought spices (how could you not?). We got a pot of Iranian saffron, a bundle of Vanilla pods and several bags of other things - and it was all so cheap. I really wanted to get some Lapis, but I don't know what on earth I would have done with it - maybe next time!

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  2. Actually some people find the Big Bus Tour Prices very high but after taking a ride they all will surely say that its worth to pay this much amount.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment!