Why 'summering' in Dubai makes perfect sense
Dubai gets very hot in summer, with day temperatures hitting record highs from June to August, but you wouldn't guess that looking at the droves of vacationing families taking in the sights and sounds of the desert city, heat or no heat. From hanging out in the malls, playing indoor golf, chilling on the beach, going for boat rides and feeling the thrills at amusement parks, these tourists were intent on soaking in the full Dubai experience.
Dubai's tourism model, which attracted 6.17 million international overnight visitors from January to May 2022, ensures that there is always plenty to do year-round, depending on your area of interest. And since it's particularly family-friendly, you don't have to worry about bored kids fiddling away on their phones all day.
Here are some wholesome family attractions that I enjoyed when I visited Dubai in June.
Dubai Parks and Resorts
When it comes to sheer scale, this is the big daddy of theme parks. With Motiongate, Bollywood Parks, Legoland and Legoland Waterpark and over 100 rides, you'd probably not be able to fit it all into one day—we couldn't make it to the Legoland zones.
Motiongate is where you should escape for the better part of the day to avoid the desert heat if you are a movie buff. The sprawling, mostly air-conditioned complex has zones dedicated to DreamWorks Animation, Columbia Pictures and Lionsgate. There are Instagrammable spots, fun activities and some scary rollercoasters—the legendary John Wick 4D free-flying coaster (which I did not try!) is a case in point.
While Lionsgate has the thrills, Dreamworks is a fantasy world you can meet characters from Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Madagascar, and Shrek. There are some tamer virtual reality rides, rollercoasters, and a train that chugs through the zone in case you want a quick overview of the place.
Bollywood Parks are designed to tap into the Indian expat's rose-tinted memories and the Bollywood-mad Emirati's fascination with Hindi films. If you're missing the kitsch, this is the place to be.
We caught a Broadway-style Bollywood musical replete with dance, song and melodrama at the Raj Mahal, a glitzy, opulent auditorium. With all the hooting and clapping from the audience, it was clearly one of the most popular attractions.
Ever wondered what it's like to be part of an actual Bollywood film? We got a chance to do just that at Bollywood Film Studios, where we were immersed in the making of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. From pretending to fly to giving the sound effects to running with the bulls, it was a hilarious experience.
VR Park
Billed as the world's largest indoor virtual and augmented reality park, VR Park at The Dubai Mall will keep the kids out of your hair for many hours. There are 30 VR experiences, classic arcade games and a soft play area for younger children. Entry is free, but you must buy a pass to try the experiences.
Can't make it to the dunes in the summer heat? Try some virtual dune bashing on a jeep as you dodge camels, spiders and assorted desert creepy crawlies. If you have a head for heights, hop onto the Burj Drop, pretend you are a window washer on the topmost floor and imagine your platform cables breaking one by one.
I tried the tamer Paradrop, which makes you feel like you are soaring over the mountains and gives you some heart-stopping moments. But nothing compared to the deceptively harmless Dubai Drone, which seemed like an innocuous VR ride at first but shook me up and spun me around till I was seeing stars!
Topgolf Dubai
Trust the Emiratis to make the best out of their terrible weather. Dubai's three-level semi-indoor driving range at the Emirates Golf Club has ACs blasting at you from all corners so that you don't feel too hot when you practice your shots at the bays.
Even if you are a novice, there are plenty of trainers around to teach you enough to enjoy yourself. We caught hold of a beefy expert and got him to share some pro tips. Six people can use a bay that is rented by the hour. The balls are micro-chipped, so you can keep track of the score as you improve your driving skills.
If you get tired of driving, there's live music, great food, and drinks from the venue's three restaurants brought to your table at the bay.
Topgolf seemed to be a popular venue for events. We saw several family celebrations, the most memorable of which was a birthday party of pre-teen girls all dressed in pink, sequinned outfits, feather boas and cowboy hats!
Dubai Boat Tours
Dubai has a beautiful coastline, and one of the best ways to discover it is by taking a boat ride. We chose the Yellowboat Tours Premium Tour, a 99-minute thrill ride on an inflatable boat. The ride begins at a leisurely pace from the Dubai Marina, where you sail past the yacht club, the five-star hotels and the JBR walk before it hits the open sea and your little rubber boat suddenly takes off like a rocket, skimming over the waves at a tremendous speed. The sticky sea air whips your hair around your face, and salty spray covers you in a fine mist as you fly over the waves and land with a thump.
It is a little disconcerting at first to be zooming around so casually on the Arabian Gulf, but soon the trepidation eases, and you begin to enjoy the fantastic sights like Ain Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis and Burj Al Arab, the Royal Palaces and Palm Lagoon aglow in the light of the setting sun.
We took an evening tour, so by the time we came back to the Marina, it was already dark, and Dubai's magnificent high-rises were ablaze with lights reflecting prettily on the waters of this stunning jewel of the Middle East.
(Disclaimer: The writer's trip was sponsored by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism.)
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks