Look, if the word "excess" were a city, it would be called Dubai. Everything there has to be the biggest, the tallest, the shiniest or the most expensive in the world. It's a real-life adult amusement park, where the police drive Lamborghinis, there are ATMs that spit out gold bars and the world's tallest building (the Burj Khalifa) makes your neck hurt just trying to look at the top.But Dubai isn't only for millionaires with yachts and Ferraris. If you know how to navigate the city, you can have a dream holiday without going bankrupt. The only problem? The climate and the local rules.So you don't melt onto the asphalt or get into unnecessary trouble, Martin has put together the survival manual for the emirate:
1. The Heat (How Not to Melt on the Street) 🥵Let's be upfront: if you go to Dubai between June and September, you won't have a holiday — you'll have a simulation of what it's like to live inside an oven at 45°C with 80% humidity. If your glasses fog up the moment you leave the airport, you came at the wrong time!The trick: The best time is November to March. And even if you go in summer, don't panic: there, air conditioning is religion. Even the bus stops on the street are enclosed in glass and have the AC on full blast.
2. The Dress Code: Respect the Rules 👗Dubai is super cosmopolitan and tolerant, but it's still in an Islamic country.* * At the hotel and Beach Clubs: * You can walk around in a bikini and swim shorts as you please. The party rolls on as usual.* * At the Malls (Shopping Centres) and on the Street: * Shoulders and knees should be covered, both for men and for women. If you go strolling around the Dubai Mall in super-short shorts or a skimpy top, you risk getting called out by a security guard. Respect costs nothing.
3. Luxury Has Free (or Almost) Alternatives 💸Think you have to spend rivers of money? Lies. There are amazing things at (almost) zero cost:* * The Dubai Fountains: * The water, light and music show at the foot of the Burj Khalifa happens every night and is 100% free.* * Crossing the Dubai Creek: * Head to the city's old quarter (Deira) and catch an Abra (a traditional small wooden boat) to cross the river. It costs exactly 1 Dirham (around 25 cents!).* * The Souks: * Lose yourself in the Gold and Spice Markets. You may not buy a 24-karat bracelet, but the smells and colours are incredible and haggling is free!
4. The Desert: Dune Adrenaline 🐪
You can't go to Dubai and not go to the desert. Book a "Desert Safari". A 4x4 jeep picks you up at the hotel and takes you out to the dunes for the famous dune bashing (which is basically skidding sideways across the sand up and down until your stomach begs for mercy). After that, you have dinner at a Bedouin camp under the stars. It's very touristy, yes, but it's worth every cent of the experience!
Off to the City of Luxury? Start the Trip Like a Sheikh!
The whole vibe of your trip will be about comfort, premium service, grand hotels and skyscrapers.Now be honest: are you really going to start this VIP experience by dragging your suitcases across a cobbled pavement in Lisbon or Porto to catch a packed metro? Are you going to stand in the cold on the street despairing because your Uber cancelled in the early hours?Spare us. There's nothing VIP about that.Your luxury has to start in Portugal. Get into your own car, throw the suitcases in the boot, turn on your radio and drive in a relaxed and independent way to the airport's Departures.As soon as you pull up, the Multipark driver is there to open the door for you (figuratively speaking, but if you ask nicely they might just open it!) and take your key. Our Valet Parking service stores your car in a secure, monitored facility, while you walk proud-chested to check-in, feeling like the king of the castle.And when you land back, the car is there waiting at the terminal door. VIP treatment at a fair price.Start and end the trip in style. Run the simulation and book your Valet Parking on the Multipark website and have a great trip to the Arabias!
