Although one had heard of Dubai’s diversification into a tourist attraction in recent years, I was eager to experience it first-hand. Earlier this year, an opportunity for a family vacation to the desert nation emerged.
At immigration we were handed a local SIM card to use during our stay in the UAE. On the way to the hotel, we were mesmerized to see row after row of pink and bright red petunias on the world-class unencroached roads. The intersections were full of greenery and blooming flowers. A closer look revealed that all the plants were watered using the drip irrigation technique. Not a drop was wasted in the water-scarce country.
Dubai’s Miracle Garden, the world’s largest natural flower garden, is a wonder you must visit. Petunias, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, violets and marigolds compete to create a mesmerizing paradise on earth. With over 50 million flowers and spread over 72,000 square meters, it is a perfect tribute to Mother Nature by diligent gardeners in the hot and dry land.
Dune bashing, popularly known as sand safari, is another popular tourist attraction in the UAE. Speeding over the sand dunes in a Land Cruiser with a skilled driver at the wheel provides plenty of heart-to-mouth moments. The Museum of the Future, Ferrari World, Sky Views Observatory, Global Village Theme Park, Atlantis Aquaventure and the towering Burj Khalifa above all attract hordes of tourists to Dubai.
The place that was once famous for its petroleum products has now become a tourist destination because the administration is keeping pace with the needs and desires of modern travelers.
Although it is mostly a desert country, the beaches have a heavenly appearance. Spicy support, devoid of persuasive salesmen, broken bottles and stray dogs, speaks volumes for the management skills of the authorities. Whether it’s cycling or running, or the beach itself, ever-vigilant lifeguards equipped with surfboards ensure that tourists spend quality time by the sea without an iota of worry.
During my short stay in the UAE, I noticed another point worth mentioning. Except for the roads, none of the airports, bus or metro stations or tourist attractions are named after political or prominent figures. The airport is simply Dubai Airport or Sharjah Airport. Miracle Garden is simply a wonderful garden. The Science City is named so; so simple. In the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, it was encouraging to note that LED screens installed at viewpoints displayed the names and photos of workers and engineers who contributed to the creation of the miracle. They also include skilled and unskilled workers from the Indian subcontinent.
On our way to Sharjah airport to catch our return flight, a friendly driver from Sargodha, Pakistan shared his thoughts saying, “Janaab ehna di tarakki da ik hi raaz hai (Sir, there is only one secret to their development): Discipline. ” I couldn’t agree more.
The author is a freelancer from Amritsar. You can contact him at [email protected]
