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Best Local Experiences in Dubai – from Winter Picnics to Midnight Snacks. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Best Local Experiences in Dubai – from Winter Picnics to Midnight Snacks

Best local experiences in Dubai, from dips in the Arabian Sea to winter picnics, Friday brunch and midnight snacking. If you want to experience Dubai like a local, these are the things you need to do.

Dubai was our home for close to eight years, so as local residents we did things that most visitors on a short trip wouldn’t do.

If you’re keen to ‘go local’, these are the best local experiences in Dubai that we think are worth doing, no matter how long you stay.

Best Local Experiences in Dubai

Take a dip in the Arabian Sea

We’d like to say that it’s invigorating, but we’d be so wrong. The truth is that most of the year the water is as warm as a baby’s bath. But remember, it is the Arabian Sea. The UAE has wonderful beaches and some of the best beaches in Dubai are on the Jumeirah coastline. Here you can surf, kite surf or wind-surf or just take advantage of the photo op with the Burj Al Arab as a backdrop. While the water is calm most of the time, there are strong currents – and you don’t want to be drifting off towards Iran with the US warships and pesky pirates around. If you do float as far as Iran, remember to call it the Persian Gulf not the Arabian Gulf.

Catch a local bus

Something so simple as catching a bus is for us one of the best local experiences in Dubai you can have. Most visitors to the city never take the local buses, probably due to the fact that you can actually melt into a sizzling puddle on the sidewalk waiting for one. (Although the city does have some air-conditioned bus stops.) But it’s a great way to mix it with Dubai’s expat workers – not the ones on the executive packages. You’ll see the neighbourhoods where they live and get a feel for the different expat communities. It’s also a terrific way to find those authentic workers cafés. Just look for the crowds around a hole-in-the-wall and get off. There is a double-decker hop-on-hop-off bus for tourists which does the main routes, but that’s cheating.

Shop yourself silly at a mall

Contrary to what you might read elsewhere, Dubai’s cultural activities don’t exclusively consist of shopping, shopping and more shopping, but the mall certainly is a focal point of local activity. Dubai doesn’t have a ‘town square’ or the ritual of the afternoon stroll around its manicured paths – this activity takes place at Dubai’s malls. Why? It’s too ****** hot to do it elsewhere. Whether it’s to meet friends for coffee, to check out the latest designer fashions (local and international), catch a movie, or just escape the heat, you have to hit the mall at least once. Just don’t call it ‘mall culture’. And don’t forget to see our Dubai shopping guide.

Visit a local supermarket

Sure they’re not as exotic as the souqs, but local branches of supermarkets (such as Carrefour) reveal a lot about how people live and what they eat in Dubai. You’ll see old local women, often sporting the traditional burqa (a bronze face mask, not the head-to-toe blue burqa of Afghanistan), doing a monthly shop with a trolley laden with huge bags of flour, rice, cooking oil, and dozens of tissue boxes. There are fresh nuts, olives, pickled vegetables, and other goodies (caviar anyone?) in barrels at the deli counter, but you can also pick up edible souvenirs here as well – we recommend chocolate covered-dates, orange water, rose syrup – all with endearing packaging that hasn’t changed since that old local woman was pulling water from a well.

Do brunch

Brunch is one of the best local experiences in Dubai if your idea of ‘local’ also includes expats. When a Dubai resident says ‘let’s do lunch’, it’s not an empty threat. If you’re in Dubai on a Friday or a Saturday, brunch with the expats is a must. Take excellent people-watching opportunities, add good value food, mix liberally with free drinks, and presto, you’re living the Dubai equivalent of ‘the good life’. Week time lunch specials are also brilliant value. Check the Time Out magazine or website for current dining bargains.

Succumb to the spa

Dubai is fast becoming a world-class spa destination and Emiratis and expats take advantage of the abundance of spas and their affordability (some spas give residents discounts) and nearly always take their visitors to a spa for a treatment. Just about every five-star hotel has at least one spa and the treatment lists are just as extensive as any in Thailand. Given Dubai’s reputation as a luxury travel destination and emphasis on relaxing, it’s no wonder that the spa scene has become so competitive. Cleopatra’s Spa started the ball rolling many years ago and in many ways is still the queen (sorry) of Dubai’s spas. And one of the most reasonably priced.

Picnic at Creekside Park

Local experiences in Dubai don’t get much more local than this. As soon as the weather cools down a little, Dubai’s residents hit the beach or a park. Creekside Park is a favourite because it has great children’s facilities as well as abundant shade and afternoon Creek breezes. Fragrant smells from barbecues (usually from Middle Eastern lamb kebabs) and sheesha (the aromatic water pipe) fills the air, as do the playful sounds of children speaking a dozen or so different languages. Before you head to the park, drop in to the nearby Wafi Mall to Wafi Gourmet for your picnic supplies — juicy olives from the barrel, white cheeses, dips of hummus and muttabal, kebbe, and fabulous fresh bread.

Be a good sport

Watching sport is one of the best local experiences in Dubai as the winter sporting calendar attracts everyone from Tiger Woods to Roger Federer (a part-time Dubai resident). While this provides a great opportunity to see your favourite sporting superstars up close there are plenty of other sports to watch – or participate in. Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan expats play cricket at any time of the day, anytime of the year, and anywhere where there’s room to swing a bat. Watching a game of something with some Emiratis is one of the best local experiences in Dubai and the Emirati boys flock to see their favourite football (soccer) teams play at the stadiums. In winter, the sport of rifle throwing (yes, that’s what we said) at the Dubai Heritage Village also attracts supportive extended families. Even if you’re here at the height of summer that’s no excuse: Thursday night is Freestyle Night at Ski Dubai, complete with DJ spinning tunes.

Sip Coffee

Emiratis love their coffee, which they tend to drink as a light cardamom-infused brew more akin in colour and consistency to tea, or, less commonly, as a thick, muddy, short black coffee more closely resembling Turkish coffee. The cardamom coffee is often poured to guests on arrival at a home and offered with dates. Fortunately, it’s become a tradition to offer coffee to hotel guests upon check-in or in the lobby. The coffee is poured from a copper or brass coffee pot into a tiny handle-free ceramic cup. It’s customary to accept three cups; any more is considered rude. When you’ve had enough tilt your cup slightly from side to side and the server will offer a tray for you to place it upon. Sheesha cafes are great spots to sample coffee and fragrant sheesha (also known as hubbly bubbly or narghile elsewhere in the Middle East) with the locals. Update: while we haven’t visited yet, a new coffee museum has opened in the charming Bastakiya quarter.

Drink in the views

A Dubai ritual for local residents entertaining visiting family and friends, the ‘drinks with a view’ generally means selecting one of three options. There are the awe-inspiring city views: glam Neos on the 63rd floor at The Address hotel has Burj Khalifa views while busy Bar 44 at Grosvenor House with its awesome champagne menu has Jumeirah vistas. Where window-side tables are coveted so arrive at opening. There is the Burj Al Arab view from colonial style Bahri Bar at Mina A’Salam or from hip 360˚ at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. And finally, there’s the simple Arabian Gulf Sea view from funky Sho Cho (where you can also hear the waves crashing on the sand below) or lofty Skyview Bar at the Burj Al Arab for sweeping coastal vistas. Cheers!

Grab a midnight snack

The post-shopping, post-work shift or post-imbibing ritual is to head to the neon-lit Satwa neighbourhood for a late-night nibble or a full-blown Arabic or Indian meal. There are lots of choices on and around Al Dhiyafa Rd, but the two main attractions are the basic Pakistani curries and sweet lassi (yoghurt-based) drinks at Ravi’s. Or shawarma (juicy, fragrant lamb or chicken rolled up in a pita bread) washed down with fresh juice at Al Mallah. Enjoy!

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About Terence Carter

Terence Carter is an editorial food and travel photographer and infrequent travel writer with a love of photographing people, places and plates of food. After living in the Middle East for a dozen years, he settled in South-East Asia a dozen years ago with his wife, travel and food writer and sometime magazine editor Lara Dunston.

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About Grantourismo

Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
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Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
#blackcat #blackcatsofinstagram #picoftheday 
#christmas #christmastree #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas #cambodia #siemreap
This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

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GRANTOURISMO TRAVELS AND ‘MAKING TRAVEL MORE MEANINGFUL AND MEMORABLE’ ARE ™ TO GRANTOURISMO MEDIA.