Phuket Thailand

Pad Mc · #1 19-01-2007, 21:36

I searched a bit on this, but not much info...

Just wondering if anyone has stopped over for the night(s) in Dubai? I may be booking with Emirates from LHR, and I might stopover for the night on the return journey from BKK...

I wouldn't mind a look around Dubai but if its too much trouble or very expensive I won't bother... Just curious if anyone has any experience of Dubai?

Cheers.

Captain · #2 19-01-2007, 21:51

Suppose Dawsey, Denver and Lightemup know Dubai better. Last time I was there was 6 years ago. You can find what you want in Dubai, but it will cost a lot more than in Thailand: alcohol, (Russian) prostitutes, golf...
Also hotels are expensive.
Nice to visit and take a look of the city, but that is it.
If you want to take a trip in the desert I suppose you will have to stay longer.

Stevie42 · #3 19-01-2007, 22:25

it reall depends on what your looking for. if you want to go and shag some stunning girls (russians, uzbekistans, chinese...the list goes on, aout 60 pound for the night) then head for the York Hotel and there is alot more bars on the that road (bank street) or try Cyclone for the up market ones can cost 100's.

I you want to see what the place has to offer you will need a few days to see it all and should book in advance. Dubai is not cheap place to go and party thats for sure. hotels are out of this world and it really is 5 star all the way.

if your travelling with a mate then it might be worth it but if your flying solo i would leave it for now and have more nights in LOS. miles more to do at a fraction of the price.

Cheers
S

SJ18 · #4 19-01-2007, 22:57

You can book stopover trips, the ski one was on TV for a short stopover.
BBC - Holiday - Travel advice.
Beach hotels the most expensive. Some good nightclubs around. Ask on dubai tripadvisor forum, local expats on there.

dawsey · #5 19-01-2007, 23:44

One night is not long enough to see Dubai really. The city has grown so quickly that the road systems cannot cope and the place is gridlocked. You will spend a lot of time in traffic.

As Capt' said, its very expensive to stay in hotels, think min of £60 for a 3*, drink is about UK price. Its a great place but needs longer than one night.

If you do decide to stop over, post again for some more recommendations.

Crustasian · #6 20-01-2007, 00:47

Faulty Towers always uses Emirates and has some experience of Dubai. Ask him.

Pad Mc · #7 20-01-2007, 00:54

Great Info Fellas. Cheers.

I would only be interested in seeing the place for a day or two maybe... I wouldn't be going for the party/P4P scene as such... Although I wouldn't rule it out altogether.

I still have a few months till the trip. Early june touchdown BKK, then onto Cambodia and Vietnam for a few weeks, back to Phuket for around 6 weeks at least!

I think I may put Dubai off till another trip... But I won't rule it out completely just yet...

Again thanks for the good info!

dawsey · #8 20-01-2007, 00:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pad Mc

Great Info Fellas. Cheers.

I would only be interested in seeing the place for a day or two maybe... I wouldn't be going for the party/P4P scene as such... Although I wouldn't rule it out altogether.

I still have a few months till the trip. Early june touchdown BKK, then onto Cambodia and Vietnam for a few weeks, back to Phuket for around 6 weeks at least!

I think I may put Dubai off till another trip... But I won't rule it out completely just yet...

Again thanks for the good info!

A couple of days is well worth the stop Pad. If its just an overnighter and away in the morning, its not worth it.
Plenty to see and do over a couple of days, its nice to see how another culture live, and the affluence there is mindblowing.

Ah, I just read your post again. A June arrival will be incredibly hot. Expect anything up to 45C and high humidity. It makes LOS look cool.
Def not the best time to visit, but up 2 u. LateOct to Late April are the nicest times, July/Aug forget it or fry. 55555

t0rn · #9 20-01-2007, 01:08

Hotel will likely be your biggest cost (other than girls!)
I'd recommend staying at the Sheraton 4Points, it's normally £50-60/night, has a pool and of course is guest friendly (they will take a photcopy of passport, or more likely a photocopy of her photocopy). It's very close to the 'pubic triangle' - traffic can be very bad (>1 hour to get places) so where you stay is important.
York hotel bar is a shadow of it's former self but still very good for Africans. Cost is from 300AED (£40) up to 1500AED for LT (the hotel itself is not GF).
Daytime activity is also possible.
Beer is at or above UK/Eire prices though not really a place to get very drunk when you're out.
Don't know what else i can say at this level .....

EDIT: You posted while I was typing .....
Worth going to the indoor ski slope & beaches are good - sea very warm circa 36 degrees C.
Food is very good/plentiful at the hotel buffets - drinks often included for a very reasonable price.
No mongering ....... who are you kidding

t0rn · #10 20-01-2007, 01:13

Forgot to mention if you looking at trips to the desert, dune bashing that sort of thing they probably won't be running in June - it is VERY hot....

Denver · #11 20-01-2007, 01:31

If it's just a couple of hours then definately not much time to even get a coffee and have a smoke. Security and passport checks seem to have been tightened up quite a bit this last trip through and can take an hour or so just to get into the transit area.

Usually no problems with Emirates but got a bit naffed off with them this time. My onward flight was delayed by 3 hours but nothing on the monitors to that effect. I queried it with the desks (Friendly enough and always staffed) and had to go to the usual place upstairs over Gate 14 (They know me well up there now, no security, straight through) to try and sort out my luggage which I had booked through to Phuket. Anyway, late getting into BKK, Thai on the ball and got me through to Phuket very quickly but my luggage didn't!

If staying in the airport for any length of time, there are recliner chairs available for a kip, various bars including the Irish Village for a beer or if you have membership to an airlines points scheme, all the lounges are top notch in Dubai. Duty Free is worth a wander around too! It gets very busy in the current terminal when the transits arrive from Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Karachi, Mumbai etc Always lots of people kipping on the floor. It's a main hub airport and the new terminals hopefully will be that much better for everyone.

Emirates also close their gates quite early (About 45 mins or so) and don't suffer last minute arrivals easily, I've seen several people bumped off flights for late arrival.

I would definately suggest more than a couple of days to do 'justice' to what Dubai has to offer. I have a couple of mates with apartments there now so I am lucky in that respect. There is an airport hotel who do an hourly rate! Last check on that it was $40 an hour! Expensive shower and change of clothes or $120 for a quick three hour kip!

Expensive - yes, $6-7 a beer, hot - yes, Muslim - yes and it will be nice when it's finished. I think it is just a building site at the moment but I doubt it will ever be finished. Too much desert for them to build on or coast to reclaim and if people are happy to buy property and do business in Dubai then they will keep going. Supply and demand.

Worth a visit but be prepared to put your hand in your pocket. I've written about the P4P scene (including some pics) on here elsewhere.

Hope this is of use and let us know your thoughts on the place if you get there.

D

Pad Mc · #12 20-01-2007, 01:59

Good stuff t0rn, Denver, Dawsey, stevie and everyone else!

Those daytime temps are a bit off putting! 45 degrees... Way too hot for Paddy and his white ass! I was in Morocco a few years ago and the temperature in the desert was literally unbearable during the day or night! Sure, you could do nothing at all, especially not drink...

And tOrn of course you're right... P4P would probably be the first thing I would be after! Who am I kidding...

Still... As Dawsey said its great to get a look at these places that are so different....

Matt Knickerbox · #13 20-01-2007, 23:54

Yes Dubai is hot, I never understood why their peak season is during the hottest months of the year. But during Jan it is bearable.
2 years ago you saw this unending maze of steel frames, just massive, looked like the death star, now it's a mall.
You'll never see more cranes in your life.
Inside of the airport is the Irish Village, good beer, food, soccer matches on tv.
You can find a good hotel for $100 a night. I've only been to the cyclone and york clubs. Try and meet up with some Arab dudes they like buying us beers for some reason and telling you about their Harley's.
The hotels my company are at are in great condition. All over the city. Most hotels have little clubs that attract the prostitutes. I don't understand I think my companies name attracts fat prostitutes... Every time I roll into Dubai no matter which hotel I go to I see the same fat prostitutes, like sad pathetic roadies. Which is why cyclone and york are worth checking out.

One thing though, parts of the city are dry...No booze
Most of the other Emirates are also dry, like Sharjah.

I think it was $100 to go on a camel riding tour.

Malls are nice and air conditioned.
Enjoy,

mars · #14 20-01-2007, 23:55

Im thinking of having a stopover in Dubai on one trip in the future too, Got some good info here so far keep it coming lads