Bur DubaiAll the information about Bur DubaiIf you take the time to wander through the crowded back streets of Bur Dubai - the part of the city to the south of the creek, you discover a world completely apart from the hi-tech towers and shopping malls of Deira. 
Amongst a whole host of attractions on offer as you wander the streets are the famous Grand Mosque - centre of Dubai's religious life, and a symbol of the city. Guided tours are available during the week, although it pays to book in advance if you want to visit the building, and women should ensure that they are covered up. The Dubai Museum close by offers the chance to see how this city developed over less than fifty years from a pearl diving and relatively minor trading centre into one of the largest cities in the region and an immensely wealthy place hint: oil and ambition had a lot to do with it! A living museum is the best way to describe the area known as Bastakiya. This area of traditional wind towered houses dates back more than a hundred years, and includes the house of Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum - one of the most important rulers of Dubai. The area has been developed to appeal to tourists, which has admittedly diluted its authenticity somewhat, but there are plenty of small cafes, coffee shops, and smoke bars where you can still mix with rather bemused locals should you want to. The easiest and most pleasant way to get from one side of the city to the other is by using an abra (water taxi). These flimsy looking craft were once the main mode of transport in Dubai, and the journey only costs a few pence. There are various stops along the banks of the creek, and it is worth taking a journey inland as far as the Dubai Creek Golf Club in order to see the impressive sight of the Dubai skyline. |
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