The United Arab Emirates is an Arabian Peninsula nation settled mainly along the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. The country is a federation of 7 emirates. Abu Dhabi, the island capital, is home to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, with crystal chandeliers and room for 40,000 worshipers. Dubai is the site of ultramodern Burj Khalifa tower, enormous shopping centers and extravagant entertainment attractions.
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline. At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music. On artificial islands just offshore is Atlantis, The Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks.
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, sits off the mainland on an island in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. Its focus on oil exports and commerce is reflected by the skyline’s modern towers and shopping mega centers such as Abu Dhabi and Marina malls. Beneath white-marble domes, the vast Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque features an immense Persian carpet, crystal chandeliers and capacity for 41,000 worshipers.
We first visited the UAE in December 2014/January 2015 to celebrate New Year’s. We stayed at the Hilton Dubai Creek. We explored the beautiful sights in Dubai, including the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountain, the Dubai Mall, Palm Islands and the Atlantis Resort. We also explored Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, including the beautiful Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
We loved UAE so much, that we went back for a second time to celebrate New Year’s 2019. This time we stayed on the beach at the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Beach hotel and spa. While we explored the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, and the Atlantis in Dubai again, this trip we got a little more adventurous. We rode ATV’s in the vast desert, took incredible photos in traditional UAE garments, rode to the very top of Burj Khalifa, ate a luxurious meal at Dinner in the Sky Dubai, and skydived for the first time with Skydive Dubai jumping out of the plane at over 12,000 feet in the air over the Palm Jumeriah.