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5-day holiday in UAE: Top 10 best getaways for residents

Dubai - The UAE will mark the Commemoration Day on December 1 and the National Day on December 2 and 3.

UAE residents will enjoy a five-day break in the first week of next month to mark the Commemoration Day and the National Day.

The UAE will mark the Commemoration Day on December 1 and the National Day on December 2 and 3. This will be followed by the two-day weekend taking the tally to five days. UAE residents will have plenty of options to choose from for getaways with families and friends.

Below is the list of places and experiences where the UAE residents can have a great time with their families and friends within the UAE:

Global Village

The region’s largest and first-ever multi-cultural festival park is a one-stop-shop for entertainment, shopping, dining and rides. The family entertainment destination offers over 3,500 retail and commercial outlets as well as more than 78 cultures and 26-plus pavilions. It welcomes around seven million visitors every season. The visitor will have to pay Dh15 for the entry ticket. It opens from 4pm to 12am midnight from Sunday to Wednesday. Thursday and Friday timings are from 4pm to 1am. On Saturday, it runs from 2pm to 11pm. Monday are exclusively reserved for families and ladies, except those falling on a public holiday.

Desert Safari

Known for its best desert safari in the region, no trip to Dubai is complete without a desert safari. Global online travel firm Tripadvisor recently named camel safari in Dubai as the best experience.

During the safari, visitors enjoy dune bashing, sand boarding, camel ride and falcon interaction, before a starlit barbecue-buffet dinner and live shows wrap things up. Its prices range from Dh100 and above.

Hatta Dam

Located in the mountains of Hatta, this scenic place is one of the best get-away for the residents. Located within one-and-half-an-hour drive from Dubai, this place also attracts a lot of visitors from other emirates for get-togethers. Visitors will also find huts in Hatta for night camping.

Jebel Jais

The UAE’s highest peak, located in Ras Al Khaimah, is also a popular spot for getaways as more than 2,000 people visit the peak daily and reach 35,000 during weekends. Ras Al Khaimah was building a new road to the Jebel Jais mountain at the Wadi Haqeel area as an alternative to the old Wadi Al Beeh road, which was damaged in floods earlier this year. Visitors to Jebel Jais can also opt for night camping.

Al Ain Zoo

Al Ain Zoo is a family destination, providing entertainment and learning experiences in a natural outdoor environment. Opening from 9am to 8pm daily, visitors of all ages discover the zoo's wildlife and enjoy a great day out packed with fun and adventure, and explore a large animal collection of over 4,000 animals. Entry ticket is priced at Dh28.35 for people aged 12-plus and Dh9.45 for children between three and 12 years.

Jebel Hafeet and Green Mubazzarah

For incredible sunrise and sunset photos, head to the top of Jebel Hafeet mountain. Rising to a height of 1,249 metres, this skyline-dominating peak is the UAE’s second tallest mountain. People can reach the summit by car, motorbike or if they have the stamina, bicycle.

Located at the foothill of Jebel Hafeet, Green Mubazzarah is also a popular family place, offering playgrounds for kids and swimming pools for adults. If you don’t want to carry a home-made food, there are also a couple of fast-food outlets to serve the visitors.

Dubai Miracle Garden

A family-friendly visit destination for residents and tourists, Dubai Miracle Garden offers live shows, a trampoline for kids and various other special entertainment activities, with music, dance and showmanship throughout the season. It opens 9am to 9pm on weekdays, 9am to 11pm on Fridays and 9am to 10pm on Saturdays.

Visitors can take Dubai RTA’s Bus No. 105 and it will directly take them to Dubai Miracle Garden for 15-20 minutes ride. Entry ticket to the Garden is Dh55 for people aged above 12 and Dh40 for kids below 12. People of determination and children below three-year-old are free of charge.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Since its inauguration in 2008, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the most famous places in the UAE capital. A number of celebrities and high-profile officials have visited the grand mosque. Jared Kushner, the senior adviser to the US President, Kazakhstan’s prime minister Askar Mamin and a number of other high-profile officials and celebrities have visited the landmark. Excluding worshippers, pre-booking is obligatory for visitors.

Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall

The world’s tallest building is one of the most visited landmarks in the world as millions of residents and tourists visit Burj Khalifa every year. Located next to Burj Khalifa, visitors can also explore The Dubai Mall as well as enjoying shopping and dine out at a number of outlets.

La Mer

This is one of the latest mega beachfront developments in the emirate, offering great beach, dining out and entertainment. Its retail outlets are open from 10am to 10pm throughout the week. Food and beverage shops are open from 10am to 10pm from Sunday to Wednesday and until 12 midnight from Thursday to Saturday.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com