What are your experiences visting the gulf states (besides Oman)?
Posted by badboyzpwns@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 24 comments
Hey! So I'll be visitng countries I longed to visit in the MENA reigon, Oman, Egypt, and Saudi.
I love history and nature. Oman becasue of how it came about. the Dhofar war and its amazing landscapes. Egypt because of the history! Saudi becasue of its history and it has Medina and Meccah, although I cannot visit Meccah (Im secular).
I'm wondering if it's worth visting the other gulf states like Bahrain, Quatar, Kuwait, UAE on the go. I was told it's like Las Vegas (which I've been to) by a friend but in the desert so I should skip it and go to other interesting places lol. But wondering what you guys think, I could save money by not going making it 'shoestring' haha! I fear that it will be 'boring', my least favorite countries are Singapore and Australia because it just felt like another city with Western Infrastructure and not much to do.
703traveler@reddit
Purely personal opinion. Dubai is worth a short visit for the few really spectacular buildings. They're far better in real life than online.
Doha, seems to have looked at Dubai and said.... "we can do that, but better", and they did. The overall architecture is more interesting. The streets are nicer.
Dubai has very mediocre architecture, except for the WOW buildings. The ancient city is worth a visit.
I'm quite sure that dust and dirt aren't allowed in the Emirates. š. I've NEVER been anywhere that clean.
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Oo interestiing, thanks!! how many days would you suggest in UAE then? I'll consider it!
703traveler@reddit
Three-four days for Dubai. It's huge and simply takes time to get from A to B. I'd see the two Burj buildings, the museum, the old city, the Mall of Dubai, (only because it's consumerism run amok), and the Frame. Take one day to get to and from the Palm. (Look at the brand new homes smacked right next to each other while you're on the monorail). Walk around the marina at the monorail start. It's less conjested than much of the city.
Two days for Abu Dhabi. Take the bus from one to the other.
jmes_c@reddit
Iām in dubai for 10 days. Are there any things you recommend doing?
703traveler@reddit
I listed a number of things. I don't know your interests. Just pin them on Google maps and take the metro.
Big-Parking9805@reddit
I like Dubai, partly cos I have friends there and I find it a nice chill place in the day with good partying at night. But I think it's quite similar to Singapore - if you didn't like it there then Dubai and Doha might not be for you.
I'm surprised you think there's nothing to do in Australia though. It's an incredible country.
lucapal1@reddit
I guess the OP only went to Sydney,by the description?
Even there I'd struggle with the idea that it's 'boring'.I'd say there's plenty to see and do in the city.
In the whole country of course there are a huge number and variety of things to see and do I spent a year there, half of it purely traveling, didn't get bored at all and still haven't seen half of the country!
Big-Parking9805@reddit
Sydney is a wonderful city. It's honestly somewhere I wish I had grown up and glad to have had the chance to go to last year.
jmes_c@reddit
What did you do in dubai? Iām going there for 10 days to visit a friend. He works during the week, so Iāve got 5 days to myself
Big-Parking9805@reddit
Chilled out at a few beach clubs like San, Barasti, Beach by Five, Cove, Zero Gravity. Also had a morning at Aura, the tallest infinity pool. Been to Green Planet. Did the Expo (but that's closed now), went to the aquarium in the mall, went to Hatta Dam, went to the old town and the souk madinat opposite the Burj Al Arab, went up the Burj Khalifa and watched the fountain show, been to Museum of the Future. Went and saw the view from the palm, went dune buggy riding, played on a jetski. Walk around the marina trying various food and drink options, and walk towards Bluewater islands. The Saturday brunches are probably my favourite thing to do there if I'm honest.
I did want to skydive over the palm, but I'm about 10kg too heavy, so didn't.
I tend not to go shopping there if I'm honest. I've only had to buy cheap chinos and shoes to get into a restaurant late at night like Tamoka and once bought a t-shirt from H&M cos my bag was full of unclean clothes.
jmes_c@reddit
How much was everything? Iām on a bit of a budget. Is it the kind of place where you can spend a lot but can also spend very little?
trikristmas@reddit
Jordan is cool and Petra is just incredible. However prepare for a load of heckling and people even trying to stop you from hiking around without you taking them on as a guide and paying them $50 and some animal abuse also. I really enjoyed Petra but they tried pretty hard to ruin my experience.
shockedpikachu123@reddit
Same! My Indiana jones moment right after the siq was ROBBED by a bedouin guy snatching my phone to take a picture then asking for money
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I'll be officialy be immune to hecklers after Egypt haha
Specific_Yak7572@reddit
Yruer words were never spoken.
trikristmas@reddit
Oh yeah haha, Egypt will definitely be even worse for that. I'll be going there in the next few years and it does annoy me that I will have to deal with that
shockedpikachu123@reddit
I like Abu Dhabi over Dubai!! Dubai was nice to visit but I wouldnāt go back
I absolutely loved Jordan!!! 10/10 recommend
ExtremelyRetired@reddit
I lived in Oman for five years and canāt say enough good things about it. Great people, great country. Magnificent scenery, and, if itās of interest, the best Indian food Iāve ever had (having never visited India), courtesy of the longstanding Indian merchant class.
Iād say the runner up in the Gulf is Bahrainālike Oman, itās, by Gulf standards, a ārealā place, not a modern invention largely inhabited by expatriates. Manama is a pleasant little city, while itās less scenic than Oman, itās still worth a stop.
I also lived in the UAE for quite a while; the sheer too-muchness of it can be fun, but definitely in limited doses. Some of the big attractions in Abu Dhabi post date my time there, but I hear that things like the branch of the Louvre are pretty spectacular.
scoschooo@reddit
just know that the residents in all of these places (anyone not poor) is using slave labor imported from a poor country like the Philippines. The women are maids and personal servants. Paid very little working 16 hours a day with no day off ever. This is standard - never any day off every - working for years with no days off. Not given enough time to sleep. Not ever allowed to go outside and staying in rooms with no windows. Never given vacation to go home and see their children. Women work 5 years without any vacation or day off, for very little money. Some women are help hostage and employer refuses to let them go home and keeps their passport.
It's nice to see the buildings, malls, etc. but these places have a dark side.
nothanksnointerest@reddit
I can find something to do in any country I visit.
Except Kuwait, thereās nothing to see or do, itās the genuinely most boring place. People are amazing & have incredible humor but as a visitor thereās nothing to see. Goes for Bahrain too. Qatar is marginally better but more of a one day stop over.
lucapal1@reddit
I agree that Kuwait is one of the most boring countries in the world.
One thing there that was quite interesting though is the 'Mirror House'.Its a genuinely bizarre place, and quite an experience as a 'guided tour'!
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Thank you! Would you say Quatar is wroth a visti then? I can skip it if it's still boring haha
nothanksnointerest@reddit
Generally itās a major layover location so I feel like youāll end up there at some point. I would not specifically visit - major attractions are the art museum (which is amazing) but none of these countries compare to Oman. You donāt have Jordan on your list so hopefully youāve already been there
badboyzpwns@reddit (OP)
Noted, thanks! Forgot to mention Jordan, I'll be there :)!