DUBAI: Finally, the festive season has arrived, and with it, plans by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on how to spend this much-awaited part of the year.
Some will be going home for Christmas. Others will try Yerevan in Armenia or Tbilisi in Georgia. Still others will go for a Ras Al Khaimah staycation, even Musandam in Oman to explore wadis at the Hajar Mountains, or Petra in Jordan to visit a famous archaeological site dating to around 300 B.C.
Indeed, while Filipinos love the very idea of travelling to places they’ve never been to before to experience the world, it’s the struggle of budgeting wisely to make sure that they get to settle their obligations back home, and here in the UAE.
Majority of Filipinos always find ways to stretch their budget as they aim to get the bang for their buck. TFT has searched the best deals that UAE has to offer on food, travel, and more while sticking to a budget of only Dh100 for an entire trip!
Here they are.
#inAbuDhabi : Experience the UAE’s rich culture and history
Your first stop for the day will be in Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace. In the morning to early noon, the palace premises provides great lighting which will have you take pictures of the palace’s magnificent exteriors, as well as of the nearby Jumeirah buildings. Within the palace confines you can also get to enjoy a coffee and/or an ice cream with gold flakes for less than Dh 70 each. Abu Dhabi Buses #9 and #10 that drop by near the Palace for only Dh 2 for a one-way trip.
After that, you can proceed to the Heritage Village. At this spot, you can literally experience the culture of the UAE during the past decades as the place has a museum within the site, as well as actual houses made out of bricks and stones where you’ll get to experience the real-feel of temperatures within its interiors. The place also has a beach behind which, while you’re prohibited to get near the waters, you can still enjoy the smell and feeling of the fresh breeze of the sea. To get there, buses #32, #63, #11, #5, #65, and more drop by near the area at the Marina Mall for Dh 2 – after which you can take a quick cab trip (Dh 12, one way) towards the area.
The last stop for your trip will be Abu Dhabi’s iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Both residents and tourists can visit Abu Dhabi’s majestic mosque free of charge, and is great to visit in the afternoon as well as in the evening as you will see the beauty of the mosque both in daylight and in the evening under the stars. The structure celebrates the diversity of architectural and design influences from all over the world and with its open-door policy, visitors can capture their perfect moment and enjoy the scenery of Abu Dhabi’s biggest mosque which also houses the world’s biggest chandelier and carpet.
#VisitDubai ‘s Flora and Fauna
If you have ever fancied getting into a very colorful garden, especially during the day, the Dubai Miracle Garden is for you. For only Dh 50, the Dubai Miracle Garden is a wonderful spectacle of nature – vibrant colors of the rainbow and more surround the beautiful areas. And the place also has several large, lush, and well-kept greeneries patterned after iconic cartoon characters and memorable structures from your childhood days. Bus #105 from Mall of the Emirates drops directly to the Dubai Miracle Garden. The garden is open 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Sundays to Thursdays. 9:00 am to 11:00 pm Fridays and Saturdays.
Located nearby the iconic Dubai Miracle Garden is the Dubai’s very own Dubai Butterfly Garden, filled with over 26 different species of over 15,000 butterflies within ten domes, making it the UAE’s biggest butterfly garden. Tickets to the area cost only Dh 55 per person and visitors will get to experience to see beautiful, colorful butterflies as they seemingly dance within the gardens. If you’re coming from the Dubai Miracle Garden, a few steps on foot will take you to your destination. The butterfly garden is open 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.
Witness Dubai’s iconic sites in full color
In the morning, you can visit Dubai’s Umm Suqeim Beach – The place is known not only for its clear waters and free entry, more than those, it’s widely popular to have a great view of Dubai’s Burj Al Arab if you want to take photos of it on the background.
After you take your lunch in the noon, you can catch Dubai Mall’s Fountain Dance which has 3 shows in the afternoon: 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00 pm from Saturday to Thursday and 1:30, 2:00, and 2:30 every Friday. The Dubai Mall hosts the world’s largest fountain performance free of any cost. During nationwide occasions and holidays as well as during special UAE-led events, you may also catch the Burj Khalifa Light Show in the same area during the evening. Both are spectacular sights that residents and tourists shouldn’t miss seeing. A Metro Ride on Dubai’s Red line will take you to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station. Cost depends from where you came from.
For only Dh 15, you can have a view of the replica of the world’s most iconic facades at the Global Village! The Global Village is the ideal place to visit in Dubai especially now that it has reopened for its 23rd season – with lots of food that you can experience from various parts of the globe, as well as free shows all around the area. Global Village also has several theme park attractions at a separate, and equally affordable cost for the entire family. Buses 102, 103, 104, and 106 will take you to Global Village. The bus will take around 30 minutes of travel time to get there. The service runs from 3:15pm until 11:15pm. Global Village is open 4:00 pm to 12:00 am Saturdays to Wednesdays, except Monday. Thursday, Friday, and Public Holiday timings from 4:00 pm to 1:00 am. Mondays are exclusive for ladies and families.
Food under Dh 50
After visiting tourist sites, you can rest up a bit and dine at various restaurants that offer deals of Dh 50 and below.
Chicking currently offers a Winter Special at selected outlets for only Dh 20 which includes Chicken, Spaghetti, Rice, Fries, Gravy, and Cola as well as a chance for you to win round trip tickets.
Teriyaki Boy currently has their Ramen Festival that offers a variety of flavors of chicken, beef, and seafood for only Dh 22 each.
If you’re craving for a buffet, La Mesa Restaurant and Hot Palayok will keep your tummies full with their huge selections of Filipino dishes, street food, and more for less than Dh 50.
If you fancy a full meal, Pancake House offers their House Specials set for only Dh 35 which has their flavorful set of Pan Chicken, Taco, Spaghetti, and a Beverage.
The list goes on.
