Page 19 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Dubai & Abu Dhabi

Dubai Creek ❮❮ 17

National Bank
Creek Cruises
7 9
of Dubai
Tour operators
One of Dubai’s first offer romantic dinner
modernist high-rises cruises along the creek
is still one of its most each evening aboard
memorable (left). The traditional wooden dhows,
curved façade (inspired often accompanied by
by the shape of belly-dancing and live
a dhow’s hull) Arabian music. The sleek
reflects the Bateaux Dubai offers a
water below more modern and
(see p59). luxurious option.

Dubai Creek Golf Club
5 HISTORY OF
AL DEIRA The Dubai Creek Golf Club building (above) DUBAI CREEK
R AS is one of the city’s most unusual modernist
AL FAHIDI SIKKAT AL KHAIL ST landmarks, with glass-fronted façades nestled Once a tiny fishing
beneath three spiky white “sails” (see p60). settlement sprawled
9 around the mouth of
Abra Trips
Dhow
7 6 8 the creek, Dibei, as
A L GHUBAIBA ST
AL SEEF RD
BUR DUBAI D u b a i 6 Wharfage Abras are flat- it was known in the
16th century, owes its
Al Maktoum Stroll beside the creek bottomed, open-sided existence to the 14-km
U MM H U R AIR R D along Baniyas Road, water taxis and are a (9-mile) Dubai Creek,
Bridge
breezy way to travel the
where colourfully painted
Floating
Bridge
wooden dhows (below) creek. Cram in with other which led into a natural
harbour and established
are moored and boats passengers – the abras itself as a flourishing
arrive from Iran, Oman carry 40,000 people per hub for entrepôt trade.
C r e e k
5 and the rest of the UAE. day – and enjoy the views.
Marsa al Seef
0
Stretching along
the Bur Dubai waterfront,
Marsa al Seef is the
biggest development in
the history of the creek.
Due to open in 2017, it
will have a traditional
souk, abra station, shops,
cafés and a museum.
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