Traveling with friends and family makes the experience more memorable and thanks to technology, we now get to share our travel journeys with our friends online. Travelers, especially millennials, will rarely go on a trip and not share it on Instagram. In fact, a survey carried out by Schofields, a UK based firm revealed that 40 per cent of millennials indicated that ‘instagrammability’ of a destination is the most important factor when choosing a travel destination. Kenyans have not been left behind with this trend, and when it comes to international destinations, Dubai is becoming increasingly popular.
For those who have a fear of being left out, Dubai is only a 6-hour journey on a direct flight from Nairobi. Below are some of the attractions why the destination should feature on your Instagram.
Museum of illusions
Opened this Summer, The Museum of Illusions in Dubai takes you on a social and entertaining journey into a magical realm which delights all generations. It’s a perfect place for new experiences, fun with friends and family. The attraction offers an exhilarating experience that plays tricks on your mind and eyes.
Attractions range from the Vortex Tunnel, the first of its kind in the UAE, that will drive you crazy and make you believe the ground is shifting under your feet as you navigate through a rotating cylinder – which surprisingly remains a stable and flat surface! You also get to disfigure your reflection in the Mirror Room, resist the laws of gravity and shapes, all the while taking amazing pictures of yourself in EVERY POSSIBLE POSE! When you have had your fun, you can buy souvenirs from the museum and take home for your kids.
Aquaventure Waterpark
Aquaventure Waterpark offers you a myriad of activities to experience and post on your Instagram. The waterpark can overwhelm you with an array of unique, not-to-be-missed waterslides and extraordinary rides with cascades, tidal waves and rapids. Experience fun adrenaline filled rides and swim alongside sharks in the shark attack. If this does not make your Instagram go wild, then head to the zipline across the park which will give you a magnificent view of Atlantis’ tropical landscapes and the 700-meter beach.
Al Fahidi historical neighbourhood
Brush up on your history and knowledge of local culture by exploring what the Al Fahidi Historical District has to offer. There is plenty to see, learn and do at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, with the Coffee Museum and the Dubai Museum just down the road. This old part of Dubai offers Instagram worthy pictures to share with your online followers.
The traditional towers that tell a story of a life before the emirates, their social culture, museums, art galleries and special traditional food are the Dubai secret that tells the tales of a long gone life.
Miracle Garden
The 72,000sqm Miracle Garden showcases identifiable structures completely covered with flowers. Here you can immerse yourself among more than 50 million blooming flowers throughout the different exhibits and get it all on camera for your social media. Perfect for the whole family, you can visit the garden as many times as you want, since the structures are changed every season to ensure repeat visitors get a unique experience every time.
This season, your kids will love seeing popular Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Pluto, Goofy and the triplets Huey, Dewey, and Louie are in the garden. Each of the characters has at least 30,000 flowers and plants, with Goofy being the tallest at 12 metres.
XDubai’s Human Slingshot
If not for anything else, thrill seekers should head to Dubai for the newly open adrenaline experience. The XDubai Slingshot is a human sling shot that will throttle you 120m high at up to 100km per hour speeds. The gram will thank you for it for all ages. Opened at Kite Beach, the ride is not for the faint hearted but for those who dare, you get experience the rare ride and if you can keep your eyes open, enjoy the beach and sea.
Dubai Mall Waterfall
Ranked among one of the largest malls in the world, Dubai Mall is not only a shopping haven but an amazing Instagram spot. One of the malls popular attractions is the human water fall, which has waters cascading from the top of the mall. The water fall has an added decoration of dazzling human sculptures made from fibre glass. The scriptures appear to plunge downwards into the waterfalls with their hands spread sideward. With a diameter of 30 meters and a height of 24 meters, this artificial waterfall runs through the mall’s entire height, making it visible to viewers from all the mall’s four levels.
Global Village
The Dubai Global Village is a season attraction held in Winter seasons. The 2018/2019 will be held from November 2018 to April 2019 and provides a good opportunity for families to enjoy culture, entertainment and shopping from around the world. The village represents than 70 countries, showcasing their most important buildings, traditions, flavors, costumes and customs, and among them is Kenya! Here, you get to take pictures with men dressed in Maasai outfits and representing the world-famous culture.
The Dubai Eye Ferris Wheel
The giant ferris wheel ‘Ain Dubai’ is located on Bluewater’s Island, and is the tallest in the world at 250 metres. It is taller than the 167-metre High Roller in Las Vegas and the 190-metre New York Wheel planned for Staten Island. Ain Dubai carry’s up to 1,400 passengers at a time in its 48 double-glazed capsules, offering unforgettable 360-degree views of Dubai. Each leg of the observation wheel stands at a height of 126 metres and is long enough to fit 15 London buses.
City Walk
If you have ever wanted your ‘gram to feature art by renown world artists, then you need to visit City Walk in Dubai. Not only does it provide you with to die for shopping spots, great eating spots and entertainment, the walk brings a slice of destinations such as Europe through the iconic red telephone boxes from the UK and the cobbled streets of Paris. It is best to take photos at this spot in the evening with all the lights on. The giant or small graffiti on the walls will be lit up and the many restaurants and spots themselves provide great content for your followers.
La Mer
If you like your Instagram photos to have an outdoor feel and showcasing various cafes with extremely stylish décor, then La Mer is where you need to be. The beach front section provides you with a backdrop of amazing beach houses and a stunning view of the Burj Khalifa. The colourful settings and backdrops will give your viewers an eye full of wonderful content that will make you want to come back for more.