Undefined Declarations

Dubai Beach Club Review: Fairmont The Palm

I wanted to squeeze in a beach club review before the month of Ramadan begins. Since I’ll be fasting and there is absolutely no way anyone can visit a Dubai beach in the summer without having anything to drink or eat! I also wanted to check out Fairmont The Palm‘s beach and pool club while they have their summer promotion rates going on.

Summer Promotion Rates

Validity of the promotion: Until the end of August

Adult day pass fee: 195 AED (without the food and beverage voucher) and 265 AED (inclusive of a 100 AED F&B voucher)

Kids (ages 5 to 13): 99 AED (without the F&B voucher) and 130 AED (inclusive of a 50 AED F&B voucher)

Pool and Beach Facts

The hotel has four pools; two adult-only pools and two family pools.

A resident DJ plays by the pool bar on Friday evenings from 5 to 10 pm.

I was informed by the hotel’s Operations Director – Frederic Bellone that the beach was partially closed due to construction work “to expand the private beach area and to make the bottom of the ocean more gradient.”

Mr. Bellone also mentioned that the expansion work should be completed within a few days. So you can still head down to the beach club and enjoy their summer promotion. I would suggest that you ask about the construction work when calling to book your day pass. As booking in advance is required for the Fairmont’s beach club.

Is free Wi-Fi Available at the Beach?

Unlike Madinat Jumeirah properties, Wi-Fi is only available for in-house guests and club members. Outside guests need to pay 100 AED for a day’s use of the hotel’s Wi-Fi.

Pros

Relaxed and laid-back ambiance with chill-out Arabian fusion tracks playing in the pool area.
The adult-only pool is a good spot for contemplation and meditation. With a couple of fountains pouring water into the pool, the sound creates a calming effect that can be used for meditation. The pool is also surrounded by palm trees, so looking up to the sky does feel like you’re on vacation. Especially when combined with a beautiful bird flying by the water and the fountain’s peaceful water sounds.
A complimentary bottle of still water is provided for all pool and beach guests.
Complimentary locker access. Inside the locker is a coat hanger, a bath towel, a small towel, and a plastic bag for storing your wet swim suit.
The beach and pool day pass also includes access to the spa’s modern and state of the art gym, steam room and sauna.
The facilities are super-clean and well-maintained to high standards.

Cons

I wasn’t informed about the partial closing of the beach when I called to book the day pass and ask about the beach/pool access. I only found out about it when I got to the hotel. This meant that I had to lounge by the pool for a few hours until the construction work was over at the beach and I could go into the water. But that wasn’t a problem, as I could always use some meditation at the pool’s relaxing fountains 🙂
The staff at the beach area seemed to be in a rush to close down the sun umbrellas and fold back the lounger cushions when it wasn’t time for sunset yet. Maybe it’s a routine practice and part of their job description, but it gave me the feeling that they were rushing to end their work day chores as soon as they could! The beach area wasn’t busy anyway, and so it didn’t seem like they would have a lot of wrapping up to do at the end of the day.
The food quality at the pool bar could use some enhancement. More so since the Fairmont on Sheikh Zayed Road is associated with great brunch and food options. I will be talking more about the food in a while.
The front section of the ocean’s ground has rocks and is not smooth for walking. I believe that the management should consider making the ground surface smooth for walking. Especially for kids.

What to Eat and Drink?

To quench my thirst, I ordered an orange ginger tea cooler. Which was basically orange juice with a hint of ginger. It was a refreshing drink for a hot summer day.

For lunch, I had a chicken breast burger on wheat bread. I was delighted to see a healthy option for a sandwich on the menu. But I was disappointed as the chicken was a bit tough and didn’t look like it was cooked up to good quality levels. The taste of the food was average, and could use some improvement.

A few hours after lunch, it was time for my coffee break. And for that, I ordered a banana soy latte at the beach. It’s a blend of bananas, soy milk and a shot of espresso. The first time my drink was prepared, it had a lot of ice blended in it. And so the taste of the latte was somewhat non-existent from the excess of ice that was used. But when I asked for less ice to be used in preparing my latte, it tasted much better and was such a revitalizing and cooling summer drink.

Will I go back?

I would love to go back to the Fairmont’s beach club for three reasons:

To take advantage of the summer promotion rate while it lasts.
To check out the pool atmosphere on a Friday evening when the resident DJ is playing. I went on a Saturday and so I missed it. (Please take note that this will continue after Ramadan only).
To see if I can meet a potential husband at the pool or beach (note: most guys at this beach club are very fit with buffed-up masculine bodies and wash board abs) 😀

Link:

http://www.fairmont.com/palm-dubai/

I will leave you with some random images from my day at the Fairmont The Palm’s beach club. You can also check my Facebook page for more images and other cool posts.

Undefined Declarations Hosts The Carnival of Weekend Wanderings!

I’m delighted to be hosting the Carnival of Weekend Wanderings on July 4. It’s a very interesting and fun concept that brings together bloggers of all genres and allows a way for us to get introduced to other bloggers and their pages. I have personally found it a great opportunity to make new friends from the blogging community through the Carnival Blog. You never know who you will meet next; it could be someone who lives in your neighborhood or city.

Of course the blog carnival also helps to promote other blogs and drive more traffic into them. It’s also a great way to find out about what others have been up to in their weekend, and possibly get inspired by their story 🙂

“The Carnival of Weekend Wanderings” is a publication of posts once every two weeks about your weekend answering the simple questions:

Where did you go? What did you do?

To participate in the next blog carnival, all you need to do is to submit the link for your weekend blog post on the following submission form:

http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_16781.html

If the above website is down, you can send your article links directly to my e-mail: undefineddeclarations at gmail dot com

To know more about the Carnival of Weekend Wanderings, check out Grace from Sandier Pastures‘s post about it here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment on this post or drop me an e-mail. I look forward to hearing your weekend stories 🙂

Dubai Spa Review: Elixir Spa at The Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa

There’s always a story behind everything that I do. Sometimes, it’s funny. Other times it’s sad and this time, it was ordinary. I had written a review on The Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa beach club very recently. If you missed it, you can read it here.

As I was leaving the beach club that day, I was handed a voucher for a 20% discount for a massage treatment at the hotel’s spa: Elixir Spa.

So, I naturally booked a massage appointment to make use of the promotion before it expired and before Ramadan started.

Summer Promotion

When I called to book my appointment, I was informed that I can get a 60 or 90 minute massage treatment. I went for the one-hour option. I inquired about the prices before and after the discount. The 60 minute Elixir Therapeutic Massage’s regular rate is 450 AED. After the summer promotion discount, I paid 360 AED. I asked about the type of massage and I was told that it’s a Swedish full body massage.

Here’s a list of the spa services included in the summer promotion (valid until July 31, 2013):

Main Drawbacks

I was asked to pay for my massage before the treatment. I don’t think that it’s a welcoming or nice gesture to ask the client to pay for the service prior to getting it. Especially in a spa environment.
I wasn’t informed at the time of booking the treatment that use of the steam and sauna rooms is included in my treatment. I only found out about this from my therapist right before the massage. I wasn’t able to make use of the full treatment offer since I had already made plans to have lunch with my dad and so I couldn’t just stay and use the other facilities available with my treatment. The staff at the reception didn’t inform me of this neither at the time of booking nor at the time of the appointment.

Massage Rating

I found the massage to be up to professional standards. I had asked the therapist for a hard pressure massage with a focus on my shoulders and upper back. The therapist did a great job with a consistent pressure throughout the whole treatment. Overall, the massage was very relaxing and soothing and I almost fell asleep by the end of it 🙂

Oils Used and a Balinese Tradition

The Moroccan oil used in the treatment was a combination of both Argan and Jasmine oils.

Benefits of Argan oil:

Helps relieve muscle tension.
Promotes hair growth. It can be used in scalp massage as well.
Highly effective in moisturizing dry skin and hair.

Benefits of Jasmine oil:

Jasmine can significantly aid in the rejuvenation of the skin and in making women look younger. My Balinese therapist explained to me how Indonesian ladies eat fresh Jasmine petals in search of a youthful complexion. She also told me about a famous Indonesian movie actress who at 95 years of age looked as though she was only 40, simply because she followed a regular “Jasmine Petal” diet 🙂

My therapist hadn’t tried it though. I think we can safely stick to the jasmine oil for now 🙂

My Massage Therapist

Luh Sri is the only Balinese therapist at Elixir Spa. With over seven years of experience in various spa treatments at world-class properties; including a couple of years at the Hyatt hotel in Bali, she has the professionalism of a five-star hotel spa therapist. Not to mention the knowledge, friendliness, and positive spirit that are essential traits of any beauty therapist.

Will I make another visit?

I would love to go back to have another full body massage with Luh. Maybe next time I can try the hot stone massage, or another type of massage or treatment. In case I decide to make another visit, I will make sure to check the offers before booking and to make use of the locker room facilities such as the sauna and steam room should they be included in the treatment package.

Conclusion

The staff at the reception need to be informed of all the promotional offers (and their perks). And they must be trained to convey complete information to the clients.Whether these guests are visiting from outside the hotel or are staying at the resort.

I believe that the spa management can do more to attract outside clients as well as in-house hotel guests. At least that was the message that I got from the way the promotion and my booking were handled.

Contact Link

http://grandjumeirah.habtoorhotels.com/site/general/LeisureAndSpa.aspx

Dubai Beach Club Review: Talise Fitness, Madinat Jumeirah

A strong instinct told me that I must have a look at the latest issue of Time Out Dubai while I was standing at the magazine stand the other day. To my amusement, The latest issue’s cover read: “Battle of the Beach Clubs”! The timing was perfect as I was planning to visit and review a couple of Dubai beach clubs this summer.

After reading the detailed description and comparison table for the different beach clubs, I decided to head to Talise Fitness, Madinat Jumeirah for my next review and make use of their fabulous summer offer.

Beach and Pool Access

The day pass gives you access to the 3km long private beach stretching from Al Qasr extravagant hotel to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, in addition to the two pools (one is at Mina Al Salam hotel and the other is at Al Qasr hotel).

Pros

The staff at the Talise Fitness club reception and the beach and pools were very friendly, attentive and helpful.
The facilities including the rest rooms were always clean and well-maintained.
The cushions on the deck chairs were very comfortable.
There are private cabanas available free of charge.
The tent-designed cabanas at the Al Qasr side of the beach can be rented for 500 AED per day.
The beach and pool are not too busy; average crowd.
Quiet beach, great for reading a book.
3km long private, enclosed beach means a lot of room for swimming and chilling in the ocean.
The loungers are within close proximity to the water.

I was informed by the water sports rental staff person that the weather in Dubai this year has been remarkably pleasant, compared to the usual scorching heat that hits the region at this time of the year. Normally, the temperatures soar starting June and up until the end of September. But luckily, the summer this year has started on a lighter note. And let’s hope that it stays that way for a while!

There even was a cool breeze at the end of the day as we approached sunset. And I found myself commenting on a Facebook status which spoke about cool weather conditions at a nearby venue, and saying that I was also enjoying the cool temperatures at the beach at Mina Al Salam hotel.

Unlike my previous beach trip when the beach was flagged and the waves were manic, this Friday witnessed quiet waves and cool water temperatures. But don’t worry, Talise Fitness beach always keeps the beach goers informed of the ocean and weather status. Check out their boards and signs with weather and water forecasts.

Where to have Lunch

The beach waiters can bring your food order from the pool bar straight to your lounger if you were too lazy to leave your comfy deck chair. You can also head to the pool bar and eat at one of the tables like I did. Or if you were with someone or a group of people, then you might want to have lunch at one of the many multi-cuisine restaurants available at both Mina Al Salam and Al Qasr hotels.

I went for a prime beef burger with a side green salad. And I had a beach punch mixed fruit mocktail.

My Friday Beach Buddy :) — My Friday Beach Buddy 🙂

I must say that the iced-coffee was a let-down, since it was basically ice cubes dropped into a glass of coffee. I think I was still craving the highly refreshing iced-coffee that I had at The Habtoor Grand Beach Club. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can read all about it here.

As the time came close to sunset, I decided to go and try out the largest leisure pool in Dubai at Al Qasr hotel. Access to the pool is included in the beach and pool day pass. To get there, you can either walk, take a buggy, or the water abra. I opted for the famous Dubai lifestyle transport: the lovely buggy car.

It's time to hit the pool! — It’s time to hit the pool!

Dubai's Largest Leisure Pool at Al Qasr Hotel — Dubai’s Largest Leisure Pool at Al Qasr Hotel

The pool at Al Qasr hotel was designed to be not too deep with families and kids in mind. The water temperature at the pool is centrally controlled throughout the year to adjust to the changing weather temperatures. So the water temperature was just right when I went in for a swim. What’s unique about the pool at Al Qasr is that there are two wild ducks swimming and fluttering their wings on its expansive surface! The ducks (named Chip and Dale by one of the life guards) are imported from overseas to spend three months in Dubai (June, July and August) before re-breeding and then going back to their hometown. It felt so relaxing and soothing to swim in Al Qasr’s wide and elegant pool. And the pair of ducks’ floating on the water made the experience even more calming and peaceful.

Downside

This beach club has a very polished, glamorous and posh edge to it. It might not appeal to everyone.
The quietness of the beach makes it a bit on the boring side.
There’s no music or DJ playing. Which means that the only sounds you will be hearing are other people’s conversations or the sound of speeding jet skis.
The place lacks in character, soul and a strong identity. Its ultra chic and glamorous look leaves no room for a spontaneous feel.
The beach lacks the lively ambiance and fun vibe that I find and like about Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa’s beach club.
Jebel Ali Beach Club makes for a great escape from the city, since it’s located in an isolated resort. While you can’t get that same feel with Talise Fitness beach. Seeing the Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the sky scrapers on Sheikh Zayed Road while swimming in the ocean, makes it difficult not to feel that you are still in the heart of the city!

Who Should Visit?

If you are looking for a quiet beach to relax after a long work week or would like to read your book in peace, then this beach club could be the right pick. But if you are someone who’s looking for a vibrant and busy beach atmosphere, then this beach club might not appeal to you.

Will I go again?

I must admit that I plan on going back for two reasons:

To see the beautiful orange and red hues of light as the sun sets at the beach. I didn’t get to see them this time because I wanted to head to the pool early.
To make the most out of their summer promotion day pass fees which lasts until September 10.

Bonus Tip

Free Wi-Fi is available at the beach and at all Madinat Jumeirah properties. So you can easily check your e-mail, or browse the web and Facebook from the comfort of your sun lounger 🙂

Summer Promotion

The regular fee for the day pass is 495 AED inclusive of a 150 AED food and beverage voucher. However, during the summer months until September 10, you can get the day pass for just 250 AED (without food and beverage) for adults. And for kids aged between 1 to 15 years old, the entrance fee is 150 AED. The fees are valid for both week days and weekends alike.

Timings

The beach is open from 9 am till sunset.
The pools are open from 9 am until 9 pm.

Contact Information

Should you require any additional information, you can contact Talise Fitness by checking their web site:

https://www.jumeirah.com/MJTaliseFitness

You can also read some facts about the beach club at the following Time Out Dubai article:

http://www.timeoutdubai.com/gallery/41718-best-beach-clubs-in-dubai?image=16

Dubai Spa Review: Zen Asia Spa

Zen Asia Spa is your local area type of spa. The one that is conveniently located within walking distance from where you live. And since I happen to live a few blocks away from their JLT branch, I decided to drop in one day to try their back massage treatment.

Facts

The spa offers a wide array of services ranging from Moroccan baths and slimming treatments, nail and hair care services, to waxing, threading and massage treatments.
They have two locations in Dubai; one in Jumeirah Lakes Towers and the other in International City.
They offer gift vouchers, loyalty programs, customized packages and children spa birthday parties.

My Personal Experience

I try to get a back massage whenever I get the chance and time. And I usually go for chain massage centers, reflexology centers, or hotel spas. This time however, I decided to try a place located in my area. Mainly to save on the time and hassle required to reach the place. But also because I heard and read a lot about Zen Asia Spa and I was curious to try it out for myself.

The Therapist

My therapist was a friendly lady from India. Her name was Fatima. I found out from her after the treatment that she is a physiotherapist. Therefore, she knows the right spots to exert pressure on the back or body. I prefer a strong massage and I asked for that when I called to book my appointment. I also informed Fatima about it before the start of the treatment.

Overall Impression

I have to note one thing that I found different from other massage treatments that I had in this country. The therapist was practicing some breathing techniques (not sure if they were intended or not), but this made me feel a bit uncomfortable during my treatment. It took away from the “professionalism” of the massage and place. It kind of set the line between the chain reflexology centers and the hotel spas and the “local area” massage place.

I don’t want to sound obnoxious and I didn’t go there expecting a five-star treatment or service. But at the same time, I was hoping not to feel a considerable amount of difference in the service level and quality of treatment.

Prices

The 30-minute back massage costs 85 AED

Will I Make Another Visit

Honestly, only if I didn’t feel like taking the metro or cab to another place. And wanted to just walk a few blocks (hopefully not in the mid-afternoon like this time) to get a reasonable massage.

Cons

After I had paid, the lady at the reception didn’t seem to care to reply to my good-bye or to even put some effort into maintaining a good relationship with a client who may decide to make another visit. I found this to be the case in many service establishments in Dubai. Except that for massage centers in particular, I think they should pay more attention to their friendliness and behavior with their clients if they wanted to retain them and grow their business. Maybe they could train their staff on customer service or any other related courses.

But I will leave the decision for you ladies to make. If you have tried Zen Asia Spa before, what did you think? what services did you try? which branch did you visit?

If you haven’t then I would recommend it as an option if you live in the JLT area, and would like to go for a massage but are tight on time.

After all, I am called the Rebellious Saudi Diva 😉

Dubai Beach Club Review: Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa

Last Friday, I decided to check out The Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa. Although the beach was flagged on that day, I still managed to go for a nice swim at two different times, with each lasting for around an hour. Yes, I’m a cancerian and we just love to be in the water 🙂

Facts About the Beach Area

For anyone who has never been to the beach in Dubai Marina (I honestly haven’t until this time!), you will notice that the loungers are located at a far distance from the water. I was told by a staff member that it is a government rule and that all of the beach clubs on that strip have a similar setup. It was a bit of a disappointment to me as I had previously gone to the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa where the loungers are situated close to the sea shore. You can read that review here.

Resort Facilities

The resort has a wide number of facilities including:

Tennis and squash courts
Spa and state of the art gym
Fitness studio and classes
Junior Jungle Club for kids
Private beach with various beach activities
Water slides, outdoor Jacuzzi and pool bar
Main pool and a kids pool

Where to have Lunch

There are many options for lunch at the Habtoor Grand.

If you are alone or want to have a light lunch at the beach or pool area, then you could order a shawerma, burger or hot dog and other snacks from the “Al Manarah Beach Bar” or the pool bar.
If you want to try the famous Dubai brunch with barbeque and all, then you could have a nice outdoor brunch at XL Beach Club. That will cost you 260 AED per person. The brunch timings are from 1 to 4 pm.
If like me, you want to have a healthier meal at and sample one of the restaurants at the hotel…there are a number of cuisines to choose from. “Villa Romana”, “Al Basha”, “Fish Bazaar” and “Luciano’s” are some of the restaurants surrounding the beach and pool area at the resort.

Upon reading Pinay Flying High‘s tempting review on Luciano’s, I decided to go there for lunch and a break from the Dubai day in the sun! I’m glad that I did because the food was so delicious that I found myself looking for more tomato sauce on my plate when I finished eating 🙂

View from my table at Luciano's — View from my table at Luciano’s

My Must-try Tip

After my second hour in the water, I felt like I needed to have an energizing drink to keep my body hydrated. While standing at the beach bar, my eyes couldn’t stop staring at the tall glasses the couple standing next to me had. When I asked the lady what it was, she explained that it’s an iced-coffee with ice-cream and that it’s really good. So, that was what I decided to order to quench my thirst. And another couple who saw the bar tender make my drink ordered it as well! It was the perfect ending for my long day at the beach. As the coffee wasn’t too sweet (vanilla ice-cream only was used to sweeten it), and it was so refreshing after a day out in the sun.

Pool and Beach Entrance Rates

On Week Days: Adults – 150 AED, Children – 100 AED

Children ages: 4 – 15 years old, below 3 are free of charge.

On Weekends: Adults – 250 AED, Children – 125 AED

Weekends are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Club Memberships are available and special membership rates apply.

Link

http://grandjumeirah.habtoorhotels.com/site/general/

My Hong Kong Trip – Day 8: Gao’s Foot Massage Co, Fish Balls Noodle Soup and Great Company!

Best Foot Reflexology in Central Hong Kong

On my last day in the city, I decided to treat myself to the famous Asian foot reflexology. And I wasn’t disappointed when I chose Gao’s Foot Massage Co. The place was listed as one of the best places to get a foot reflexology in a travel article that I read while searching online. What makes the foot reflexology in this part of the world unique is that the massage is done all the way up to your knee. The pressure and rubbing techniques were perfect. They also serve complimentary tea with rose petals!

At Gao’s Foot Massage Co., you can choose how long you want your reflexology treatment to last. I think I went for the 50 minutes foot massage which costs 198 Hong Kong dollars. I only say this because I have that in my notes, so I’m guessing that that’s what I went for. Well it has already been five months since I got back from that trip, so you can’t blame me for not remembering every single detail!

For more information about Gao’s Foot Massage Co, check out their web site:

http://www.gaoshk.com/

Traditional Chinese Lunch

After my wonderfully relaxing and soothing foot massage, I went to meet my friend who lives in Hong Kong and who I met while I was taking a course at London College of Fashion! My friend Tanya lives in Sai Kung, which is a town located by the sea, an hour away from central Hong Kong. That’s mainly why I couldn’t see my friend as often as I would like, but I guess we made up for it on the last day 🙂 We had steamed fish balls in a noodle soup for lunch. The traditional dish was recommended by Tanya’s mom after I had explained to her my stomach issues from experimenting the local cuisine! The food was light, healthy and tasty.

Final Words on my Trip

At first glance, Hong Kong reminded me of London in so many ways. With its highly populated and busy streets, the layout of the city’s streets and shops, the high walkability of those streets, and the liveliness and hustle and bustle the city emits. I even told that to my local friend, who agreed and said that Hong Kong is a lot like London, only it’s an Asian city. So, that’s how I saw Hong Kong from the 8 days that I spent there.

Would I go back to visit? definitely. But I would prefer to stay at my friend’s place in Sai Kung for two reasons:

Because I felt lonely staying in a hotel alone in Hong Kong.
To experience the relaxed life by the sea. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

What bothered me most about this trip was that I wanted to escape from busy and fast-paced Dubai to a more quiet and relaxed place. Only to find myself in an even more populated and overly crowded city! with no space for a single person at any coffee shop on the weekends! At least in Dubai, that is never the case. So I was greatly disappointed that I went on vacation to a busy and populated city. Especially that it was the holiday season too.

Another thing that I would change if I plan to visit Hong Kong again would be to go there during the Chinese New Year instead of the busy holiday season as I did. And I might stay for at least two weeks to have enough time to relax by the sea and explore the rest of the city.

I hope that you enjoyed reading my review of my 8-day Hong Kong trip. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to comment on the relevant post.

Here’s a link to the previous Hong Kong post:

http://undefineddeclarations.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/my-hong-kong-trip-day-7-the-giant-buddha-tai-o-fishing-village-and-market-and-a-timely-rant/

My Dubai Beach Recommendation: Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa

I had previously written a review on the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa UAE residents weekend package. You can read all about it here. Today, I was delighted to visit the lovely beach property again (yes, I rarely go to the beach) and spend the day at this relaxed and revitalizing beach.

I arrived to the beach at around 11:30…the weather was a bit windy today, but it was great for swimming and lounging by the sea.

It’s always a great feeling when you sink your toes into the warm grains of sand…

At around two o’clock, I decided to have lunch at La Fontana restaurant. You have the option of taking a cold or a hot buffet. I went for the cold buffet which includes a selection of salads. It’s unlimited so you are allowed to refill your plate 🙂

The salad selection includes a variety of Arabic mezzas such as hummos, mtabbal, and baba ghanouj, in addition to other Western salad dishes. This is what I had in my first round of salad 🙂

And finally, no trip to the Jebel Ali Beach Resort and Spa is complete without seeing our friends; the magnificent and outstanding peacocks!

Even if it’s on our way out; after a long day spent unwinding and relaxing at the beautiful pristine beach.

The resort offers a number of outdoor sport activities, such as horse riding, tennis, golf and various water sports. You can find all the information on their web site:

http://www.jaresortshotels.com/Hotels/Home.aspx

The day pass for the pool and beach access is AED 220 for adults. And AED 325 including an extensive lunch buffet with live cooking stations and an outdoor barbecue station.

Whether you are someone who is looking for a quiet day to relax by the beach and read a book, or if you are more adventurous and would like to try a new water sport or outdoor hobby, or are simply looking to chill by the pool on your day off of work, I assure you that Jebel Ali Beach Hotel will do its best to meet your leisurely needs.

My Hong Kong Trip – Day 7: The Giant Buddha, Tai O Fishing Village and Market, and a Timely Rant!

I didn’t intend to delay writing the posts on my last two days in Hong Kong for this long. It just happened that I was trying to keep up with other events that were taking place in Dubai, and trying my best not to miss out on any important happenings. So I was busy covering those events and later writing reviews on them. Another thing that caused this delay was a technical issue with my laptop and other things that led to a severely stressed version of myself not capable if getting any work done, let alone write a blog post about a trip that I made last Christmas!

Now that you know the reason, let me give you a review of my seventh day in Hong Kong’s main attractions. Being a believer in most Buddhist principles and theories and being a big fan of the Dalai Lama, I couldn’t visit Hong Kong without making a trip to the Giant Buddha. However, my online research warned me of the extremely long queues at the Giant Buddha and mentioned that the best time to visit was early morning on weekdays. To my luck, when I went to ask about the best way to get to the island where the giant Buddha is, the lady at the hotel’s guest relations counter told me about a tour trip that includes a visit to the Giant Buddha. And the best part is that there is no waiting in line with the tour group. I immediately accepted her offer, especially since it would save me the hassle of finding out how to get to Lantau Island (where the Giant Buddha is) and the stress that comes with having to find your way around and exploring things on your own.

Our trip started by taking the “Ngong Ping” cable car to the peak where the powerful Big Buddha bronze statue stands firmly and strongly.

Other statues are in the vicinity, where you can take touristy pictures and reminisce on your Buddha experience 🙂

And the famous Tian Tan Buddha:

As part of our guided tour, we made a trip to a local fishing village located at a far end of the island. All I remember is that we were all very exhausted by the time we got there. And our guide explained that the village is one of the oldest fishing spots on the island and that he personally used to live there for some time. Honestly speaking, our local tour guide spoke very good English and had an extensive amount of knowledge about all of our tourist attractions. I was highly surprised by his level of English and good accent, I couldn’t help but wonder if he used to live in the US for some time in his life or something! I thought that he was too good for his role as a tour bus guide, with a bunch of tired and not so enthusiastic tourists! Yes, that includes me as well 🙂

At the fishing village, we also visited a legendary temple and I hopelessly failed at lighting an incense stick when everyone else was able to do it. Seriously, how tough could that be?! But I couldn’t stay and keep trying from fear of loosing my tour group and being stranded on a fishing village in a far end of a Hong Kong Island! Yikes! Here are some images that I took while following our magical American-accent tour guide at the Tai O fishing village:

The legendary temple where I failed to light my incense stick!

After the tour, we were guided to take the water ferry back to Central. I must say that the ferry ride made for a very authentic and truly original Asian traditional experience. At some point, I felt that I was starring in a documentary movie set in the 1950’s about a bunch of immigrants taking a ferry ride to relocate from one country to another, in search of freedom or better life conditions! And I wasn’t the only star of that movie; the lovely Indian couple who I met at the hotel and joined me at the Buddha day tour were also part of the whole ferry ride experience. Actually, I came to know that me and the friendly couple had a lot in common. Upon asking them for the reason behind their choice for Hong Kong as a destination for their holiday, I found out that they too decided to visit this country mainly because of its flexible visa requirements for our passports! The husband explained to me how both him and his wife were caught up in work and have decided in the last minute to travel abroad. So, after doing an online search for countries that didn’t require an advanced visit visa, Hong Hong seemed to fit that criteria perfectly!

My story was very much similar. I decided last minute that I didn’t want to spend my New Year’s Eve in Dubai for that year. And that I needed a break and a change after having stayed in Dubai for so long without traveling anywhere….mainly because I was trying to make it career wise. And since I haven’t previously applied for a visit visa in the UAE and didn’t feel like going through a visa application process, I thought Hong Kong would be a great option for my last minute planned journey. Of course not forgetting to mention that my local friend had also asked me to visit since she was in Dubai for some time before I made that trip.

I will tell you more about the area where my local friend lives in my next and last post about my Hong Kong trip. But as a final note, I would like to share with you a post that my close friend and blogger Pinay Flying High wrote about the restrictions faced by certain countries’ passport holders. I believe that anyone from the list of the unfortunate “ones” can strongly relate to The passport post.

Do let me know if you have visited Hong Kong or any of the tourist attractions I mentioned in this post. And how would you rate your experience?

Until next time, stay safe and happy travels 🙂

Destination Unknown

The Arabian Travel Market is a travel focused exhibition that is held annually at the Dubai World Trade Centre exhibition hall. This year, the organizers focused the content from the show into five main areas:

Industry updates, trends and social media.
Air travel.
Accommodation and hospitality.
Inbound and outbound travel.
Travel agents and technology.

I found the layout of the stands at the travel show very creative and innovative. Most stands that took up a relatively big space had two story built stands with counters and seating areas where clients can sit and have something to eat or drink while discussing their business or personal inquiries. This made for a more relaxed and casual trade experience, and an unconventional way of networking with the exhibitors.

Honestly speaking, it was my first time to attend the Arabian Travel Market. I think. At least it was my first time since I moved to Dubai a little over three years ago. But walking in the busy exhibition hall – and getting annoyed at people pushing and brushing at me – took me down memory lane to the mid-90’s when I used to visit Dubai with my family. My mom being a highly active business woman in those days used to drag me and my sisters along to every single exhibition that was of interest to her and her beauty salon business. Of course, I didn’t always enjoy attending those shows since I had no personal or business interest back then. I was only a high school student at the time! Now though, I’m a lifestyle blogger who is covering main and interesting events in the city. So attending an exhibition wasn’t such a bad idea.

Back to our topic, the stands at the show represent different countries across all the continents. So you won’t be disappointed no matter what country you have on your hot list of places to see before you die 🙂 There were even some talks held at the Google stands on various technology related topics.

On my list (which is the same list that I’ve had since I was living with my parents and dreaming about traveling alone or with friends) were these three countries:

Turkey
Cyprus
Greece

They are not far away places from the Middle East region. But, I haven’t been to any of them yet. My main concern when approaching the exhibitors at the stands was the visa requirements. I’m a Saudi passport holder and therefore I require a visit visa for most countries. I was told that I would need a European visa for both Greece and Cyprus. But luckily, I know that an advance visa is not required for me to enter Turkey 🙂

Since I have great friends in Turkey, I didn’t bother going to their stand at the show. I did however have a nice chat with the lady at the Cyprus stand who later gifted me a lovely key chain and beaded souvenir (we call it mesbah in Arabic). Please correct me if I’m wrong.

As a last thought, I can confidently say that anywhere you go in this world depends in a great part on the company that you have with you and the times and moments shared with other loving people and friends. So as I walked down the exhibition hall alone today surrounded by a crowd of strangers, I couldn’t help but remember my Hong Kong trip and the loneliness some of its days brought to me. That’s why, the next time I plan on traveling, I will make sure to share that trip or at least most of it with a friend. I think the majority of you would agree that traveling alone for leisure can be an interesting experience, while a lonely one at the same time.

Where do I plan to travel to next? I think the answer is simple: to where the opportunity takes me. But essentially somewhere with a relaxed pace of life, a white sandy beach, where good friends reside (or live close by), and preferably where a prearranged visit visa is not required 🙂

The Arabian Travel Market is open until the 9th of May this year. Happy travel shopping and happy holidays!