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Alumni offer travel tips to this oasis of opportunity

Kristin Livingston

Al Mallah has amazing super local food — a must try! Order the chili cheese menekesh and the juice cocktails. For activities, I highly recommend everything outdoors, from driving through the desert to jet skiing on the ocean, spice tours and dune buggies, and so much more.
Karina Thakur '13

The desert safari takes you out in a 4x4 into the dunes. Try Zuma for fine dining and Oostadi Kebabs or the salt food trucks in Bur Dubai (Old Dubai) for good eateries; I also enjoy the bar hopping in that area. Nippon Bottle Company, Bahri Bar and Weslodge are bars worth visiting.
Varun Shewakramani '11

Head downtown to Dubai Mall for the biggest fountain show and the tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa) — and maybe take a dive at Skydive Dubai that overlooks the Palm Island. Definitely have dinner at Nusr-Et, restaurant of Turkish chef, Salt Bae; it's probably one of the best meat restaurants in the world. For a fun night out (every season but summer), visit outdoor nightclub White Dubai.
Driss Belrhiti '16

Emirati's Desert Experience starts with a 45-minute camel ride to a Bedouin-style camp within a royal desert retreat, followed by a lavish four-course banquet, traditional music and dancing, a spectacular display of falconry and henna tattoos. One truly experiences Arabian hospitality. Zuma is the perfect venue for a speedy bite to eat, business lunch or evening of fine dining with friends or colleagues. The dining experience is like no other and the lounge area with the live DJ on the top floor makes it an interesting place to chill throughout the night. Al Barari is an environmentally-conscious community in Dubai with a focus on sustainability and living in harmony with nature. Sixty percent of the development is made up of green space that envelopes the luxury villas. Beautiful themed gardens, naturally landscaped lakes, freshwater streams, cascades and waterways make it more akin to a botanical garden than a residential community. 
Amit Raipancholia '01