Dubai Creek - The Lifeblood of the City

The enchanting Dubai Creek seems to define Dubai’s dualistic character, where one finds a dash of old world charm interwoven into this dynamic city’s uber modern character. Sitting in the middle of Dubai, the creek, which is a natural arm of the Arabian sea, divides the emirate into two. At the South lies Bur Dubai, while Deira Dubai makes up the North. The creek hides a lot of the Emirates’ history.

Its mouth turned up traces of Dubai’s early settlement. It has served as the hub for Dubai’s trading scene by ferrying both people and goods to the country’s interiors. Even the local authorities did a lot of hedging to increase its size so that more boats could reach more remote corners of Dubai. Today, it is a mesmerizing sight to see traditional wooden dhow boats still floating gently across the waters. They are even traversing ancient trade routes to Iran, Oman, and India.

To this date, the creek has seen massive expansion projects, including the Business Bay development. This ambitious undertaking would stretch the creek from around Bur Dubai to the Persian Gulf. In fact, there is no limit to the opulent projects planned around the creek. These projects include ‘The Lagoons’, ‘Dubai Towers Dubai’, or ‘The Seventh Crossing’, ‘The Fifth’, and ‘Al Shindagha’ bridges. With hundreds of millions of dollars invested in such ventures, it is easy to see why the creek is called the lifeblood of Dubai.

A holiday in Dubai would be incomplete without a Dhow cruise on the creek. Take an afternoon or evening cruise aboard these colorfully painted dhows and brace yourself for a gourmet wine and dining experience. While a sunset cruise treats you to spectacular sights bathed in orange as the golden ball slips into the horizon, a dinner cruise is perfect for watching Dubai’s world famous man-made gigantic landmarks burst into a dazzling sea of lights. As you bite into scrumptious king-sized lobsters and sip prized wine to the accompaniment of lilting piano music in the background, you will discover that there is no deal that beats the deal of exploring Dubai during the evening on a Dhow cruise.

Another excellent way to have fun on the creek is to hire water taxis, known as Abra in the local parlance. Abra fares are a hot transport option for locals and tourists alike. In fact, if you want to beat the traffic or cross the creek, you will find an Abra handy at almost every time of the day. Abras are also wonderful for sightseeing, with one popular option being the hour-long trip between the Maktoum Bridge and the Abra embarkation point. With the creek accounting for a major chunk of the time you spend on your holiday to Dubai you realize why the creek dominates your holidays.

Before you take your Emirates holidays, it would be advisable to look up some information on the creek and associated areas and attractions so that you may easily plan a cheap and memorable vacation. On a final note, I would like to suggest that accommodation should be booked near the creek.