Moevenpick Hotel Bahrain

Location. Moevenpick Hotel Bahrain is located 10 kilometres from the city of Manama, opposite Bahrain International Airport, overlooking a lagoon.

Hotel Features. This six-storey hotel features futuristic architecture reminiscent of the pyramids. Multilingual staff at the 24-hour front desk can offer currency exchange, concierge services and the use of a safe-deposit box. The public areas have wireless Internet access and complimentary parking is available nearby. Silks Restaurant serves Asian and Middle Eastern specialities in a contemporary setting with Arabic styling and features show cooking. The Gallery is set in the atrium lobby overlooking the lagoon and serves light meals. The Flamingo Bar has live music and the poolside bar features a barbecue on Thursdays. The hotel has a business centre, and meeting and conference facilities are available. There is an outdoor pool with a sun terrace, sunbeds and loungers. Two floodlit outdoor tennis courts are available and there is fitness equipment. Massage treatments, foot reflexology and aromatherapy are all available. Guestrooms. The 106 guestrooms have muted decor and modern furnishings in a traditional style. All are equipped with satellite television, air conditioning and wireless Internet access. Other standard amenities include bathrobes, complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Expert Tip. Visit the Bab el-Bahrain Souk for a taste of life in Bahrain; it sells everything from gold jewellery to plastic buckets. Bargains are available for those with the stamina to haggle.

Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park

Al Areen Holding Company is excited to announce the opening of the "Lost Paradise of Dilmun" Water Park in August 2007, one of the main attractions at the Al Areen development. $15 million themed water park - the first of its kind in Bahrain and of a standard to rival world class entertainment facilities anywhere in the world.

The park's focus is on top-quality and cutting edge design and facilities, with a twist - each aspect of the park is based on the history of the Dilmun period, reflected by unique stone architecture / sculptures and encompassing theming works. Over 14 slides and attractions are blended seamlessly to create a desert oasis and garden of paradise for guests to enjoy - spa pools, interactive children's wet play area and family raft ride to name a few. The park will also feature the gulf regions' largest wave pool, the first in the area with a natural sandy beach.

Located right next to a resort hotel, with easy access to the major shopping complexes and direct views of the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Dubai City tour - Half day

This is a fascinating tour through the city of Dubai, also referred to as the City of Gold, we will explore a contrast between the past and present of Dubai during this short tour. We will pick you up from your hotel. Your journey begins at the magnificent Jumeirah mosque and continues along the Jumeirah beach road, which is the most luxurious urban area in Dubai. We pass in front of the Mercato themed shopping mall and stop for photographs at the Burj Al Arab (Arab Tower) hotel. We continue towards the Nad Al Sheeba camel and horse race tracks, where we can witness camels training. We then head along the skyscraper area of Sheikh Zayed Road, also referred to as little Manhattan, where we pass by the Emirates Towers and Dubai World Trade Center. Then we drive along the Zabeel road, passing by the palace of Sheikh Mohammed, as well as the Sheikh Rashid palace, (No photography).

We now head towards the Dubai creek, where we will stop for photographs of the creek side. We pass by the Al Bastakiya’s old-wind tower houses, which were built by the wealthy merchants of the past. Our next stop takes us to the historical Al Fahidi Fort, which has been converted into the Dubai Museum. The Museum is the 200 year-old restored Palace of Sheikh Saeed, which has important records of pearl diving and trading activities that went on. The tour takes us to the Abra station, where we will take an Abra (water ferry) to cross to the opposite side of the creek, as was done in the not so distant past. We then set out on foot as we navigate through the bustling alleys towards the spice and gold souks (markets) as you see insight of Dubai’s growth as a major trading center.

Cost : US$40 Per Person. Book Dubai City Tour Now Discounts available for groups. Contact us for details

Dubai Desert Safari Tour (Evening)

This tour operates Daily from 3:45PM to 10:00 PM Pickup from any location in Dubai or Sharjah is provided. We also pickup from Ajman however additional US$ 5 are charged for Ajman pickup.

Experience the Arabian desert on the 4WD jeep. Drive into sand and watch the camels and sun set over the dunes. Have a delicious BBQ dinner and be entertained by traditional Arabian Belly dance. All inclusive desert safari with pickup from your hotel and drop off US$54.00 or Dhs 190.00 Per person
contact us to book now.

Dubai Desert Safari is a must do tour in Dubai. if you are visiting Dubai for pleasure or business spare an evening for the Desert Safari to enjoy the life out of Dubai's busy life. On our desert dune safari you will experience a thrilling drive in the Arabian desert's sand dunes and enjoy a great BBQ Dinner over a live Belly dance show in a desert camp just outside the modern city of Dubai.

We will pick you up from your hotel or home in Dubai, Sharjah between 3:15 PM - 4PM. We will drive you out of Dubai to the sandy Arabian desert. We stop for a soft drink before entering into the desert. Our experienced Desert Safari driver cum Guide will ensure you enjoy the tour across the sand dunes, he will drive up the hills in the most thrilling and exciting manner to show you an example of driving with force in the sand popularly known as Dune Bashing.

You will have the opportunity to enjoy the exciting and thrilling driving tactics in the fine sand dunes of Arabian desert. We also stop for Sunset and take photographs and enjoy the scenery. Later we will visit a camel farm in the desert. After sunset we arrive at the traditional desert camp, Upon arrival at the camp you will have the opportunity to ride a camel, Do Sand Skating, have Henna painting on your hands and Shop for interesting handicrafts. Arabian Coffee and traditional dates are also served on arrival at the camp. You can ride camels or do Sand skating or have henna painted on your hands at he camp

Later at the camp you will be served a delicious B.B.Q. dinner and you will be entertained by a traditional Belly dancer. You will enjoy the dance while having your dinner. The Dinner includes a verity of Arabian & continental dishes including vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. We will drive you back to you place of residence around 9:30 - 10PM

Click here to see some pictures of the Dubai desert Safari. There is also a choice of over-night at the desert check Dubai Overnight Desert Safari.

Contact us to reserve now.

Ras Al Khaimah

Introduction

Relatively undiscovered, the United Arab Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah rewards holidaymakers who venture to its shores with long stretches of sun-kissed beach and the bath-temperature waters of the Persian Gulf. Daytime temperatures exceed 20ºC (68ºF) year round. For those who want more than sun, sea and sand, Ras Al Khaimah and the Emirate's fledgling resorts don't disappoint. The dramatic natural environment comes complete with vaulting mountain peaks, vast swathes of sandy desert and sweeping sand dunes, not to mention the city of Ras Al Khaimah and the natural lagoons that indent the coastline. The emirate is working hard to develop its tourism industry and to raise its profile around the globe, so if you're craving a relaxed sunshine break in what largely remains a tourism secret then visit ahead of the crowds.

Who goes there?

Well-heeled holidaymakers from around the globe are drawn to Ras Al Khaimah's luxurious resort hotels, its outsized air-conditioned shopping malls and the chance to get active in the emirate's natural environment. More mature visitors and families with younger children tend to visit between November and March when temperatures are cooler, ranging from 19-23ºC (64-73ºF) on average.

Where in the world?

One of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ras al Khaimah is located at the northern end of the UAE's Persian Gulf coast. It is 95km (62 miles) from Dubai, where the nearest airport is, and northeast of Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Sandwiched between the Hajar Mountains and the Arabian Gulf, Ras al Khaimah shares mountainous borders with Oman. It has a 40km- (27 mile-) coastline punctuated by golden sand beaches and tranquil lagoon.

Beach

When it comes to facilities and activities, the private beaches of Ras Al Khaimah's resort hotels are hard to beat. Many boast natural lagoons, as well as a raft of watersports that encompass everything from body boarding and windsurfing to banana boat rides and wakeboarding. Diverse land-based activities include football and volleyball.

Beyond the beach

Myriad excursions can be organised through your resort hotel including 4-wheel desert safari and mountain drives, Ras Al Khaimah city tours, a trip to the camel races and swimming in the Khatt thermal springs. For something a little different join a guided one- or two-day mountain hike or take a dhow cruise to Oman's Musandam peninsula.

Family fun

For kids and big kids alike the attractions of Ras Al Khaimah are manifold, with hotels and resorts typically boasting swimming pools and private beaches, as well as a wealth of land- and sea-based activities. Dune bashing appeals to adventurous older children, while the Manar Mall (Al Gorm/Bridge Road) in Ras Al Khaimah city, with its multi-screen cinema to arcade games, has something to suit every family member.

Retail therapy

Boasting supermarkets, a multitude of shops, traditional souks and modern air-conditioned shopping malls, the city of Ras Al Khaimah is a shopper's paradise. The Emirate's premier shopping centre, the huge Manar Mall, is a great place for holidaymakers stock up on everything from children's wear and toys to jewellery, cosmetics and high street fashions. Here you'll find familiar high street names alongside designer gear and luxurious items from around the globe.

A night on the town

For visitors and locals alike the nightlife in this fledgling resort is centred in Ras Al Khaimah's luxurious resort hotels. Here holidaymakers can watch the belly dancers or smoke a shisha pipe, catch a live music performance, or simply enjoy a cocktail in a lounge bar. If you are after livelier nightlife some resort hotels have their own nightclubs.

Eating out

Like everything else in Ras Al Khaimah dining tends to be upscale, particularly in the evening when four- and five-star resort hotels pull out all the stops to offer romantic candlelit meals in Italian, Lebanese, international and seafood restaurants; for less formal dining during the day plump for pool bars and buffet restaurants. For a quick snack, Ras Al Khaimah's shopping malls are a good bet.

Getting around

Hotel shuttles and taxis are the easiest way of getting around Ras Al Khaimah city, with local tour operators running myriad excursions to destinations further afield. To get around under your own steam you'll need to hire a car from the car rental desk at your resort hotel. Holidaymakers should check in advance for current regulations regarding car hire for non-UAE residents.

Exploring further afield

The larger than life emirate of Dubai is just 95km (62 miles) from Ras Al Khaimah. Visit the resort's landmark sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, Dubai Creek and Jumeirah Mosque, absorb the sights and sounds of the city's souks, or join in the holiday fun at the sprawling Wonderland theme park (website: www.wonderlanduae.com).

Splashing out

Make the most of the watersports offered at Ras Al Khaimah's seaside resort hotels and splash out on the sailing or water-skiing lessons. Alternatively take a sunset boat trip and admire Ras Al Khaimah from the gulf, or indulge in a massage treatment at one of the emirate's hotel spas.

Flying in

Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Dubai

Introduction

There is nowhere quite like Dubai. In this unique resort destination nothing is impossible - they have built golf courses in the desert, opened the Gulf's first ski field, created the world's first 7-star hotel and, in the latest outlandish project, are now constructing ‘The World', a string of islands in the shape of the globe. Add in sweeping beaches, bath temperature waters and first-rate facilities and it is easy to see why Dubai has become such a popular destination over the last decade.

Who goes there?

Dubai is not really a party destination as such with its main visitors being couples and families. These tend to be from Western Europe with the months leading up to Christmas and just after very popular when the weather is at its best.

Where in the world?

The emirate of Dubai lies on the western shores of the Gulf in the Middle East. It is surrounded by various other emirates, which are also members of the United Arab Emirates. The country of Oman is to the east. Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the nearest airport. The emirate spreads out from the warm waters of the Gulf across a flat plateau, with sweeping sand dune strewn deserts inland and the rugged mountains in the north and east on the border with Oman.

Beach

Dubai boasts a long stretch of Gulf coastline, much of it sprinkled with fine sand. The heart of the action is on Jumeirah Beach. This coastal strip is awash with luxury hotels, with many boasting their own corners of beach with all the usual facilities such as sun loungers and parasols. A range of watersports is also available. These are best arranged through your hotel.

Beyond the beach

The city of Dubai boasts plenty to see and do. You can take a cruise on a traditional dhow through the lifeblood Dubai Creek, visit one of the city's impressive mosques or just stroll around the older quarters taking in the sights and smells of this bustling urban centre. A cheap and cheerful way to see the city like a local is on one of the old abras, the small boats that charge a nominal fee to ferry you from one side of Dubai Creek to the other.

Family fun

Many of Dubai's hotels offer holidaymakers a range of things for their children to do, from kids clubs through to beach games. For adventurous children a 4-wheel drive into the deserts on an organised trip offers the chance to bounce up and down the sands ‘dune bashing'. These trips can include a camel ride and a Bedouin-style meal in a desert camp.

Retail therapy

Dubai is one of the best destinations in the world for shopping. Holidaymakers with money to burn can hit the duty-free shops at the airport, the city's maze of massive air-conditioned malls or the atmospheric old souks, which offer a very different retail experience right in the heart of the city. Good traditional buys include gold and silver jewellery, as well as exotic spices.

A night on the town

As a Muslim country the sale of alcohol is controlled, but holidaymakers can enjoy alcohol in many of the city's hotels, restaurants and clubs. For Western-style nightlife there are numerous choices in the city's hotels; for a local experience you can also smoke a shisha pipe or take tea at one of the centre's more authentic haunts.

Eating out

Diners in Dubai are spoilt for choice, as whatever your favourite food is the chances are it will be on offer here. The city's restaurants and hotels source top notch ingredients from around the world with very high standards across the board. For a more authentic local dining experience head into the city centre around the souks for small informal restaurants and street stalls.

Getting around

The area around Dubai Creek is easily explored on foot, but the rest of the emirate is very spread out, with Jumeirah Beach, where most of the hotels are, one long increasingly busy strip not pleasant for walking along. The city's bus system is reasonably efficient, though very much geared towards locals. Taxis and hire cars are a much better way of getting around and are handy for getting between hotels and restaurants as well as making day trips out of the city. The abras are useful for getting across the Creek if you are on foot.

Exploring further afield

Taking a day trip out to the Hajar Mountains is one of the most popular day trips in Dubai. A number of companies take holidaymakers out across the deserts towards the Omani border. One of the highlights of the trip is ‘wadi bashing' when the 4-wheel drive vehicles thump through the mountain water pools in a dramatic splash. Lunch is often included on these safari trips.

Splashing out

If you enjoy fine dining then make a beeline for Verre. (Hilton Dubai Creek, Beniyas Road) (website: www.gordonramsay.com/dubai) This is the chance to sample the cooking, or at least the cooking styles, of legendary Scottish chef Gordon Ramsay. Ramsay's first Asian venture has been a roaring success with the same top quality ingredients and creative cooking that made his British restaurants so popular.

Flying in

Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Abu Dhabi

Introduction

Basking on an island flanked by bath temperature Gulf waters and white sandy beaches the city of Abu Dhabi's resort credentials speak for themselves. Towering skyscrapers and expansive shopping malls stand alongside ornate mosques and bustling souks, as old Arabic traditions and the modern world collide, making Abu Dhabi even more appealing. Those who delve beyond the Emirate's vibrant capital are rewarded by a lengthy coastline, over 200 offshore islands, voluminous desert sand dunes and the vaulting Hajar Mountains; not forgetting the myriad attractions of the city of Al Ain. Most visitors, however, are more than content to get active in and around Abu Dhabi city, teeing off at a golf course, taking a traditional dhow cruise, or simply trying the smorgasbord of watersports offered by beach clubs, resorts and hotels.

Who goes there?

Business people from other Arab countries comprise the majority of visitors to Abu Dhabi, however an increasing number of savvy holidaymakers from Europe are turning to Abu Dhabi.

Where in the world?

Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven Emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It occupies a north central position in the UAE. The city of Abu Dhabi is 32km (20 miles) east of the airport.

The city of Abu Dhabi occupies a T-shaped island that protrudes into the Persian Gulf, as such it is surrounded by water. Beaches dot the city's coastline, which in turn are flanked by beach resort hotels and Abu Dhabi's commercial centre.

Beach

Whether you want to soak up the sun's rays, take a dip in the Persian Gulf or indulge in myriad watersports, including sailing, windsurfing and jet skiing, the best place to do this on one of the private stretches of beach that belong to Abu Dhabi's resort hotels. Public beaches are thin on the ground and typically don't have any facilities, although the busy Khalidiya Beach is a reasonable option.

Beyond the beach

Appreciate Abu Dhabi's dramatic setting as you amble along the striking Corniche. Admire the 19th century Qasr Al-Hosn Palace (Old Fort) and the triple-domed roof and minarets of the Grand Mosque, as well as the shimmering glass and steel skyscrapers that dominate the city's skyline. Take respite from the beating mid-summer sun in leafy landscaped parks, or air-conditioned shopping malls.

Family fun

Abu Dhabi's upmarket hotels were constructed with families firmly in mind. They typically have at least two swimming pools, as well as a host of water and land based recreational facilities. If you can drag the kids away from the pool, beach or tennis courts, hotels also boast child-friendly restaurants and babysitting services.

Retail therapy

Whether you want to haggle over the price of gold in a traditional souk (note that local custom dictates that you must buy anything that you have verbally agreed a price for), hunt down that perfect souvenir in a colourful bazaar, or pick up the latest designer fashions Abu Dhabi won't disappoint. For a stress free one-stop shopping trip make a beeline for one of the city's air-conditioned shopping centres, the biggest are Marina Mall (Corniche Road) (website: www.marinamall.ae) and Abu Dhabi Mall (Tourist Club Area) (website: www.abudhabi-mall.com).

A night on the town

For locals and visitors alike, Abu Dhabi's nightlife revolves around its hotels. Here you can enjoy live music, smoke fruit flavoured tobacco through a shisha pipe or watch belly dancers. Stylish hotel bars are also a good place to relax over a cocktail, beer or glass of wine. Livelier nightlife can be found in hotel nightclubs.

Eating out

Standards in hotel restaurants are universally high so you don't have to travel far to enjoy a good meal in Abu Dhabi. The variety in the hotel dining scene, with everything on offer from sandwiches and snacks to fine-dining French style, may mean that you don't feel compelled to eat elsewhere, however venturing into the city's restaurants is worthwhile even if it is just to sample local specialities like lamb, chicken or shawarma (similar to a doner kebab). As a general rule alcohol is only served in hotel restaurants.

Getting around

Abu Dhabi has a comprehensive local bus service, including the airport to the city centre route, which operates around the clock. Taxis, which can be caught at ranks or hailed on the street, provide an efficient way of getting around the city of Abu Dhabi itself. Cars can be hired from rental offices at the airport, in downtown Abu Dhabi and in hotels.

Exploring further afield

In an Emirate renowned for the height of its sand dunes, a dune-bashing trip in the Liwa Oasis should not be missed. Enjoy the thrill of careering through the dunes from the comfort of an air-conditioned 4-wheel drive, safe in the company of an experienced driver.

Splashing out

Make a lasting impression at Sevillo's in the Millennium Hotel (Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street, also know as Third Street) (website: www.millenniumhotels.com). Locals and visitors flock to the terrace of this fine-dining Italian restaurant to lap up the stunning views of Abu Dhabi's skyline.

Flying in

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)