My visit to Dubai a few years ago was one of my most surprising trips. Dubai, which aims to become the tourism capital of the world, has quickly become a fashionable destination. Its tourism growth is impressive, going from 9 million tourists in 2011 to 11 million in 2013 and is targeting more than 25 million for 2020. This city leaves no one indifferent. Despised by some, admired by others, Dubai is full of surprising activities. After my article on visiting Dubai here is a top 5 of the activities to do in Dubai.

During my cruise in the Persian Gulf, I had the chance to visit several cities. Dubai, of course, with its endless skyscrapers including Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world on which I had the chance to climb, but I was also able to visit Abu Dhabi. This city, less touristy, less publicized and much calmer than Dubai surprised me a lot. Abu Dhabi is a city that lends itself well enough to a stay of a few days or even a visit from Dubai for the day.

Visit Abu Dhabi: Some information to know

Abu Dhabi is a city, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, but it is also the name of one of the seven emirates that make up this country. The richest of all. Indeed Abu Dhabi entered a new area after the 1960s with the discovery and exploitation of the riches of its subsoil. Indeed, it is with oil (of which Abu Dhabi has 9% of world reserves) and natural gas (of which Abu Dhabi has 5% of world reserves) that Abu Dhabi was able to become the city it is now.
Abu Dhabi is a rich city and it shows. You can’t miss the famous 7-star hotel welcoming the most important and wealthy with rooms costing tens of thousands of euros a night, the Emirates Palace Hotel. This hotel has a private beach built with sand imported from Algeria. It testifies to the wealth that circulates in the city.
Besides this hotel, you will find many buildings there, like the famous Etihad Towers, huge shopping centers, the most modern museums and crazy projects.
Let’s go for a little visit to Abu Dhabi and its essentials.

What to do in Abu Dhabi: the essentials of a visit to Abu Dhabi

Visit Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, the 8th largest in the world. Its construction lasted nearly 12 years and cost 400 million euros. It can accommodate 40,000 people. She is of rare beauty, one of the most beautiful in the world. Its interior decoration is very rich, with the largest chandelier in the world, 10 m in diameter and more than 12 tons. The mosque also has the largest carpet in the world, over 5,600 square meters.
The mosque is open to non-Muslims every day of the week except Friday. To visit the Abu Dhabi Mosque you can go there directly or opt for a guided tour of the city which will make you discover the main places of Abu Dhabi including the Sheikh Zayed Mosque.

Abu Dhabi, World Capital of Culture

While Dubai is aiming for the title of world capital of tourism within a few years, Abu Dhabi covets the title of world capital of culture and is giving itself the means to do so. Indeed, projects linked to culture are multiplying and are part of a more global project, Abu Dhabi 2030. Abu Dhabi has quite simply dedicated an island to receive these cultural projects, Saadiyat Island. You will soon find:

The Zayed National Museum

The Zayed National Museum project was originally a project carried out in partnership with the British Museum in London. A project unveiled in 2010 which was originally due to see the light of day in 2013. A few complications prompted the British Museum to withdraw from the project. We do not know, at present, if the project will see the light of day.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi

In the image of the project in partnership with the British Museum, the Louvre Museum has also joined forces on a “Louvre Abu Dhabi” project. A project initially started in 2007 which saw the light of day at the end of 2017. The atypical architecture of the building was entrusted to the famous architect Jean Nouvel.
Since 2009, the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum has been purchasing numerous works in order to enrich its permanent collection. There are objects dating from antiquity but also more recent until the 21st century.
The museum is located on Saadiyat Island about ten kilometers from downtown Abu Dhabi. If you wish to visit Louvre Abu Dhabi, it is possible to purchase your skip-the-line tickets in advance online. Entrance costs a little less than € 20.

Le Performing Arts Center

The Performing Arts Center is the artistic center of Abu Dhabi, a city of the arts. This center, whose construction has not yet started, should include 5 theaters, a concert hall, a music hall or an opera house. It will have a very particular shape. Its creator wanting to give an organic and vegetal side to this building. It is planned on the same island as Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi’s new cultural district.

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

The Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi will be the 6th (and largest) Guggenheim Museum. After Berlin, Bilbao, Las Vegas, New York and Venice, Abu Dhabi will soon inaugurate the largest Guggenheim museum in the world with an area of ​​30,000 square meters. The construction of this museum is scheduled for 2018.

Yas Island, leisure above all

In addition to these places devoted to culture, mainly located on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi recently created an island dedicated to leisure. This island hosts the craziest attractions, it is Yas Island. This island aims to host the craziest attractions in order to be entertained. It already hosts some world famous places.

Abu Dhabi and its Formula 1 circuit

First of all there is the famous circuit of Formula 1, the Yas Marina. Each year, a stage of the Formula 1 world championship takes place on this circuit. Like all the buildings in Abu Dhabi, this circuit has a very particular design because it passes under a hotel, also very design. Every year at least in November, the best Formula 1 drivers compete on this 5.5 km long circuit. The circuit also hosts motorcycle GP races.
It is possible to visit this Formula 1 circuit for around thirty euros.

Ferrari World d’Abu Dhabi

Close to this circuit you cannot miss the famous Ferrari World. Indeed, it is on this island that Ferrari has decided to set up its indoor amusement park. Opened in 2010, it has a very elaborate design with the largest roof in the world, 220,000 square meters. This park has many roller coasters, including the fastest in the world as well as the largest Ferrari logo in the world. An amusement park that will delight young and old alike with thrilling attractions!
Entrance to Ferrari World costs around 70 €, it is possible to buy tickets on the internet in advance.

Yas WaterWorld, Abu Dhabi’s water park

Let’s continue our journey a bit to head towards one of the largest water park in the world. The Yas WaterWorld. A huge 15-hectare water park with close to 43 attractions including a 238-meter-long water slide. This incredible water park hosts the Flowboarding World Championship every year. The park is divided into 8 zones, each with their own particularity. This park has received many distinctions including that of the main attraction of the Middle East in 2013, it was also elected among the 12 best water parks in the world!
The park was designed to respect sustainable development standards.

Where to sleep in Abu Dhabi?

Several places are to be favored if you are looking for a place to sleep in Abu Dhabi, the first being the Corniche, Corniche Road, a promenade of several kilometers long which runs along the sea. This place constitutes a first choice place to stay in Abu Dhabi.
Even if Abu Dhabi is full of overpriced hotels, it is quite possible to stay inexpensively in Abu Dhabi. I can recommend two ideally located hotels, the Novel Hotel City Center and the Sofitel Abu Dhabi. These two hotels offer great services for reasonable prices, at less than € 90 per night.
If you have a slightly more comfortable budget, you can head to Al Maryah Island which has some very nice hotels without spending several thousand euros on a room. This is the case of Rosewood Abu Dhabi or the Four Seasons.

My opinion on Abu Dhabi

During my visit to Dubai I, of course, visited many places, trendy hotels, beaches, chic districts but also the famous Burj Khalifa (Burj meaning tower in Arabic). I spoke about it briefly in my article on Dubai but I decided to devote an article to it. In this article, you will find all my advice for a successful visit to Burj Khalifa. Its history, how to book your ascent of Burj Khalifa? What are your options for visit Burj Khalifa ?

First of all, for what it won’t talk to, Burj Khalifa is, quite simply, the tallest tower in the world. Burj Khalifa is therefore 828 meters high, for 160 floors. It consists mainly of apartments, offices and also a luxury hotel. This tower is located (obviously) in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It is located in the district of DownTown Burj Khalifa. This district is really spectacular, you can walk there for long hours. We will talk soon about the different things to see and do in the surroundings.

Burj Khalifa history

For the record Burj Khalifa was originally not to be called Burj Khalifa but Burj Dubai. Indeed, the tower was renamed at its inauguration with the name of Sheikh Khalifa, Emir of Abhu Dabi and President of the United Arab Emirates. In the midst of the financial crisis, the emirate of Dubai was hampered in its frenzied construction momentum by a lack of money. Dubai therefore did not have the financial means to complete its huge Downtown project. Burj Khalifa. It is therefore the neighboring emirate of Abu Dhabi which came to the aid of Dubai by financing the crazy project of Dubai to the tune of 10 billion dollars. In return, the tower was renamed Burj Khalifa.

The Burj Khalifa project began in 2003 when one of Dubai’s leading real estate companies decided to build the tallest tower in the world. Initially the tower was to measure only 560 meters in height but in view of the many similar projects, the promoter decided to considerably increase the size to arrive at this final size of 828 meters. Although it has undergone many controversies, especially on the working conditions of workers, the tower is a real technical feat. The figures are staggering, 39,000 tons of steel, 330,000 cubic meters of concrete for a total of more than 22 million cumulative working hours. The tower can accommodate more than 35,000 people at the same time distributed in the 304 hotel rooms and 900 apartments that compose it.
It was in 2010, on January 4, that the tower was inaugurated. Today it is possible to visit Burj Khalifa by accessing different floors (the 124, 125 and 148th) open to the public.

Visiting Burj Khalifa is a must in Dubai, the ascent of this tower is called ” At The Top “For floors 124 and 125 and” At The Top Sky » for floor 148. This visit is, of course, not free. The price varies depending on the floor you want to access. Indeed, it is possible to visit Burj Khalifa by joining one of the three floors open to the public: the 124th, 125th or 148th. It is mandatory to book your ascent of the tower in advance. Once you have entered Burj Khalifa, you will first wait in a sort of waiting room in which you can admire a miniature representation of the tower.

Once your turn has arrived, you will therefore pass security gates and a souvenir photo. Further on, you will advance through several corridors of the tower until you reach … the end of the queue. I you therefore strongly recommend the purchase of skip-the-line tickets. So let’s resume our queue through several corridors, plunged into darkness with a timeline telling you the history of the tower and exposing you its impressive figures and records.
Finally your turn. You will therefore enter one of the two elevators available to tourists. Large elevators, very design, also totally black with a small counter that shows you which floor you are on.

The elevator starts up, and even though we can’t see the outside, we feel the elevator pick up speed, reaching its maximum speed of 18 meters per second (world record). The floors indicator scrolls through the numbers to a pretty impressive visit. Be careful with the ears, they get blocked very quickly and will hurt you slightly.

Once at the top, you arrive in a large room, completely glazed and offering you an exceptional view. You can also go out onto a small terrace. Look up, you will have a rather strange feeling when you see what is left in height, almost 400 meters. The height of the tower is truly impressive. From this point of view you will be able to see almost everything. First of all, the roof of the Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa lake, the city is its innumerable towers (which will immediately seem smaller to you), in the distance you will see “The World”, the artificial islands of Dubai then in the distance. horizon la jumeirah palm. Many “interactive binoculars” are available and show you the different places in the city that you see, you can even see what they look like at night, thanks to the screens of these binoculars.

You will find, on this floor, a souvenir shop as well as a stand to have your photograph taken.
A new queue awaits you before descending, just as quickly, via the same elevator.
I advise you to visit Burj Khalifa by day, but to stay near it to admire the tower at night. The lighting of the tower and the district is really sumptuous. You can also opt for a combination which will allow you to enjoy the café located on the ground floor of the tower.

Burj Khalifa in numbers

• 330,000 m3 of reinforced concrete
• 39,000 tonnes of steel beams
• 142,000 m2 of glass
• More than 24,000 windows
• 57 elevators
• The fastest elevator in the world: 18m / second or 40 km / hour
• 22 million cumulative working hours
• Tallest tower in the world: 828 meters high
• 160 floors
• Highest panoramic terrace in the world: 452 meters
• The tower is (theoretically) visible 90 km away.
• Cost of the tower: $ 1.5 billion

My opinion on the Burj Khalifa

For me, a visit to Burj Khalifa is a must-see in Dubai. This tower, the tallest in the world, is truly surprising. From start to finish the experience is unique. Even the ascent, in the fastest elevator in the world, is an experience in itself.
The view from the top of the tower is impressive and offers a breathtaking panorama of the city of Dubai and its surroundings.
So this is a tour that I highly recommend if you are visiting Dubai.

Around Burj Khalifa

Visiting Burj Khalifa also means visiting the neighborhood that surrounds it. In addition, this tower, the district and the surroundings are among the most attractive in Dubai. You will find many hotels there, including the famous The Address, the Dubai Mall, the largest shopping center in the world, a veritable labyrinth of shops where it is pleasant to cool off when the heat becomes hard to bear outside. You will also find the Burj Khalifa Lake with its impressive Dubai Fountain, a real aquatic spectacle with the highest water jets in the world. A visit to Dubai should be near these fountains. One should not miss under any circumstances one of the shows that animates the fountain. Every day at 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday), then in the evening every 30 minutes from 6 p.m. and until 11 p.m. the fountains of the basin come alive and offer a beautiful sound and light show. The Dubai Fountain’s water jets are among the tallest in the world, rising to over 275 meters in height. More than 6,000 lights illuminate this pool of water located at the foot of Burj Khalifa. It is even possible to see the spectacle up close by opting for a boat trip on this body of water!

Burj Khalifa: Questions / Answers

What year was Burj Khalifa built?
Work on the tower began in 2003 and ended in 2009. The inauguration was celebrated in 2010.
How high is the tower?
The tower measures 829 meters with the antenna.
Which floors of Burj Khalifa can you climb to?
It is possible to reach floors 124, 125 and 148.
What is the price to visit Burj Khalifa?
It all depends on the floor you want to go up to.
Between € 30 and € 47 for floors 124 and 125. Prices vary depending on the hour.
Between 80 € and 115 € for floor 148. Here too the prices vary according to the time of day.

Here is my second article on my road trip in Morocco. Today I will tell you about our journey to reach what was, the primary goal of our trip to Morocco: the sand dunes of Merzouga.
Indeed even if our trip was not only to reach the Moroccan sand desert in Merzouga, it was one of our first goals. We wanted to spend a night in the desert, admire the sunset but also the sunrise. So I will tell you how we were able to achieve this goal.

Departure from Fez, Direction Merzouga

To reach the sand dunes of Merzouga, it’s a safe bet that you will come either from Marrakech or from Fez. Having already visited Marrakech in the past, we opted for a flight to Fez, the city where we took the car rental to reach Merzouga. The road being relatively long, nearly 500 kilometers and rich in things to see, we decided to make several stopovers including one to spend the night.

Fes – Ifrane

Our first stop was shortly before arriving in Ifrane, at Lake Aoua. The reason for this stop, a magnificent panorama of Lake Aoua and the first glimpse of the diversity of Morocco’s landscapes. Lake Aoua is located a few kilometers from the main road and therefore will not waste your time.

Second stop, Ifrane. The arrival in Ifrane is truly disconcerting, an impression of no longer being in Morocco but in Switzerland or in a town in the French Alps. This town is located at more than 1700 meters above sea level, famous for its ski resort located a few kilometers from the city, Ifrane is regularly snowed, as it was a few weeks before our arrival.

In Ifrane you will surely have the chance to see storks which are there in number.

Azrou

Azrou is one of the most famous sites on the road that connects Fez to Merzouga. You will be able to discover the oldest cedar in Morocco, more than 800 years old. A majestic cedar at the entrance of a forest where you will have the chance to see and feed monkeys. Indeed, many monkeys are free on the site and they love peanuts that you can buy on the spot. Nice experience.

Midelt

Midelt is the city where we decided to spend the night. This city is located 230 kilometers south of Fez, about halfway between Fez and Merzouga. There you will find hotels, restaurants and a medina.

On the road

These 470 kilometers of road through Morocco will have allowed us to discover the diversity of the landscapes. Between rock and sand deserts, crossing the Middle Atlas, plains and plateaus, or even Oued, the landscapes that you will have the opportunity to see are very varied and breathtaking. I offer you this small photo gallery which will give you an overview.

Find all my photos on my Pinterest account.

Merzouga

The arrival in Merzouga was made at Ksar Bicha. I will tell you more about this Ksar in the rest of my article. Once arrived at Ksar, head for the sand dunes. Two hours of camel ride separate the entrance to the desert from the camp where we are going to spend the night.
Many must tell themselves that in the desert, in the middle of nowhere, there is not much to do, and think again.

Surfing in the middle of the desert

First activity, and not the least surprising, surfing in the desert. Indeed the Ksar where we stayed is located at the foot of one of the largest dunes in the region which offers an ideal setting to try sand surfing. After several tens of minutes to reach the top of the dune (the climb is very physical), you can give yourself to your heart’s content by surfing the dune. There is very little chance that you will hurtle down the slope in one go, you will surely fall several times but do not worry, it is only very fine sand that you sink quickly into.

Sunset

One of the must-sees of this excursion, the sunset. The ideal panorama is obviously from the top of this famous dune which constitutes the ideal point of view. The desert then stretches as far as the eye can see in front of you, you will see the sun gradually disappear behind the horizon. Do not start your climb too late, you risk missing this magical moment. Little advice, if you intend to surf, given the difficulty of the climb, capitalize your efforts by going up with your surfboard to watch this sunset and descend the dune with the surf.

Meal and evening

A meal in the middle of the desert is a real experience. Despite a slight apprehension about the comfort of the camp, my doubts very quickly vanished. A solar panel and a well offer you all the expected comfort, see more, when staying in the desert. We were treated to a generous couscous followed by a moment around the campfire with the people from the camp. The calm of the desert is truly surprising and the sky that you will have the chance to admire is really worth the detour.

Sunrise

The sunrise, like the sunset, is a real spectacle. This will, of course, require you to get up early, but it’s worth it. Woke up at 5 am to climb the nearby dune to record this video.

Wondering where to sleep in Montreal? How not to tell you about one of the best hotels in Montreal. Absolutely beautiful, it is located in the heart of old Montreal! We had the chance to stay there during our passage through this beautiful city during a road trip in Quebec.

A hotel of history and culture

First of all, let me quickly introduce you to the history of this unique place. This boutique hotel, located just behind the magnificent Notre-Dame Basilica, overlooks the gardens of the Sulpicians’ Seminary. This religious community is still present in these places today.
You will not be able to miss the many architectural testimonies of this period throughout your visit to the hotel, starting with the magnificent remarkable stone facade upon your arrival.

Throughout your stay, the Saint Sulpice hotel wishes to provide its customers with a unique experience combining modernity, luxury and history. You can find within the hotel itself a selection of works of art presented in different forms: book, exhibition and film!

The book is the result of collaborative work between different writers who have been invited to stay at the hotel so that this unique place can be their source of inspiration. Thus, each of the 14 guests produced a piece of news according to their respective desires. This collection is available to customers for reading. And if you’re a fan, you can even pick up a copy.

During our visit, we were able to discover the works of the famous Quebec designer Jean-Claude Poitras. The concept is simple: each floor of the hotel is associated with a different theme. And this theme is given a musical atmosphere broadcast throughout the floor concerned. The association of the works of Jean-Claude Poitras with the musical universe of François Dompierre, a great Quebecois composer, offers us a unique moment of escape. This immersion is an original experience, worthy of one of the best hotels in Montreal, such as the Saint Sulpice.

To finish on this cultural part, you can also watch a short film called La Valise. This film is produced by the hotel itself! Four characters and a suitcase will take you to explore the Saint Sulpice hotel in a rather original way.

An exceptional location for one of the best hotels in Montreal

It is obvious that the choice of your hotel will depend greatly on its location. And to be the best hotel in Montreal, what better place than Old Montreal to set up a business? Le Saint Sulpice is perfectly located both for tourists who come to discover this beautiful city, and for professionals on a business trip. You can enjoy a wide choice of tourist activities to do on foot from your hotel: visit Notre-Dame Basilica, stroll along the Old Port, visit Old Montreal and its underground city, go to Chinatown Chinatown and the Village, or visit the must-see Pointe-à-Callière museum.
As you will have understood, the Saint Sulpice is the ideal hotel for visiting Montreal.

Room and services

After having discovered the universe of our floor through the works of Messrs Poitras and Dompierre, we move towards our suite. And there … wow! A large bedroom, with all the comforts of a suite: a living room with fireplace (using an electric fireplace), a magnificent bedroom, a bathroom as a girl could dream of (with the very beautiful products). L’Occitane beauty salon) and a customer well-being corner with a Nespresso coffee machine (an important detail for us), minibar and other sweets to make you feel at home. In short, you will understand, this room is perfect for a stay in Montreal, whatever the duration: one night, a week or more!

If you are traveling with a car, note that this is not a problem during your stay at the Saint Sulpice hotel: a parking service is provided so that you have no problem to manage during your stay. The valets take care of everything!

And finally, if your soul of a great sportsman apprehends this trip because it represents a break in your training, reassure her, a gym is at your disposal during your stay. And to comfort you after the effort, you can take a tour of the Scandinavian Spa. A unique moment of relaxation in a contemporary and ecological environment.

Sinclair restaurant

The room is good, but breakfast is also very important for us French people! We took it in the hotel’s very nice dining room. A bright room, well decorated and quiet. A good start to the day. Here, breakfast is served at the table, no buffet. You will have the choice between different plates (continental, Canadian or more focused on health), but also with a selection of local specialties. We took the continental plate: very good and generous enough for a breakfast!

In order to fully experience the experience, we took our midday “lunch” at the hotel restaurant, the Sinclair. If you are a foodie, a lover of good food, mixing originality and flavors, come and take a look at this Montreal restaurant. As I said earlier, the hotel is located near a business district. The restaurant is one of the landmarks for these businessman to come and have a good but also quick “lunch”.

Regarding the meal, we were really spoiled! We had the chance to taste various and varied specialties: crab, foie gras, squid, tuna tartare,… And for each dish, its own wine for optimum tasting.

In addition, the chef is attentive to his supply: fresh and local products! Everything we love.
The little extra of this most beautiful hotel in Montreal? Le Saint Sulpice is the only hotel in Montreal where you can enjoy a beautiful terrace, flowered and shaded in summer, sheltered from cars and tourist traffic. A significant point that brings a touch of charm.

And to conclude on this rather gastronomic part, we particularly appreciated the bar area. A cozy space, by the fireplace in winter, where you can discover or rediscover a whole range of cocktails or warm up with a delicious hot chocolate.