by Amy Olmsted·  Curated Travel  ·  BajaTraveler.com

Before visiting, I expected the extravagance. The record-breaking buildings, the luxury hotels, the endless headlines about what’s newest, biggest, or most ambitious. What I didn’t expect was how polished, welcoming, and genuinely enjoyable the city would feel once I settled into it.

Yes, Dubai is dramatic. But it’s also incredibly well done.
The city feels like a place built entirely around possibility, where someone looked at the desert and decided, “We can create anything here, let’s just make sure it’s the biggest in the world.” And somehow, instead of feeling chaotic or artificial, much of it feels remarkably seamless.

The skyline alone barely seems real at times.
Everywhere you look, another striking building rises into view—glass towers reflecting the desert light, futuristic architecture appearing around every corner, hotels designed to make a statement before you even walk inside. Dubai doesn’t believe in subtlety, and I actually appreciated that.

The city fully embraces what it is.
Of course, nothing captures that energy better than the Burj Khalifa.
Going to the top feels almost obligatory on a first visit, but the experience genuinely delivers. Watching the city stretch endlessly below you puts Dubai’s scale into perspective in a way photos never quite can. One direction is filled with skyscrapers and coastline, while the other fades almost abruptly into open desert.

That contrast ended up being one of my favorite things about Dubai.
One morning might involve rooftop lunches, designer boutiques, and some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. By late afternoon, you’re driving into rolling sand dunes where the city disappears entirely behind you.

The desert safari became one of the biggest highlights of the trip for me.
Driving out into the desert felt like stepping into a completely different side of Dubai. The dune bashing itself was far more thrilling than I expected—equal parts adrenaline and laughter—but the shift in atmosphere afterward was what made the experience memorable. As evening approached, the dunes seemed to change color by the minute, and the city suddenly felt very far away.

Dinner in the desert afterward felt festive yet atmospheric—lanterns glowing softly, music drifting through camp, tables filled with mezze and grilled meats, while the night sky stretched endlessly overhead.

Dubai’s food scene deserves far more attention than it gets.
Because people from all over the world live there, the dining scene reflects an incredible mix of cultures and influences. One night might mean contemporary Japanese at Zuma, still one of the city’s most consistently vibrant restaurants, while another could be an elaborate tasting menu at Trèsind Studio, where Indian cuisine is elevated into something genuinely creative and memorable.

And then there are the hotels.
Dubai understands luxury hospitality exceptionally well. Properties like One&Only The Palm offer a quieter, more intimate escape from the city’s energy, while Atlantis The Royal feels unapologetically glamorous in the best possible way. For travelers who want classic Dubai extravagance, Burj Al Arab still delivers that iconic experience people imagine before arriving.

Where you stay shapes your entire experience here.
I also loved exploring the older parts of the city, especially the Gold Souk and surrounding markets. Beneath all the futuristic architecture, there’s still a strong sense of Dubai’s trading history woven throughout the city. Walking through the souks felt completely different from the polished, modern neighborhoods—narrow pathways lined with glittering gold jewelry beneath warm lights, merchants chatting with visitors, the scent of spices and oud lingering in the air.

And then there’s Abu Dhabi.
It’s an easy addition to a Dubai itinerary, but the atmosphere shifts noticeably once you arrive. While Dubai feels bold and energetic, Abu Dhabi feels more understated and refined.

The Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque turned out to be one of the most beautiful places I visited during the trip. The scale is extraordinary, but it’s the detail that stays with you—the marble work, the symmetry, the softness of the light reflecting across the white stone. Despite its size, it somehow still feels peaceful.

Lunch at Hakkasan Abu Dhabi afterward made for the perfect contrast: modern, stylish, and distinctly international, yet still rooted in the city’s atmosphere.
What surprised me most about Dubai wasn’t the luxury or the architecture—it was how much variety the experience offered once you moved beyond the stereotypes. Beneath the glamour, there’s an energy that feels ambitious, optimistic, and constantly evolving.

When approached thoughtfully, Dubai becomes far more than a quick stopover or shopping destination. It’s a place of contrasts—desert and skyline, tradition and innovation, quiet moments and unapologetic spectacle.
And somehow, all of it works together.

If this kind of journey is calling your name, it’s absolutely worth doing well—preferably without having to figure out every detail yourself.

Amy Olmsted from Ultimate Travels is our Expert Luxury Travel Advisor