Discovering Dubai - A World Of Possibilities, Vibrant, Up And Coming Yacht Charter Destination
In a city of showpieces, Dubai’s Expo 2020 will be the shiniest star ever displayed.
30 October 2024
This World’s Fair, which expects to wow some 25 million visitors, will comprise a 4-square-kilometre settlement dedicated to architecture, science and technology. Exhibiting countries have each built their own cathedral-sized pavilion. This being Dubai (a city-state where 100 nationalities work, shop and party in perfect harmony), states as diverse as Israel, Iran and Saudi Arabia will showcase their homelands on nearby plots. Keep an eye out for pavilions such as Monaco, where guests can clamber up a mini rock of Monte-Carlo in an atmosphere of French Riviera maquis scents. Colourful and exotic Brazil boasts a walk-through Amazon River that highlights rainforest biodiversity. It’s mind-blowing stuff.
Attractions at the Expo 2020 site
The city-state’s most eye-popping attractions have been planned around this once-in-a-lifetime event. The world’s longest driverless Metro will power passengers from Dubai International to the Expo 2020 site. The world’s tallest ferris wheel offers views from above. Entirely new neighbourhoods have been built from scratch, including La Mer, a sand-in-the-toes suburb that serves teppanyaki ice cream and Taiwanese bubble tea from repurposed shipping containers. The visiting elite will be hosted by a dozen only-in-Dubai hotels. The W Hotel and the Kempinski, both opened in 2019, feature aerial yoga, putting greens and private cinemas. The Bulgari Hotel hosts a private marina that welcomes yachts up to 40m.
Inauguration of the new Dubai Harbour
Dubai Marina itself wasn’t considered grand enough for the show - despite the fact that it welcomes yachts of up to 60m (in the Mall zone - or up to 40m in the East Marina zone), alongside paddleboard lanes and sci-fi nightscape. When the Expo opens on 20th October 2020, so will the brand-new Dubai Harbour. The largest marina in the Middle East will host 1,100 marina berths. Some 180 of them will be dedicated to superyachts of up to 160m in length. There will be kiss-and-fly helipads and a lighthouse that curves skyward like London’s Gherkin building - and is nearly as tall.
Offshore a watery world awaits - an ideal place to experience the regions true beauty of yachting. Moon Island is a perfect sandy crescent 70km from Dubai. Sir Bani Yas, a day sail southwest, is a coastal wildlife reserve home to oryx, giraffe and gazelle on land, plus dolphins and sea kayaking routes on water. To the north the Musandam Peninsula, Arabia crumbles into the Gulf of Oman in a series of fjords that tumble from 2,000m peaks. Imagine Norway with Arabian dhows, humpback dolphins and wall-to-wall sunshine, you will be halfway there.
