With Eid Al Adha being celebrated on July 9 and a four-day break officially announced from July 8, here’s your chance to finally pack your bags and take that much-needed trip away from the UAE summer heat. We pick 10 destinations to suit all tastes and family sizes.
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For the culture vultures — Pisa: Pisa is a city in Italy’s Tuscany region best known for its iconic Leaning Tower that would be the pride of an Instagram page. The region in central Italy is also home to some of the world’s most recognisable Renaissance art and architecture, including Michelangelo’s David statue, Botticelli’s works in the Uffizi Gallery and the Duomo basilica. Its diverse natural landscape encompasses the rugged Apennine Mountains, the island of Elba’s beaches on the Tyrrhenian Sea and famous olive groves and vineyards. Dubai-based carrier flydubai has launched direct flights to Pisa three-times weekly, making it a perfect new destination to explore over the long Eid weekend.
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For the island getaway — Cyprus: Bask under the Mediterranean sun, with the wind in your hair and the surf at your feet in Cyprus this Eid. The island country is an adventure at every turn, with pristine beaches, hidden coves and grand tales of lore that will have your enraptured. The island country provides the perfect blend of luxury and romance with Cyprus known as the birthplace of the mythical Aphrodite (in the city of Old Paphos to be exact), known as the deity of love and beauty by ancient Greeks. Your international flight will bring you to the capital city of Larnaca, where you must take time away from its glistening beaches to explore the ancient city of Kition, the Larnaca Fort and the Grand Mosque.
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For the nature lovers — Serengeti: Nothing can beat the beauty of seeing Mother Nature perform as the Great Migration gets underway with a multitude of river crossings at the Mara River. Aside from the wildebeest migration in Serengeti, this is also an opportune time to see the African Big Five — the elephant, the black rhino, the lion, the leopard and the buffalo. Do visit the Lake Manyara National Park, an hour’s ride from the Ngorongoro Crater, where game includes elephants, buffaloes and wildebeest along with giraffe, zebra, waterbucks, warthogs and impalas. If luck is on your side, stay at the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater or on the Rift Valley Escarpment. These lodges are expensive, especially with last-minute bookings, but have incredible views and easy access to the crater.
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For cooler climes — Leh and Ladakh: If there is ever a season to take that road-trip across Ladakh, then this is it. With the snow melted across Rohtang Pass, fly into Manali and hire a car to embark on this journey of a lifetime into Ladakh. Take the time in Leh for your body to acclimatise while you spend afternoons strolling through the Tibetan refugee market for trinkets. Sites to behold in Ladakh include Nubra Valley, the Morai Plains and the Pangog Tso salt water lake. But if you ask us, it is the beauty of Zanskar Valley that will take your breath away with majestic views of the Himalayan range and the tributaries of the Zanskar River that are excellent for white river rafting.
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For a city break — London: Heatwaves aside, nothing can ever compete with a summer season spent exploring the hidden treasures of London city. If it’s your first time, then certainly hop aboard the iconic red bus and taken in all the tourist stops, complete with a drive-by along the Thames River, while taking in the iconic London Eye, the Millennium Bridge and exploring the myriad of treasures tucked away in the Tower of London. But it’s not just the larger-than-life tourist attractions, or its shopping, that make London a perfect summer getaway. Lazy days spent basking in the sun in Hyde Park, or getting your caffeine fix at Monmouth Coffee at Covent Garden are just as memorable, if not more.
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For the long break — Iceland: If the Eid break can be tuned into an extended summer vacation, then you can’t go wrong with a spin around Iceland’s scenic Ring Road. Our eight-day trip across the Nordic island country packed in plenty of dips into its Sulphur-rich geothermal waters, exploring winding lava fields, taking selfies in front of its iconic waterfalls (Iceland has 10,000 of them), sifting through its black sand beach that grew popular thanks to a little show called ‘Game of Thrones’ and throwing our arms wide open to put even Shah Rukh Khan to shame as we precariously perched aboard the ruins of a United States Navy DC plane that crashed into its barren lands in the 70s. While you may not get a chance to see the Northern Lights at the peak of summer, you will see the glittering crystals on Diamond Beach that are equally breathtaking.
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For the short holiday — Salalah: If the monsoons across Southeast Asia have you nostalgic and yearning for home, head over to neighbouring Oman and soak up the rains in Salalah. Lush with greenery as the Indian monsoon sweeps across the busy port of Oman, the city is home to some lovely beaches such as Khandaq, Shati Al Hafa and Al Balid. For the adventure seekers and those who don’t want to fork over the airfare, a drive to the Omani oasis is certainly plausible through a 16-hour road trip. And the car will certainly come in handy when you go exploring the Anti-Gravity Point to see vehicles going up the hill at while in neutral gear. Believe it or not!
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For the family getaway — Phuket: Yes, Thailand is indeed one of the more popular destinations for summer travel from the UAE this year and yes, ticket prices are bordering on the extreme. But, if money isn’t a concern or you’ve managed to bag a great deal with a stopover in Mumbai or Delhi, then grab your brood and park yourselves in Phuket for the long break. City life, elephant safaris and the shopping aside, we simply love the resorts that come with their own splash pads, water slides and lazy rivers to make way for a great getaway.
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For the romantic holiday — Seychelles: Spread out over 115 islands, the island nation is a slice of paradise located just off the east coast of Kenya. Bursting with pristine beaches, marine sanctuaries and UNESCO heritage sites, capital city Mahe still holds a strong influence of British and French history in the colonial architecture and the cuisine. Capital city Victoria and its surroundings are filled with old world charm, with beautiful artisan boutiques tucked away in the bylanes to get lost in. For those looking for some private, quality time, the islands of Praslin and La Digue are a short boat ride away offering access to some of the best beaches and a chance to swim with turtles as well.
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For lovers of history — Samarkand: Take a deep dive into history by exploring one of the key destinations of the ancient Silk Road — Samarkand. As the second largest city in Uzbekistan, its history is deep-rooted, dating back 2,750 years, having seen influences by Alexander the Great, the Arabic Conquest, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. So don’t be surprised that the culture of Samarkand is a mix of Iranian, Indian, Mongolian and Arab. Often called the ‘Rome of the East’ in historical references, do find time to visit the Mausoleum of Gur-Emir, the Sher-Dor Madrasah and the Bibi Khanum Mosque. And at the very heart of it all is the Registan Square, standing tall for a millennia and invited people to discover its many wonders.
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