Dear Ali: Is it a crazy idea to offer an Emirati family complimentary travel vouchers as a gift? I’d like to invite my friend’s family to travel to a destination for a weekend or even a week, but I’m not sure where and which destination would work best for them. QI, Dubai
Dear QI: Can I be your friend? What a great idea for a gift.
First of all, you may offer such a gift, so long as you’re a friend of the family. Most Emiratis are travellers by nature. We love to explore things we don’t have here in the UAE, especially beautiful weather – that can play a huge role in choosing a destination. For most Arabs, Europe is a first choice for travelling.
Where you take your friend’s family depends on your budget and what you want them to experience there. For relaxing holidays I would think about Bali, the Maldives, Malaysia or Thailand.
For exploring beautiful culture, delicious cuisine and great weather, try Turkey or India. Bosnia has been a hot destination recently, so that’s definitely worth considering, and Europe is good for family trips in general.
Check their preferences if you can, and I’m sure you will figure out what they need and like the most.
One thing to note is Emiratis prefer places where we can expect a good standard of service and something interesting to see or to do. Lots of us would choose a country that understands Muslim culture, so we can at least find halal food.
You could also offer a visit to one of the great resorts we have in this country. That could even be more of a lovely surprise for them, because many Emiratis don’t necessarily get the opportunity to experience places such as our desert or island resorts, or even the major five-star hotels.
Dear Ali: I just arrived in the UAE for a short stay. Hunting is my hobby, and I’d be interested to learn about desert life and maybe watch some traditional hunting. Can you tell me more? ED, Austria
Dear ED: Welcome to the UAE. The weather is still considered too hot for falconry or to go out hunting at the moment, and it’s actually not allowed in the country.
But I have some good news for you: this year’s International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex) launched this week here in Abu Dhabi.
Adihex provides an excellent opportunity for many fans of traditional activities to see all the beauty of a desert lifestyle. You can learn traditional crafts during workshops, or watch traditional hunting with the help of Saluki dogs or falcons – the way our fathers used to do it.
I’m sure it will be a great place for you to visit and make some new friends who share the same passion as you.
By the way, have you ever attended an equestrian show with gorgeous Arabian horses? Those are among my favourite shows happening at this exhibition.
Adihex runs until tomorrow, from 11am to 10pm. For more information about the event, visit the official website at www.adihex.com
Another way to experience the desert lifestyle and learn more about the traditional hunting of nomads would be a visit to Zaman Lawal Heritage Village in Remah, near Al Ain. You can visit its website at www.zamanlawal.com. It’s worth the drive, and the experience is one of my favourites.
Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question.
