One of the best aspects of living in Dubai is that you're never that far from the ocean, and sailing trips are commonplace.
While there are dozens of companies offering boat rental services, there are also tour operators that host sightseeing packages and sea experiences that can be booked any time of year, whether you've got visitors staying or you're simply looking for something novel to do with the family during a weekend or break.
Here are five options for watery excursions that are worth trying.
1. Black Pearl Sightseeing Cruise
Perfect for people with children, the Black Pearl Sightseeing Cruise is modelled on the hit film series Pirates of the Caribbean and operator Tour Dubai offers a range of onboard experiences. The one-hour sightseeing tour, for example, takes you from Dubai Creek Harbour during the day, through the mangroves, passing by the flamingos at Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, and then along the Dubai Canal before returning to port. This costs Dh39 for adults (over age 12) and Dh29 for children (under 12), excluding VAT.
Most recently, Mondoux, a European-inspired restaurant and cafe in Dubai Creek Harbour, has partnered up to offer breakfast and lunch packages aboard the pirate-themed ship that include the sightseeing tour, meal and open-sea swimming, depending on which one you go for. These cost Dh199 and Dh140 respectively, for those over the age of 4 (younger children go for free), excluding tax.
tour-dubai.com
2. Xclusive Yachts
This one is particularly great if you're new to Dubai or have visitors staying with you. Xclusive Yachts tours start in Dubai Marina, by Pier 7 at Dubai Marina Mall, and, over the course of 90 minutes, take you around Palm Jumeirah, passing by the Burj Al Arab and Atlantis, The Palm, to Ain Dubai and Jumeirah Beach Residence.
There are a number of options to choose from, including yacht and speedboat tours, as well as Marina dinner cruises. They also offer private charters.
Standard tours are available to book online via the website, with between four and seven departure times per day, starting from 11am, with prices at Dh100 for adults and Dh80 for children.
xclusivetours.com
3. The Yellow Boats
One of the most famous operators for boat cruises is The Yellow Boats, which has historically offered popular tours across Dubai and Abu Dhabi in its distinctive yellow speedboats. At the moment, only the Dubai services are operating, with the capital's itinerary scheduled to make a comeback soon.
Tours span 45 to 99 minutes, with a one-hour option taking you around Dubai Marina in the evening, while the premium tour goes from the Marina to Ain Dubai, around Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis, The Palm and Burj Al Arab, before heading back along the royal palaces and Palm Lagoon.
Prices start from Dh142 per person, and tickets can be booked via the website. There's also the option to book a private charter.
theyellowboats.com
4. Go Fishing Dubai
Almost 90 per cent of Go Fishing tours' guests are new to fishing in Dubai, according to its website, and so guides are on hand to provide assistance if needed. It's important to note, however, the company is only hosting private sessions, not shared group trips, at the moment.
Fishing trips include bait, gear, safety equipment, drinks and snacks, and they use a 35-foot Triton that has a toilet and semi-shaded area.
Anyone over the age of 3 is allowed on board, although trips are not recommended for pregnant women.
There are a variety of packages to book, including a five-hour experience for a maximum of six guests with Address Dubai Marina, where you cook your catch (there are also non-fish items provided).
The basic fishing package, meanwhile, is four hours and recommended for beginners or those with children, where guests try some light tackle fishing, and you can opt to take sightseeing routes.
Prices are on request.
gofishingdubaiuae.com
5. Alexandra Dhow Cruise
One of the perennial must-dos while in Dubai is to take a dinner cruise on a traditional dhow. The Alexandra floating restaurant has been operating in Dubai Marina since 2008 and receives high ratings across the board.
The cruise runs from 9pm to 10.45pm daily, offering nighttime views of the Marina, JBR and Bluewaters Island. It costs Dh160 per adult, Dh100 per child (aged 5 to 11) and it's free for those under 5.
Dinner and soft drinks are included, and you can add Dh100 for unlimited house beverages and Dh200 for a private two-way transfer. The meal includes salad, starters, a main course and dessert.
While dinner would famously be accompanied with live music and a tanoura dance, because of Covid-19 regulations in the UAE, these are currently on hold.
dhowcruise.net
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Read more:
Eid holiday: 13 destinations less than six hours away from the UAE
Eid Al Fitr 2021: things to do in the UAE during the long weekend
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
The biog
Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
More on Quran memorisation:
THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali
Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”
Favourite TV programme: the news
Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”
Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad
RESULTS
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
