Insane Things That You Will Only Find In Dubai

When you hear the name Dubai, the first thing that must come to your mind is the exuberant lifestyle that the locals live. Everything in the city is exhilarating and the architecture is just inspiring; one visit to the city is not enough and your heart will always crave for more. It is truly a unique experience and the city has a lot to offer. So, without further ado, here are some of the most insane things that only happen in Dubai.

The Exotic Cars

We all know that the people of Dubai have quite a lot of money and one of the things they love to spend their money on are cars. This is why you will see quite a wide range of exotic sports cars in the city. The traffic jams in Dubai must be heaven for the petrol heads!

They Go Crazy With Stunts

It is already a well known fact that cars need four wheels to run. However, the people of Dubai are proving this to be wrong because they love to go on two wheels in their SUVs. It gives them quite the adrenaline rush and they do it simply to feel alive.

A Lotus Ambulance

This is a Lotus Evora, a car that can do up to 186 mph and can go from 0-60 mph in just over 4 seconds. This car would usually only be used in races but the people of Dubai have a Lotus Evora that has been customized to provide emergency medical services.

Keeping Up Traditions

Family bonding has been a long term tradition for the people of Dubai. Originally it may have been going in search of work together as a Father-Son duo on camels; now it is spending leisure time stand-up paddling in the Persian Gulf. Times have definitely changed.

Riding The King

While most people would be too scared to even go near a lion to take a picture, the people of Dubai have made these wildcats their pets and love to ride them. We can only wonder what happened to the part of their brains that should tell them to fear these jungle cats.

Take Your Buddy To Work

Imagine you are on your way to work and looking out of the window, you see a Tiger just casually leaning out of the car next to you. While this would be quite a scary sight in any other country, it is quite normal to see this in Dubai.

Higher Than Clouds

Dubai is known for its towering skyscrapers. The skyline of the city consists of many tall buildings that are among the highest in the world. It must be quite luxurious to wake up everyday and see that you are living higher than the clouds in the sky.

The Dubai Miracle Garden

If you have a chance to visit Dubai, make sure that you visit the Dubai Miracle Garden. It is the largest flower garden in the world and for a few moments, you will forget that you are in the middle of the desert. There are over 250 million flowers in the garden!

Mercedes With Diamonds

If the car was not expensive enough when it was first launched, the owner of this car, audi Prince (Amir) al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul-Aziz, decided to go the extra mile and get it completely encrusted with diamonds. There are over 300,000 diamonds on the car and it cost him about $4.8 million!

1000 Feet Above The Ground

This is one of the highest tennis grounds in the world, levitating at a height of 1000 feet above the ground. It is located at the top of the Burj-al-Arab hotel and Roger Federer and Andre Agassi were once invited to play a friendly match on this court.

Still In Fashion

These Nokia phones may be considered outdated elsewhere in the world but in Dubai, people still love them. The reason behind this love is the price tag that is mentioned below the phones and the diamonds that are encrusted on them.

A City That Gives

The people of Dubai are quite generous when it comes to providing for people who cannot afford to buy food. There are refrigerators like these all around the city so that no one sleeps hungry. Even better, the people who donate the food don’t donate cheap stuff but actually leave food that they usually eat themselves.

Gold ATMs

We have heard quite a bit about Gold ATMs in Dubai and they are in fact real. The super rich people in Dubai cannot go around with gold in their pockets since it is quite heavy. Therefore there are many gold ATMs all over the city so that people have easy access to their gold.

Even The Animals Live Luxuriously

If you thought that the people of Dubai have a good life, just look at this picture and see how the horses live. The stables that they live in are better than most houses!

Take Her For A Spin

People in Dubai love their jungle cats. This man in particular loves his cat quite a lot and has taken to driving his lioness around in his speedboat.

Skiing In The Desert

Knowing that most of the city is surrounded by desert, it is quite a wonder that the people of Dubai have found a way to fulfil their dreams of skiing on snowy slopes. They have built an arena inside that even has artificial snow!

Mercedes In Pure White Gold

This is no ordinary Mercedes and you won’t see it on the road quite a lot. That is because it is covered in pure white gold and driving around in this car would blind the other drivers on the road because of its reflection.

Stacking Turtles

The people of Dubai love to collect endangered species and this man is no different. He loves collecting rare desert turtles. However, instead of just letting them be, he loves to stack them on top of each other.

Public Restrooms In Dubai

This is a public restroom in Dubai and it is nicer than most of the penthouses around the world. Everyone would love to just pop into one of these restrooms instead of going to the bathroom in their own home.

Shotgun!

When was the last time you saw a leopard calling shotgun in a car? Never, right? However, this is yet another common sight in Dubai. The leopard seems to be quite content sitting in the front.

Yep. That’s An Uber

While most of us get Toyotas when we order an Uber, the people in Dubai have a rather different approach when they sign up for a ride. This driver has a Bugatti Veyron and has signed up to drive for Uber.

Robots In Sports

Camel racing is quite an interesting sport but the people of Dubai have taken it to the next level. Instead of riding the camels themselves, they let their robots ride them and then sit back in the safety of the stands.

All The Construction

Visit Dubai at any time of the year and you will notice that there is some kind of skyscraper in the middle of construction. This is because the people of Dubai are immensely rich from their oil money and building development is a popular choice for foreign investors since the taxes are quite lax in the Emirate.

Car On Water

The crown prince, Sheik Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al-Maktoum, has six of these cars in his collection and he is bored of his yachts. This looks like a scene out of a James Bond movie!

Golden Desserts

This is a $1000 cupcake made out of Ugandan vanilla beans, Italian cocoa, and 23 karat gold. The dessert seems to be a meal for kings and has been named the Golden Phoenix; it is the most expensive cupcake in the world.

A Beach For Families

Beaches around the world are awkward and creepy for women since there are many perverts who gawk at them. However, Dubai has a strict policy to keep the perverts away from such beaches and have specific beaches that are just for families.

The Lion Cubs

People treat their pets just like their children and this person is no exception. He has become a grandfather to a particularly cute cub, even though the authorities warn that these animals cannot be properly domesticated.

The Only Animal Not Allowed On Metro

There are many signs on metro stations and this is one of them. It is a sign that says fish is not allowed on the metro. Fortunately for the people of Dubai, there is no sign that says lions are not allowed on the metro.

Just A Normal Birthday Bill

Converting this into US Dollars, the bill comes to around $100,000. While this may seem to be a lot, it is actually just a regular bill for the people of Dubai. The first thing on the bill is a birthday cake and this is a bill from a birthday party at one of the many nightclubs in Dubai.

The Cop Cars

We have seen the ambulance that the city of Dubai has in its garage. However, the cop cars are even more exotic. There are Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bugattis which makes escaping for criminals quite difficult.

The Golden Trio

This is a G-Wagon, a Lambo and a Ferrari all parked together. Anywhere else in the world, this would attract quite a lot of attention. However, it is a common sight in Dubai and having the three cars in gold is just another regular thing that they do.

Car Delivery

This is yet another common sight in the city. People have their cars delivered to the top floors of the skyscrapers so that they can park their cars in their lobby.

Another Super Ambulance

When was the last time you saw a limo that had been converted into an ambulance? Surely the people who are taken in this limo must be quite comfortable when they ride to the hospital.

Stallion Motorcycle

There are a lot of cool vehicles that you see on the roads of Dubai. Most of them are exotic supercars and bikes that you can easily look for on the internet. However, when it comes to custom designs, they are rare and harder to find. Take this motorcycle for instance. It is quite unique and we are certain that it is one of a kind.

The Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall is one of the most insane things in the city. it is the largest shopping mall in the world and it stretches on for over 5.4 million square feet. Inside, it is even more bizarre: there is a large aquarium that has many exotic fish species in it, a zoo that has over 300 ocean species and two amusement parks within the premises!

Jeep Cherokee

In a city where Ferraris and Lambos are a common sight, a Jeep Cherokee would not have been able to stand out from the crowd. However, this man was adamant and decided to give his Jeep a 24-karat gold paint job.

Adrenaline Junkies

The tall skyscrapers in the city allow the adrenaline junkies to perform crazy stunts. This man is one of them and he took this picture by leaning as far as he could over the top of a skyscraper in order to capture the view below.

The Golden Heels

If you are looking for a way to pamper your girl, buy her a pair of these shoes. The heels are made out of solid gold and they are designed by a French designer. They are quite the popular choice of footwear in Dubai.

Crazy Foosball

Once again, the people of Dubai have gone crazy when they decided on the theme for a foosball table. Instead of going with the usual patterns, they decided to get it in 24kt gold. At least it blends in with the theme of the city.

Penguins Away From The South Pole

You might have seen penguins in your local zoo. The area in which they are set up is usually very cold so that it can match the temperatures of the South Pole. However, a desert is the last place that you would expect to find penguins; yet Dubai has found a way to make a habitat for them.

Gold Pacifiers

These look like they belong to a princess. People want to introduce their kids to the extravagant lifestyle so early on in their lives that they have gold pacifiers that are custom built to include the name of the baby on them.

The Most Lavish Starbucks

People all over the world love Starbucks for their amazing coffee. Usually, the Starbucks all around the world look quite similar but in Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall, the Starbucks is more lavish than any other in the world.

The 7-Star Hotel

Cities around the world have 5-star hotels but that didn’t seem enough for Dubai. The city has a 7-star hotel, the Burj-al-Arab, and the cost for staying one night in the hotel is $24,000. One of the things that sets it apart is the availability of a 24/7 butler and a helipad for parking your helicopter.

Special Seats For Falcons

The falcon is the national bird of the United Arab Emirates. This means that the bird is quite close to the hearts of the people and they treat it with a special consideration. For instance, the birds are allowed to travel on commercial airplanes and they are even given their own seat.

Temperature Controlled City

The construction for the world’s first temperature controlled city has begun in Dubai. This city is a part of the Mall of the World project which will cover an area of 48 million square feet and will have hotels and amusement parks inside it.

High Boxing Rings

This is yet another rooftop that has been used for sports. This time around, it is a boxing ring and we can see here British professional boxer and unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua practising on the rooftop ring.

The Batmobile

The Batmobile is the fantasy of every Batman lover in the world. This is the car that can conquer any obstacle. While we all imagine what our Batmobile would be like, there is a person in Dubai who has a Batmobile of his own.

Private Concerts

The people in Dubai are so rich that they have stars and celebrities from all over the world come and perform at various events in their households. For instance, this picture of Kanye West and Jay Z performing together is from a birthday party of the niece of Sheikh Mansur.

When The Car Width Is Not Enough

We have seen some crazy things in Dubai and yet this is one of the things that continues to baffle us. Two Jeeps have been joined together horizontally to make one wide Jeep!

Gimme A Kiss

This man is enjoying his time with a lioness and is treating her just like you would treat your own dog. Of course, there is a big difference between these two animals; and yet they seem to be playing on the bonnet of a very expensive Ferrari.

The Languages Spoken Here

While Arabic is the official language of the Emirate, you will find out that most of the people speak English in Dubai because of the large volume of tourists. Other languages that are frequently spoken by the people include Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Bengali, Tamil, Mandarin and Malayalam.

Not A Country

While most of you might have heard this before, there are many people who still think of Dubai as a country. Dubai is an Emirate and seven of these Emirates combine to form the country UAE (United Arab Emirates).

Dubai Is Not A Capital City

Yes, Dubai is not the capital city of the UAE either. While it is the most popular city in the country and is well-known by the people around the world, the actual capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi.

The Highest Observation Deck

The highest observation deck in the world that is accessible to the public is located in Dubai and you might have already guessed where it is in the city. For those of you who haven’t, the highest deck is located in the Burj Khalifa, on the 124th and 125th stories of the building.

No Income Tax

The Emirate of Dubai does not charge any income tax on its citizens. The people working in Dubai receive their full salaries without the government taking any part of it. The only tax that the people have to bear is the 5% VAT.

People In Burj Khalifa Fast Longer

The people who practice fasting during the month of Ramzan do not eat anything from sunrise to sunset. However, the people living on the upper floors of Burj Khalifa have to fast longer than the people who live on ground level because the building is so high that the days are actually longer.

Zero Crime Rate

Yes, Dubai is one of the few cities in the world that has a crime rate that is almost negligent. Even so, Dubai was only ranked the 8th safest city in the world in 2018.

The Richest Man In Dubai

According to Forbes magazine, Abdullah bin Al Ahmad Al Ghurair is the richest man in Dubai with his net worth to be estimated at $5.9 billion. He is the founder of Mashreqbank, the leading bank in the UAE.

Fuel Is Cheaper Than Water Here

That’s right. Because of the heavy subsidies that the government provides, the petrol prices in Dubai are the cheapest in the world. You can buy 1.5 liters of petrol in the same price that you can buy a 0.5 liter bottle of water in Dubai.

Daba Dubai

Daba Dubai is an old Arabic proverb that roughly translates to “They came with money”. This means that the word Dubai means “money” while there are many people who believe that the area was named Dubai for the locusts that were common here or after the Dubai Creek that is slowly creeping inwards.

Longest Automated Metro System

The city of Dubai plays host to the longest metro line in the world that runs without a driver. The route is ever growing with new stops being added as the city expands and it currently stands at 75 kilometers.

The Weekends In Dubai

Earlier, the weekend in Dubai started on Thursday and ended on Saturday. However, keeping in terms with the international standards, Dubai has its weekends starting from Friday but they end the very next day.

Largest Airport Terminal In The World

The Dubai International Airport is just 50 years old and it has evolved quite beautifully from a rough runway in the sand to the largest and busiest airport terminal in the world.

The Minister Of State For Happiness

Dubai is so concerned with the well-being of its citizens that it has a Minister of State for Happiness. The UAE has implemented a National Happiness and Positivity Programme that allows for the appointment of these ministers responsible for citizen’s happiness in the country.

10 Skyscrapers Are Built Here Every Year

In 1991, the Dubai World Trade Center was the only skyscraper in the city. However, just thirty years later, the city boasted of 190 skyscrapers and was ranked the fourth in the world for the highest amount of skyscrapers.

Sex Ratio In Dubai

According to the most recent demographic reports, Dubai has far more men in the city than women. 70% of the population constitutes entirely of men and it is mostly because of the men from different parts of the world working in the city.

The Guinness World Records Office In Dubai

UAE and Dubai in particular have broken so many world records that the Guinness World Records decided to just build an office in the city so that the records could be verified with ease.

Ratio Of Foreigners To Locals

People from all parts of the world are living in Dubai. The most recent reports indicate that only about 15% of the population is made up of local Emiratis while the 85% is made up entirely of foreigners.

No Street Addresses Or Zip Codes

The city of Dubai is expanding at a very fast pace. The rate at which the city is expanding has caused the administration to not have any street addresses or zip codes. If you ask for directions in the city, you will get them on the basis of local landmarks, maps drawn by hand or simply by specific instructions like third door on the right or down the line of the blue mosque.

The Gold Souks

Dubai is famous for its gold. We have already seen pictures of the cars covered with gold. However, did you know that the city has an entire market that is dedicated to the selling of gold? This market is known as Gold Souk.

Citizens Are Paid To Lose Weight

The city of Dubai pays its citizens 2 grams of gold for every kilogram that they lose in weight. Only 2 children per family can participate in this programme and the city pays almost $700,000 in gold to its citizens via this programme.

Lining Of Gold In Burj Al Arab

The Burj al Arab is one of the most luxurious hotels in the world and gold is a major part of the decor inside the hotel. Nearly 1790 square meters of the hotel are covered in 24 karat gold.

The Strict Laws

Dubai has many strict laws in place that can easily land anyone in jail. If anyone is caught smuggling prohibited substances into the city, they can be jailed. Also, it is illegal to kiss, dance or be drunk in public spaces.

The Tallest Hotel In The World

Apart from having the tallest building in the world, Dubai also has the tallest hotel in the world, the Gevora Hotel. The hotel stands at 356 meters with 528 rooms in it.

1/4th Of The World’s Cranes Are Located Here

There is so much construction that goes on in the city of Dubai that one-fourth of the cranes in the world are located here, ever since the construction boom started in the city in 2006.

Artificially Created Islands

The artificial man-made islands are clearly visible when you are landing or taking off in an airplane from Dubai. One of the most famous archipelagos in the city that is man made is that of the Palm Islands. The construction of these islands required 94 million cubic meters of sand to be relocated from the desert and deep sea beds and 5.5 million cubic meters of rock from 16 different quarries.

The 300 Private Islands

The World Islands is yet another project that is underway. This collection of 300 islands is in the shape of the globe and the shapes of the continents of the world.

The Rising Temperatures

The temperatures in the city of Dubai can go quite high. The average temperatures lie between 40°C and 50°C and the highest temperature recorded in the city is 52.1°C. People spend most of their time indoors in air conditioning and the government has even provided air-conditioned shelters for the people waiting for public transport.

The Mountains In The Desert

Apart from the desert and the sea, people can also visit the mountains of Dubai. The region is known as Hatta and people are often seen hiking the trails, kayaking to the Hatta dam and exploring the bees and date farms in the area.

The Largest Gold Chain In The World

As a celebration of 20 years of the Dubai Shopping Festival, 100 goldsmiths took 45 days to create a gold chain that went on for nearly 5 kilometers and weighed 240 kilograms. This gold chain was made out of 22 karat gold.

The Largest Choreographed Dancing Fountain In The World

Right outside the Dubai Mall, at the base of the Burj Khalifa, there are 6 major fountains that put on quite a show every night. The fountains dance to international songs and local favorites and covers an area of more than 200 square meters.

The Car Number Plates

It is a big deal to have the most luxurious cars and the wealthiest number plates in Dubai. The fewer number of digits, the more valuable the plate. In 2008, a plate with “1” on it was auctioned for $14.5 million.

The Population Spike

At the current rate of growth, it is estimated that the population of Dubai will double by 2027. It is the fastest growing city in the world.

Dubailand

Planned to be completed in 2020, Dubailand is designed to be the largest tourist destination in the world. It will be twice the size of Disneyworld in Florida.

Citizens Are Paid To Get Married

There is a criteria set in place that allows couples getting married to get AED 70,000 from the government. Eligible couples have to be UAE nationals and have to be either on social welfare or are lower-income Emiratis.

You Can Cross The City In An Hour

You can drive the entire length of Dubai within an hour. However, if it is in peak traffic hours, it will be slightly more than an hour.

Homeless People In Dubai

The number of homeless people in Dubai is next to none. The law does not permit the people without homes or jobs to live in the city. If you are not a citizen, your visa would be rejected and you will be deported from the country.

The Strong Ties With India

Before the Dirham was accepted as a currency, the Indian Rupee was the official currency of Dubai. However, even after the Dirham became the official currency of the Emirate, the ties with India remain strong as ever.

The Main Source Of Income For The Emirate

The money that initially came into Dubai was all from the oil reserves. However, the oil is now long gone and the revenue from oil and petroleum sales account for only 2% of the GDP of the Emirate. The real income is from the tourism and real estate.

The Most Expensive Cocktail In The World

If you buy a Swarovski Crystalline cocktail glass at the Dubai Skyview Bar, it will cost you $7,440. This is the most expensive cocktail that you will find in the world.

Dubai, 50 Years Ago

The city of Dubai was established in the 19th century when it was the spot for a pearl diving village. Oil was discovered here in 1966 and the entire landscape began to change.

The Veto Power

Dubai is one of the two Emirates with veto power in all matters that are of national importance. The second is Abu Dhabi.

Ban On Alcohol

There is a ban on alcohol for the Muslims in Dubai. You cannot buy or have liquor in your home if you do not have a license. The ban on alcohol is not applicable on foreigners or followers of other religions.

The World’s Fastest Lift

The fastest lift in the world is located in Dubai as well. It is a part of the Burj Khalifa that can travel at a speed of 10 meters per second.

The Revolving Building

This is yet another building that was supposed to be completed in 2020. The height of this building is planned to be 1053 feet.

The Golf Course In Dubai

There is a golf course in Dubai that requires 400,000 gallons of water on a daily basis.

The Strict Traffic Rules

Even though there are no traffic officers on the streets of Dubai, the people are afraid of breaking the rules. This is because the city is full of cameras that record your law-breaking and the fine has to be paid by the end of the year.

Getting A Driver’s License

It is not easy to get a driver’s license in Dubai. For the first time, the license has to go through several stages. After that, the license has to be renewed every 3 years.

You Cannot Drive A Dirty Car In Dubai

If you drive a dirty car in Dubai, you will be fined 500 Dirhams. Also, you cannot wash your car in public and you have to get your car washed in a special car washing center.