Published on October 4th, 2012

A Canuck in Dubai

Canadian tourists increasingly look for out-of-the-ordinary destinations for travel adventures that follow the modern trend of combining luxurious hotel stays with side trips to explore ancient cultures, alternative ways of life, and unique outdoor adventures. Canadians looking for changes from typical North American holidays could choose few destinations more fascinating than tours of the Middle East.

The Middle East refers to Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Turkey, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the countries of the United Arab Emirates. Canadians experience profound culture shock when they explore the Sinai, immerse themselves in Egyptian culture by exploring the great monuments of the Nile, or traveling to remote oases in the desert.

The legacies of history in desert cultures offer sharp contrasts with Canadian life, making these areas rich for exploration and gaining exposure to alternate ways of living. Tourists can explore wide areas of these destinations to connect with the past while enjoying the amenities and luxuries of modern tourism. Egypt offers astonishing differences in lifestyles from those of Western people.

Tourists along the Nile River discover monuments, pyramids and ancient glories that awed the Greeks and Romans of ancient times and continue to amaze and delight visitors in modern times. A trip to Egypt offers Canadian tourists an amazing juxtaposition of ancient monuments and obelisks with modern glass high-rises, pop music, mud-brick villages with satellite antennas, and citywide calls to prayer.

Israel has been the subject of fierce battles for many centuries, and the area serves as the central religious locations for three major religions. Tourists enjoy modern amenities while encountering armed soldiers, tourists from around the world, and Jewish and Arab residents coexisting in a precarious partnership. Jordan offers Canadian tourists many historic sites, chances to explore ancient trade routes and cities carved from stone, and modern conveniences such as Dead Sea spas or scuba diving in the Red Sea. The Middle East features some of the oldest urban settlements ever discovered, and the fertile delta of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers make up one of the most fascinating regions on earth. The area serves as the root of Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Canadian visitors might choose to make side trips to explore the fastest growing tourist destination in the world — Dubai. A major crossroads for centuries, the city once served the needs of Bedouin traders. The economic strength generated from the discovery of oil in the United Arab Emirates has rebuilt the city into an ultramodern tourist destination popular with people from all over the world.

The coast features azure waters, miles of pristine beaches, and perfect weather to escape the freezing temperatures of Canadian winters. Dubai Hotels offer every conceivable luxury for travelers, including world-class golf courses, sponsored safaris to the desert, dune driving, scuba diving, sailing, fishing, camel riding, and an astonishing range of unparallelled leisure activities.

Dubai makes an excellent base destination for travel in the Middle East, trips to Africa, or tourist adventures to the Indian subcontinent. Canadians can find fewer tourist destinations that offer greater changes of scenery than Middle East tours for spectacular vacations to escape the ordinary.

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