5 Holiday Destinations from Dubai

We, as residents of the UAE, are truly spoiled for choices when planning a long weekend trip. Not only is Dubai International Airport is the busiest and most-well connected in the world, but the city's central global locations means there are dozens of international destinations reachable via a short-haul flights. Whether you are looking for a quick beach getaway, city breaks or desert adventures in Asia, Africa or Europe, just a few short hours will get you there.

Here are some of my most favorite holiday destinations from Dubai.

1. Samarkand, Uzbekistan

   Flight time from Dubai: 3 hours 10 minutes

   Best time to visit: April – September

   Samarkand is as marvelous as its name suggests. This Uzbekistan city on the Silk Road is home to mosaic-covered madrassas, magnificent mausoleums and mosques. The design and detail of each architecture beauty is dazzling, especially when set against the Samarkand's clear blue skies. Things you can do here includes visiting hidden gems like Aksaray Mausoleum, admiring the three centuries-old madrassas, and more. You can also do some fun shopping from silk ikats to suzani fabrics, pile of nuts and dried fruits and huge wheels of bread.

   Book your flights here: https://www.booking.com/flights/index.en-gb.html?aid=8048343

2. Seychelles

   Flight time from Dubai: 4 hours 35 minutes

   Best time to visit: April – May, October – May

   For a slice of island life over the long weekend, head south to the Seychelles. Many will fly and flop at one of the luxurious resorts on Mahe, the main island, but more will take the opportunity to explore the islands' celebrated natural diversity. Summer is prime green turtle nesting and egg-laying season, one of a number of rare species that thrive within the archipelago's many conservation reserves. Things you can do include: Visit the Bird Island sanctuary, kayaking, snorkeling in the surrounding crystalline seas, watching dolphins and tropical fishes.

   Book your flights here: https://www.booking.com/flights/index.en-gb.html?aid=8048343

3. Almaty, Kazakhstan

   Flight time from Dubai: 4 hours 10 minutes

   Best time to visit: June – September

   As the former capital and Kazakhstan’s largest city, there are plenty of things to do in Almaty. With a rich cultural offering spanning opera, ballet and art, to its delectable food scene and countless museums, Almaty makes a compelling case as an Eid-holiday break destination. It’s a green city with leafy streets, a frenetic bazaar, shady parks and squares, and a vibrant terrace bar and café scene. Things you can do in Almaty includes: Hiking, skiing in the snowy mountains, wandering and shopping at the Green Bazaar, exploring colorful churches and attending an opera show.

   Book your flights here: https://www.booking.com/flights/index.en-gb.html?aid=8048343

4. Istanbul, Turkey

   Flight time from Dubai: 4 hours 45 minutes

   Best time to visit: March – May, September – November

   Istanbul is the hotspot where worlds, cultures, religions and empires collide, creating a unique fusion of east-west, ancient-modern, grit and grandeur. Old bohemian neighbourhoods thrum with new-wave chefs and contemporary artists. Exquisitely restored Ottoman palaces and mansions now house an abundance of luxurious and affordable hotels – some all faded grandeur from a former heyday, others offer next-level spas and rooftop pool terraces, where sundowner DJ sets float over the call of the muezzin from minarets haloed at golden hour. Hidden within Istanbul’s steep alleys and winding paths are vivid boroughs where the workings of daily life showcase the importance of community and thoughtfulness of Turkish hospitality.

   Book your flights here: https://www.booking.com/flights/index.en-gb.html?aid=8048343

5. Tbilis, Georgia

   Flight time from Dubai: 3 hours 20 minutes

   Best time to visit: May, June or September

   Tbilisi is the real OG! If you're a UAE resident, this is the first place you will travel to for the first time, a real crowd-pleaser, compact enough to explore by foot and varied enough to ensure you discover something new around every corner. Many come here for the food alone, from gooey, cheesy khachapuri to steaming khinkali dumplings and pkhali puréed vegetables, rich with flavours of garlic, crushed walnuts and pomegranate seeds. The Dry Bridge flea market is the place to pick up antique crystal glasses, tea sets and Soviet-era memorabilia, and fans of brutalist architecture will have plenty to photograph as they wander the streets. Go straight to the source at Stamba, a book-filled, stylishly modernist hotel in a former printing house, where staff uniforms look straight out of The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Tbilisi’s bold and beautiful gather to drink coffee in the garden.

   Book your flights here: https://www.booking.com/flights/index.en-gb.html?aid=8048343