Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa. Video courtesy of JA Resorts & Hotels.

When it comes to breaks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai city usually snatches the limelight.

Some nearby destinations can give the same great climate and breadth of choice of hotels and offer a different UAE experience.

One of these destinations is Jebel Ali, which is located some 40 minutes from the city, has a lot of the qualities typically associated with Dubai getaways. In fact, it’s situated close to some of Dubai’s most famous attractions, like the impressive Mall of the Emirates, making it a pretty safe choice if you’d rather not stray too far from the bright lights of the metropolis.

All about Jebel Ali

So, what do you need to know about Jebel Ali? Well, in many ways it’s pretty similar to Dubai itself, but being a port town, it’s on a slightly smaller scale. As you’ve probably guessed, its key attraction is its beaches – especially since it’s home to one of the famous manmade Palm Islands (there are three of these in the region, including one in Dubai’s Jumeirah). These were designed to give holidaymakers more coastline to relax on, and they certainly fit the purpose!

Beaches aside, Jebel Ali has a decent mix of things to do and see, like impressive golf courses and spas. It’s worth bearing in mind that a couple of its most popular attractions are situated just outside the town, so a bit of travel will probably be required, unless you’re content just to relax in your resort.

Golf

One of Jebel Ali’s most famous attractions is the golf course at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, which is reputedly one of Dubai’s best. A 9-hole par 36 course, it has a saltwater lake that features in five holes and impressive landscaping.

Shopping

If shopping’s more your thing, you should definitely take a trip to the Ibn Battuta Mall, which is just outside the town. This is likely to be one of the more unusual shopping centres you’ll have ever visited, given it is themed around the adventures of Arabic explorer Ibn Battuta.

It’s divided into six courts, with each one designed to evoke one of the destination’s Battuta explored, including Andalusia, Egypt and Tunisia. Meanwhile, the nearly 300 shops are divided up into categories, like family and leisure, so it’s not too tricky to find what you’re looking for. Plus, if you don’t fancy splashing out on some new clothes, you can head to the cinema instead – there’s a whopping 21 screens here, including the UAE’s only IMAX.

Hotels & holiday resorts

As you might have guessed from the location of the golf course, Jebel Ali’s hotels and holiday resorts make a decent contribution to the local attractions. For example, as well as providing an excellent golf course, the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa has an impressive range of water sports, including kitesurfing and wakeboarding, alongside a large selection of other activities.

The Palm Tree Court & Spa, meanwhile, sits on an 800 m private beach, so if you stay here you barely have to move to have a lazy day on the coast! This collection of low-rise suites is part of the above Jebel Ali hotel complex, tucked away in a secluded area.

An adventure traveler’s wardrobe. Photo credit: TravelingGreener.com.

Katherine Conlon wrote this guest post about adventure travel in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. She likes to get a feel for the history of the places she visits, seeking out the bits which reveal something about the culture in different areas of the globe.

Vietnam is known for its beautiful landscapes, long history and rich cultural heritage. What is perhaps less well known is that Vietnam is also a great adventure travel destination.

Whether it’s cycling in the southern Mekong Delta or trekking in the mountainous northwest region of Sapa, there’s plenty to keep the adventurous traveler occupied. Ha Long Bay, which lies on the northern coast, provides a stunning backdrop for kayaking and rock climbing. Trips there are often a feature of adventure holidays to Vietnam, as the area’s rocky cliffs, calm waters and secluded beaches make it one of the top spots for outdoor activities.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay can be found around 165 km from the capital Hanoi. Here 1,500 km2 of limestone pillars rise spectacularly out of the sea. Vietnamese legend has it that these cliffs were formed by dragons defending the country from foreign invasion. After their success, the dragons liked it so much there that they decided to stay (Ha Long means ‘descending dragon’), and it’s not hard to see why. Although I don’t normally regard myself as a particularly spiritual person, there is definitely something mystical about the area. Research has uncovered evidence of prehistoric settlers, and there’s a humbling timelessness reminding you it will still be there long after you’ve gone.

On a lighter note – there’s plenty to do there while you are still around! Kayaking in the bay is popular as the limestone islets provide a maze of rocks and tunnels to navigate. Several islands are hollow, with huge stalagmite caves to explore, as well as hidden grottos that can only be accessed by kayak at low tide. There are four floating fishing villages on Ha Long Bay, home to around 1,600 people. Kayak tours of the area often include paddling out to one of the villages to say hello, and although it’s fantastic to see such a different rhythm of life you can’t help but wonder whether a constant audience could get a little irritating for the locals.

The secluded beach on Moody’s Island in Lan Ha Bay (part of the bigger Ha Long Bay) is an ideal location for rock climbing. Certified guides will equip you with harnesses and all the gear so you can climb to get the best views of the area knowing you’re in safe hands. The thousands of limestone cliffs also provide more challenging environments for experienced climbers, with several sport climbing routes above French grade 7a, and lots of opportunities for deep water soloing.

Thien Cung Grotto on the southwest of the bay is well worth a visit, and has been dramatically (and occasionally gaudily) lit to emphasize the crazy rock formations. This enormous cave is now ‘dead’ as it is no longer dripping water and therefore fixed in shape. Local folklore tells of a girl who married the dragon of the cave to end a drought, and the guides at Thien Cung can point out the shapes of the guests of the wedding – including a smartly dressed elephant and dancing lions.