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Started By
Message
Taveling to Abu Dhabi next summer
Posted on 3/21/23 at 2:31 pm
Posted on 3/21/23 at 2:31 pm
Note: Me and the kids have never flown internationally, and my wife (no pics) it has been over 20 years, and she has only flown to the UK.
Some friends of ours are moving to Abu Dhabi this summer (the hushand just signed a three year contract with an oil company there). We are considering going to vist them next summer, once they have had a chance to settle in Four of us, my kids will be 13 and 16 at the time of next summer).
Since we will be visiting friends I am going to leave a lot of the "what do we do when there" to plan with them, my questions are more about getting there. I know a lot can change by next summer but just trying to sort gathering info.
We all have passports that will still have at least two years (in the kids case) of time left by next summer.
Some questions, I'm sure some of these are pretty basic but again, I've never flown internationally.
1) The tourist visa that you get upon arrival, how hard is that to get / is it a hassle?
2) Between Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airlines, is one better than the other?
3) Is flying coach there and back really that terrible? With four of us going, obviously trying to not pay more than we need to.
4) We were thinking next June or July but it doesn't have to be summer, but it does need to be a time when the kids are out of school. Is there a better time of year to go?
5) Would staying there a week be enough time? We do want to go to Dubai for a couple of days. My kids want to swim in the Persian Gulf.
6) How is the process of connecting through a foreign airport? Anything I need to know / helpful to know?
Thanks again... this is going to be a learning process for sure.
Some friends of ours are moving to Abu Dhabi this summer (the hushand just signed a three year contract with an oil company there). We are considering going to vist them next summer, once they have had a chance to settle in Four of us, my kids will be 13 and 16 at the time of next summer).
Since we will be visiting friends I am going to leave a lot of the "what do we do when there" to plan with them, my questions are more about getting there. I know a lot can change by next summer but just trying to sort gathering info.
We all have passports that will still have at least two years (in the kids case) of time left by next summer.
Some questions, I'm sure some of these are pretty basic but again, I've never flown internationally.
1) The tourist visa that you get upon arrival, how hard is that to get / is it a hassle?
2) Between Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airlines, is one better than the other?
3) Is flying coach there and back really that terrible? With four of us going, obviously trying to not pay more than we need to.
4) We were thinking next June or July but it doesn't have to be summer, but it does need to be a time when the kids are out of school. Is there a better time of year to go?
5) Would staying there a week be enough time? We do want to go to Dubai for a couple of days. My kids want to swim in the Persian Gulf.
6) How is the process of connecting through a foreign airport? Anything I need to know / helpful to know?
Thanks again... this is going to be a learning process for sure.
8
Posted on 3/21/23 at 2:55 pm to LSUFanHouston
quote:
Is there a better time of year to go?
Going during Ramadan is cheap.
Posted on 3/21/23 at 4:06 pm to LSUFanHouston
id look into going to salalah oman. place looks great. I was in oman for a while but unfortunately didnt have a chance to go.
its seems to be unlike nything you would ever see in a desert area. during khareef season from june to september everything gets lush and green.
check out some of the images from google image search to get an idea.
I wouldnt imagine it would be anything for an american to get a tourist visa.
Ive flown coach turkish and business and coach for qatar and qatar was better. business class is gonna be extremely expensive. coach sucks for long flights but that would be a very expensive trip to fly 4 people business to that side of the world. you are probably looking at 7-10k per person for business and around 1000 per person for economy.
not much changes except going from hot to extremely hot. I dont remember the seasons there. only thing to watch out for is ramadan but I think that is usually starts up before june.
I dont think a week is enough. you will have 18-24 hours of travel each way. you are gonna feel like shite for a few days minimum with jet lag. It would take me nearly a week to feel normal swapping time.
dubai is great and alot of cool thins to do. I hear diving is great in some spots around there also but havent tried.
I found the airports on that side of the world to be way better organized, nicer, and more efficient all the way around.
its seems to be unlike nything you would ever see in a desert area. during khareef season from june to september everything gets lush and green.
check out some of the images from google image search to get an idea.
I wouldnt imagine it would be anything for an american to get a tourist visa.
Ive flown coach turkish and business and coach for qatar and qatar was better. business class is gonna be extremely expensive. coach sucks for long flights but that would be a very expensive trip to fly 4 people business to that side of the world. you are probably looking at 7-10k per person for business and around 1000 per person for economy.
not much changes except going from hot to extremely hot. I dont remember the seasons there. only thing to watch out for is ramadan but I think that is usually starts up before june.
I dont think a week is enough. you will have 18-24 hours of travel each way. you are gonna feel like shite for a few days minimum with jet lag. It would take me nearly a week to feel normal swapping time.
dubai is great and alot of cool thins to do. I hear diving is great in some spots around there also but havent tried.
I found the airports on that side of the world to be way better organized, nicer, and more efficient all the way around.
This post was edited on 3/21/23 at 4:15 pm
Posted on 3/21/23 at 5:33 pm to LSUFanHouston
I'd suggest looking into Ethiad and Emirates for flights. I've flown Emirates to Dubai and any of the middle eastern carriers will be significantly higher quality than what you're used to domestically.
Posted on 3/21/23 at 6:16 pm to LSUFanHouston
1) no problem
2) Qatar
3) Others will say differently, but it's not really that bad. I've done much further and survived. Unless you're real tall...
4) I've been twice in June and it's so damn hot. It's miserable. Not like SE US miserable, worse. It's going to be 100+ every day and. Don't think "oh, it's a dry heat". It's still an island.
5) I hope you enjoy it, but it's not for me. A week is too much time for me, personally.
6) Easy. Just give yourself plenty of time, especially with the whole family in tow.
Just FYI, while Abu Dhabi and especially Dubai are a lot more lenient (by a lot) than other emirates, it's still a totally different culture and set of laws than home. Do a little reading up before visiting.
ETA: The Emirates Palace was cool to see and also going up the Etihad Tower. Seeing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was worth a stop as well.
2) Qatar
3) Others will say differently, but it's not really that bad. I've done much further and survived. Unless you're real tall...
4) I've been twice in June and it's so damn hot. It's miserable. Not like SE US miserable, worse. It's going to be 100+ every day and. Don't think "oh, it's a dry heat". It's still an island.
5) I hope you enjoy it, but it's not for me. A week is too much time for me, personally.
6) Easy. Just give yourself plenty of time, especially with the whole family in tow.
Just FYI, while Abu Dhabi and especially Dubai are a lot more lenient (by a lot) than other emirates, it's still a totally different culture and set of laws than home. Do a little reading up before visiting.
ETA: The Emirates Palace was cool to see and also going up the Etihad Tower. Seeing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was worth a stop as well.
This post was edited on 3/21/23 at 6:24 pm
Posted on 3/21/23 at 8:20 pm to LSUFanHouston
I’ve made about 20 trips to Abu Dhabi. A quick look, Ramadan runs Evening of Sun, Mar 10, 2024 - Evening of Tue, Apr 9, 2024, next year - so no worries there.
1) The tourist visa that you get upon arrival, how hard is that to get / is it a hassle? No hassle at all. It will take a few minutes with four people. You will get your face captured on video and they will put a small sticker on the back of your passports. (In addition to the stamp inside). The stamp is just a visual check for when you leave, it will allow you to go through the automated passport controls.
2) Between Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airlines, is one better than the other? Qatar for sure. If Ethiad is an option to Abu Dhabi, i recommend it.
3) Is flying coach there and back really that terrible? With four of us going, obviously trying to not pay more than we need to. If you decide to fly into Dubai, go Qatar or emirates. Dubai is a big transfer airport for passengers going to Delhi and Mumbai - coach will be a sardine can in more ways than one if you fly into Dubai.
4) We were thinking next June or July but it doesn't have to be summer, but it does need to be a time when the kids are out of school. Is there a better time of year to go? Man, it’s going to be hotter than hell. But you can still have fun. Ferrari world, Abu Dhabi F1 track, snow skiing in a mall, dune bashing and bbq (highly recommend!) are all things you can go do and still enjoy yourselves. Plan on staying out late, most places don’t start hopping until the sun goes down.
5) Would staying there a week be enough time? We do want to go to Dubai for a couple of days. My kids want to swim in the Persian Gulf. A couple of days in Dubai will eat the hell out of a week (even though it’s a short drive). 8 full nights in country would be a good trip though.
6) How is the process of connecting through a foreign airport? Anything I need to know / helpful to know? Depends on the airport. Keep in mind, pretty much every airport you’ll connect through is moving thousands of people per day. You won’t be attempting anything new. Just prep before hand, have your kids use the bathroom at last call on the plane. You don’t want to be held up in the bathroom when you need to clear through security at a connecting airport. And yes, you will need to go through security at your transfer airport if you don’t have a direct flight from the US to Abu Dhabi. Not a big deal at all, but you should expect it.
1) The tourist visa that you get upon arrival, how hard is that to get / is it a hassle? No hassle at all. It will take a few minutes with four people. You will get your face captured on video and they will put a small sticker on the back of your passports. (In addition to the stamp inside). The stamp is just a visual check for when you leave, it will allow you to go through the automated passport controls.
2) Between Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airlines, is one better than the other? Qatar for sure. If Ethiad is an option to Abu Dhabi, i recommend it.
3) Is flying coach there and back really that terrible? With four of us going, obviously trying to not pay more than we need to. If you decide to fly into Dubai, go Qatar or emirates. Dubai is a big transfer airport for passengers going to Delhi and Mumbai - coach will be a sardine can in more ways than one if you fly into Dubai.
4) We were thinking next June or July but it doesn't have to be summer, but it does need to be a time when the kids are out of school. Is there a better time of year to go? Man, it’s going to be hotter than hell. But you can still have fun. Ferrari world, Abu Dhabi F1 track, snow skiing in a mall, dune bashing and bbq (highly recommend!) are all things you can go do and still enjoy yourselves. Plan on staying out late, most places don’t start hopping until the sun goes down.
5) Would staying there a week be enough time? We do want to go to Dubai for a couple of days. My kids want to swim in the Persian Gulf. A couple of days in Dubai will eat the hell out of a week (even though it’s a short drive). 8 full nights in country would be a good trip though.
6) How is the process of connecting through a foreign airport? Anything I need to know / helpful to know? Depends on the airport. Keep in mind, pretty much every airport you’ll connect through is moving thousands of people per day. You won’t be attempting anything new. Just prep before hand, have your kids use the bathroom at last call on the plane. You don’t want to be held up in the bathroom when you need to clear through security at a connecting airport. And yes, you will need to go through security at your transfer airport if you don’t have a direct flight from the US to Abu Dhabi. Not a big deal at all, but you should expect it.
Posted on 3/21/23 at 9:52 pm to LSUFanHouston
Turkish, 100%. Turkish not only has better food, but they don't censor movie or TV content. To the point of blurring out Kippahs (but not other Rabbinical accoutrement). At at least on Etihad, you are going to get a ton of old Disney, and nothing that involves anything controversial (mention of Jews, gays, the crusades, etc.)
Especially if you're leaving from Houston, you take TK34/33. If your layover is more than 90 minutes, get access to the lounge at IST. It is mind blowing. Spent more than 12 hours there (on purpose) and was happy for it.
Honestly, being in UAE (next door) during the summer (and having lived in Bahrain), it is not as bad as Houston or Louisiana. Stay out of the sun, problem solved. You're pretty much out of options that close to the equator, you just want to avoid Ramadan, so stuff is open (which is right now.)
Stop at Duty Free on the way in, and buy all the booze and cigs that you are allowed, to use as "gifts."
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you transfer airlines that aren't interlined agreements (ie don't book a flight from IAH to LHR on American to save money, then book a flight on Turkish to IST to the UAE.) You're begging for stuff you do NOT want to do with kids. It must be ONE ticket each direction.
Remind yourself that service in Turkey/Italy/etc. is not the same as dealing with a queue even at LHR. Turks have no such thing as lines. Whoever shoves more family members towards the counter first, wins. This is not an issue in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, but if you have to check bags in IST for any reason, you are screwed. Take the eight hour tour Turkish gives you for free, fine. Do not spend the night, though. I showed up four hours before a flight from IST to Abu Dhabi with no checked bags, and nearly missed it, because I was too nice.
If you want to tour IST during a layover, you can buy $20 visas from your phone while you're still clearing security, no problems.
I can't say enough good stuff about Turkish Airlines. Their planes aren't the newest on the IAH route, but they are better than anything I've been on Air Canada. The food... OMG, the food. Pretend you're in Cancun, you don't, have to tip them, but if you do, they will ignore all sorts of malfeasance and requests for G&T refills.
For all that is holy, if you're on TK, ask for Manti, if they still have it, as your meal. Mini-raviolis, yogurt sauce, yum. Even in Biz, they were out by the time they got to me, but the tip helped them "find" one manti here or there enough to at least to get me an appetizer size portion.
Especially if you're leaving from Houston, you take TK34/33. If your layover is more than 90 minutes, get access to the lounge at IST. It is mind blowing. Spent more than 12 hours there (on purpose) and was happy for it.
Honestly, being in UAE (next door) during the summer (and having lived in Bahrain), it is not as bad as Houston or Louisiana. Stay out of the sun, problem solved. You're pretty much out of options that close to the equator, you just want to avoid Ramadan, so stuff is open (which is right now.)
Stop at Duty Free on the way in, and buy all the booze and cigs that you are allowed, to use as "gifts."
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you transfer airlines that aren't interlined agreements (ie don't book a flight from IAH to LHR on American to save money, then book a flight on Turkish to IST to the UAE.) You're begging for stuff you do NOT want to do with kids. It must be ONE ticket each direction.
Remind yourself that service in Turkey/Italy/etc. is not the same as dealing with a queue even at LHR. Turks have no such thing as lines. Whoever shoves more family members towards the counter first, wins. This is not an issue in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, but if you have to check bags in IST for any reason, you are screwed. Take the eight hour tour Turkish gives you for free, fine. Do not spend the night, though. I showed up four hours before a flight from IST to Abu Dhabi with no checked bags, and nearly missed it, because I was too nice.
If you want to tour IST during a layover, you can buy $20 visas from your phone while you're still clearing security, no problems.
I can't say enough good stuff about Turkish Airlines. Their planes aren't the newest on the IAH route, but they are better than anything I've been on Air Canada. The food... OMG, the food. Pretend you're in Cancun, you don't, have to tip them, but if you do, they will ignore all sorts of malfeasance and requests for G&T refills.
For all that is holy, if you're on TK, ask for Manti, if they still have it, as your meal. Mini-raviolis, yogurt sauce, yum. Even in Biz, they were out by the time they got to me, but the tip helped them "find" one manti here or there enough to at least to get me an appetizer size portion.
Posted on 3/22/23 at 4:13 am to speckledawg
quote:There really isn't anything to worry about here. Yes be aware of it but I've been four times with work and we got drunk all over Abu Dhabi and Dubai with zero issues
Just FYI, while Abu Dhabi and especially Dubai are a lot more lenient (by a lot) than other emirates, it's still a totally different culture and set of laws than home. Do a little reading up before visiting.
Unless you are visiting one of the mosques you have nothing to worry about with that (Grand Mosque is a cool experience but they will make any females with you cover their heads and they have a very strict dress code)
I would probably go more than a week if you could just because the first couple days and would strongly recommend not going in the summer. It's just so darn hot. I was just there this March and the weather was amazing. I've also been in the summer and just wanted to stay inside all day
The UAE really is a neat experience more people should get to see
Also whatever you do do NOT go during Ramadan
Drinking over there is super expensive also so be prepared to pay if you want a night out. Stars & Bars was our go to drinking spot during the week. It's a very American style bar
This post was edited on 3/22/23 at 4:18 am
Posted on 3/22/23 at 7:26 am to Pelican fan99
Thank you everyone for your comments.
Posted on 3/22/23 at 5:12 pm to LSUFanHouston
quote:
Drinking over there is super expensive also so be prepared to pay if you want a night out. Stars & Bars was our go to drinking spot during the week. It's a very American style bar
All the bars are "in" hotels. They almost always run 2/1 happy hours (the nine dollar beer becomes a $4.50 beer.) My Serb bartender, at the end of happy hour, informed me I just had to *buy* the beers before the end of happy hour, I didn't need to drink them. And them promptly put "x number of beers" in an iced down receptacle for me to drink the rest of the night, and gave me a bucket to bring down unused beers for the LSU football game that was airing at 0500? the next morning. Love the expat workers. If it's a royal holiday, you can't buy booze and the bars are closed (which was a surprise at least the first time), but room service will still bring you whatever you want.
In Abu Dhabi, especially with kids, it'll be super cool for them to see all of the families that come out to BBQ and be outside after dark, especially between the main city and the area where Abu Dhabi's fancy Mosque is. They're out there playing frisbee and stuff at like 9/10 at night, etc.
Oh, lest I forget. Go to the Courtyard World Trade Center hotel bar with the kids and sit on the patio. There is a parade of widebodies that fly nearly directly over the hotel pretty constantly. It seems like activity increases in the early afternoon/evening, but (I'm just estimating) watching A380/777 fly over at 3,000 feet, one after another, from every country imaginable, every 5-10 minutes is pretty cool.
I'd consider it an option to stay at, as well, as it's in the middle of just about everything except Yas Island (but a short cab ride away.) There's a souq (market) nearly attached to the hotel, there's a grocery store 30 yards from the hotel entrance, an attached mall, etc. You can buy Persian saffron in that souq (you want all red, not mostly yellow/orange.) If you have middle eastern business associates, it's a perfect gift to give to their wives if you go over for dinner, etc. It's worth buying it just to see stuff get measured with tweezers
Posted on 3/24/23 at 11:26 am to LSUFanHouston
I’m here now for the first time. Yas Island is impressive all around. Kids loved WB. and Ferrari World. I preferred Abu Dhabi over Dubai. Flew Etihad with zero issues. Only negative was how freaking expensive everything is.
Posted on 3/24/23 at 11:43 am to LSUFanHouston
That is going to be a hell of a nice trip!
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