Sightseeing Boat Trip With Xclusive Tours Dubai

Last Friday, I was a tourist in my own city as I went cruising around Palm Jumeirah on board a RIB boat. It was a fun and adventurous Friday morning where I got to learn so many things about the city, which has been home to my family and me for 13 years.

 A definite must-do activity for both the residents as well as the tourists is the boat trip. I got to see the city and it’s sights in a different angle and perspective. As it is winter in Dubai, it is the perfect time of the year for outdoor activities like this.

Hubs and I were invited by Xclusive Tours for their newly launched Guided Sightseeing Tour via RIB boats. The boats that they are using for this tour are the RIB boats or the rigid inflatable boats, that comes with high speed engines. So you can expect a safe and speedy ride.

The Xclusive Tours is located in the Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai Marina. We had to reach the Xclusive Tours Lounge 15 minutes prior to departure. 

Our sightseeing tour started after a safety briefing by Karim, our RIB Supervisor/Tour Guide. After wearing life jackets and bags being stored in the safety of a locker, ahoy! Our tour began.

As it is an open boat and  there is no shade, make sure to apply sunscreen and wearing sunglasses is also a good idea. They provide a mineral water bottle for every passenger.

Our 90 minute tour of the Palm Jumeirah started off from Dubai Marina. We were 7 of us in the boat including Karim. Initially, it was a slow cruise around Dubai Marina and once when we reached the sea, that’s when the thrilling part of the tour began as the boat picked up high speed.

Our informative guide Karim started off the tour, by giving info about all the prominent sights in Dubai Marina. At 3.5 kilometers, Dubai Marina is the biggest man made Marina in the world. The luxurious waterfront is home to some of the most fascinating buildings, hotels, restaurants and nightlife. 

Main highlights in the Dubai Marina were the Princess Tower, the world’s tallest residential building and the Cayan Tower, world’s tallest twisted tower apart from many of the sleek and elegant buildings.

We got a glimpse of the Jumeirah Beach Residence and another of Dubai’s wonder in the making-Dubai Eye, supposedly the world’s largest Ferris wheel, which is still under construction.

One of the spotlight of the tour was the unobstructed and stunning view of Atlantis where we had our first photo stop.

The second stop was at the iconic Burj Al Arab. Next to Burj Al Arab is the beautiful wave shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel. We got some wonderful pictures of the 2 distinguished Dubai symbols and all the history behind the 2 Dubai’s icons.

On our way back to Dubai Marina, we passed by the Madinat Jumeirah and went past the private island gifted by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to his wife Princess Haya called the Princess Island as a wedding gift. Karim explained about each and every place in detail.

The 90 minute boat tour was one of the most amazing experiences we’ve had in Dubai. One of the best way to explore Dubai is thru the waters. Not only did we get to see the ever changing skyline of Dubai and many great sights, but also gained information and knowledge about the city and it’s monuments. We didn’t even realize how the 90 minutes went by. Definitely, recommend this cool trip.

Some details about the trip:

Location: Xclusive Marina, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai Marina

Timings of the boat tour: Daily 10:30am-16:30pm

Phone: 04 452 3332

Email: book@xclusivetours.com

Website: http://www.xclusivetours.com

Price:

90 minute Palm tour: AED 200 per adult, AED 150 per kid

30 minute JBR tour: AED 100 per adult, AED 75 per kid