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Expat Alli
Expat Alli
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Aerial view of Downtown Dubai
  • Middle East
  • United Arab Emirates

Dubai from the Sky: A Seaplane Tour of the City

  • 26 July 2017
  • 2 minute read

The contrast of old and new below us -- modern skyscrapers fading in and out of view beside miles of untamed desert -- gave a perfect glimpse of this unique city as we floated over Dubai.

I recently took a scenic 40-minute Dubai seaplane tour with a company called Seawings. Though Dubai is both hot and hazy in the summertime, it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up, and even though the visibility wasn't the best, it actually added to the experience.

We took off from the marina at Jebel Ali Resort. The resort is a lovely little oasis tucked away in a quiet industrial area south of the city. As a flight attendant, I've done a lot of take-offs and landings, but I don’t usually get to experience them on the water. It’s quite a different feeling.

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A post shared by Alli ✈︎ (@expatalli) on Aug 15, 2018 at 2:16am PDT

The flight took us over Dubai’s most famous attractions - the Burj Khalifa, World Islands, Burj Al Arab. We got to get a glimpse of the Dubai Eye ferris wheel being constructed; once completed, it will be the largest ferris wheel in the world at 260 meters high.

We circled around the Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island large enough to be seen from space. I’ve been on the Palm before, but you don’t really get a feel for how cool the design is until you view it from above.

When I initially decided to take the flight I knew it was quite dusty and that the visibility wouldn’t be ideal. But it might have been the best time to do it. Dubai is a city built up from desert, and as we cruised through the sky, the city’s futuristic-looking buildings slowly appeared out of the haze, giving it an almost magical feel. The larger-than-life landmarks disappeared the same way they had appeared, almost a reflection of Dubai’s transient population.

Aerial view of the Palm, with Atlantis hotel | Image © ExpatAlli.com
The Palm and Atlantis hotel | Image © Expat Alli
Dubai's Burj Al Arab from above | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Seaplane view of Dubai apartment buildings| Image © ExpatAlli.com
Seaplane view of the Palm, Dubai | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Seaplane view of downtown Dubai | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Seaplane view of downtown Dubai | Image © Expat Alli
View out the pilot's side | Image © ExpatAlli.com
View out the pilot's side | Image © Expat Alli
View of Sheikh Zayed Road | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Sheikh Zayed Road | Image © Expat Alli
Seaplane view of the Palm, Dubai | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Seaplane view of the Palm | Image © Expat Alli
Seaplane view of Dubai streets | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Seaplane view of Dubai's streets | Image © Expat Alli
Seaplane view of Dubai's winding roads | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Dubai's winding roads | Image © Expat Alli
Dubai's Burj Al Arab from above | Image © ExpatAlli.com
Dubai's Burj Al Arab | Image © Expat Alli
Seaplane view of Dubai apartment buildings| Image © ExpatAlli.com
Dubai apartment buildings| Image © Expat Alli

NOTE: I am not affliliated with Seawings, nor was I paid to promote them for this post. However, I did receive my flight for free as I knew the pilot. All photos and opinions are my own.

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Pinterest image of Dubai city at dawn with text overlay
Tags
  • architecture
  • city tours
  • dubai
  • middle east
  • plane tours
  • tours
  • uae
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Alli

Alli is a travel writer from Vancouver who is passionate about helping others find amazing places to explore around the world. During her time living abroad, she has swum with sharks in Africa, rescued puppies in the Pacific Islands, jumped off a mountain in Europe, explored historic ruins in the Middle East and crafted lattes 35,000 ft in the air.

2 comments
  1. Shelley - Wander & Luxe says:
    9 March 2019 at 12:29

    I did this tour on our honeymoon – it’s great isn’t it?!? Even if a little scary hehe

    1. Alli says:
      13 March 2019 at 03:54

      That must have been fun! It really is a great way to see the city 🙂

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