The wonders of Dubai never cease. Many compare it to the legendary city of good-looking El Dorado. It's hard to imagine that a city which just a few decades back was a village has been transformed into a thriving metropolis, rivaling London. The city is a haven for tourists and its appeal can be gauged from the fact that 61 million visitors passed through its portals on 2016. A large number are from India. The city having overtaken Bangkok and Singapore as an entertainment and fun centre.
One of the prominent entertainment centres is Atlantis. This is a five star super
deluxe resort, located right on the Arabian Sea at Jumeirah. This is the fun beach and it is not uncommon to see girls sun bathing in bikinis. Some Indians girls also bare and dare, something you will never see on Indian beaches, where women jump into the water in Shalwar Kameez.The Atlantis is a massive resort. It has always a rush crowd as inside there are a host of shops whose pedigree is Paris and London. There are also a number of eating places with the theme restaurant " Kaleidoscope". One can dine here on a sumptuous buffet at AED 200 ( about $50 or Rs 3500.).Drinks are extra Nd the going rate for a glass of draught beer is AED 100.
That's pretty steep, but people just love it here . The eatery is full always so never venture there without a reservation.The food spread is simply exotic with almost 150 dishes lined up. You can't eat it all, so make a selection and nibble small portions. There is a good selection of Indian dishes and one can't complain.
The highlight of the hotel is a 100ft tall aquarium. It's a massive structure and houses thousands of fishes. Hundreds of species abound. The only regret is there is no guide to name the myriad fishes floating around. The highlight are 3 baby sharks, but I suppose they are not the killer variety.
The aquarium allows you go snorkelling and diving replete with an oxygen cylinder. There will be guide who will accompany you and you can dive into the water and interact with the fishes and the star from just a few inches. It's simply glorious but never venture into the water if you have never gone snorkelling.. The divers have to pay a healthy fee that could touch AED 1000. But it's worthy and one will remember it for long. Long live Dubai. Indians must learn how to entertain travellers.
