AHHH-MAZING. No, actually that word simply doesn’t cut it. I can think of a thousand words in a similar vein but probably none of them would be apt enough to describe this exhilarating Dubai Yellow Boat Tour experience.

Beyond the feeling of freedom as you see the endless horizon stretching before you, the wind blowing in your hair, there is something magical about the way the city of Dubai takes shape amidst the mist. The Dubai cityscape is at first a smokey apparition, slowly being drawn by an invisible hand until it forms solid outlines against a canvas of clear blue skies.

This Yellow Boat ride is without a doubt one of the highlights of my trip to Dubai. Something I would readily recommend to anyone planning on visiting the emirate anytime soon. However it can get very fast, so for those who are afraid of speeding boats or the open waters (or a combination of both!) you would probably want to sit this one out. Seriously though, the best thing to do on this tour is just to sit back and enjoy the view!

You start out at the Dubai Marina. It’s quite a busy place even early in the morning, mostly with joggers abound. The marina is near some of the main business districts and a university so it has the feeling of an area that is well-frequented. Alive even though it’s not as filled with people in the early hour. We make our way to the dock to start our water adventure.

The Yellow Boats are exactly as advertised: yellow engine-propelled rib boats that can seat up to 12 people. It may look like inflatable rafts from a distance, but sitting in it feels incredibly safe as the whole boat is quite sturdy! Each boat comes with GPS equipment and a guide who will expertly man the boat for a very smooth ride. (And of course every rider will wear life jackets so rest assured!)

The captain of the boat will brief you before you all take your seats in the boat. Those who are quick to get nauseated should sit at the middle down to the back. I took the frontmost seat because like about a gazillion others in the world, I like feeling the full force of the wind in my hair. (And I don’t get easily seasick!)

This approximately 30-minute ride starts rather leisurely, but once you get into the open waters of the Persian Gulf, the speed of the boat gradually increases until you are basically flying through the water. Depending on the current, the boat will become rather jumpy, which is why it was hard to take steady videos as you might be able to see on my travel vlog below. The part about the Yellow Boats starts at the 2:21 mark.

The movement of the boat is also why this ride might be a bit scary for some people as it can be quite fast and unsteady, but not so much that there’s a danger of being flung out of your seat. I honestly enjoyed it from the second we rode off. The ride was exciting and liberating, and the view was exquisite. Dubai officially has one of my favourite cityscapes to date, and that’s saying a lot for a cityscape addict like me. I think I’ll let the pictures do all the talking from here on out.

That twisted building is called the Cayan Tower, a residential building. Alongside the iconic Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa, it makes the cityscape a lot more interesting don’t you think? 🙂

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MARRIOTT HOTEL

I initially wasn’t sure where I would put this but since it’s just going to be a brief run-through of another really great hotel we stayed in here in Dubai, I thought I’d add it here as some sort of footnote. Considering that Dubai also puts forth its hotel experiences as one of its major tourism selling points, it won’t hurt for you all to see the other hotels we got to stay in aside from Atlantis The Palm. Am I right?

The Marriott is quite a nice hotel. Not as flashy (or even gimmicky I guess you could say) as the Atlantis The Palm. It’s more traditional as far as hotels in Dubai go, and for a one-night stay after a long day of touring it was so much more than I could ask for really.

The rooms are nice and cozy, and I like the fact that the toiletries are ACCA KAPPA. Haha!

After a night of blissful slumber (by this point I had not adjusted to the 4-hour time difference between Dubai and Manila, but the trip was beginning to wear me out) it was time for my favourite meal of the day. I have to be honest: The biggest thrill for me when staying in a hotel is the fact that I get to wake up to a breakfast buffet!

Marriott’s selection was pretty good. Must-eats for me (across all breakfast buffets in Dubai actually) include figs and any available roti with curry. I love finishing off my meal with mixed nuts and dried fruits, plus bits of cheese, drizzled with honey.

I’m ending this post by making myself hungry. That’s just great…

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Dubai continues to impress me by providing what otherwise would have been mundane or usual things in new ways. Even the sunset here looks different. There seems to be something unique and beautiful at every turn that I’ve never experienced or seen before. It’s an amazing place.

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Here’s my travel video that pretty much sums up all the highlights of my Dubai trip. Check it out to know what to expect in my Dubai Travel Blog series! The part about the Yellow Boats starts at the 2:21 mark. Some clips from the Marriott Hotel starts at the 5:47 mark.

Other posts in this series:

• Part 1: Exploring the city + Souks of Dubai
• Part 2: A bit of history + views around Jumeirah
• Part 3: Things to do inside the malls in Dubai
• Part 4: A night and half a day at Atlantis The Palm
• Part 6: Dancing in the desert of Dubai
• Part 7: Crossing over to Abu Dhabi
• Part 8: The grandest mosque I ever did see