São Paulo – How about visiting an Arab country in your next vacations? Options of tours for all tastes and profiles are plenty. Art, adventure, history, tradition. Classic destinations, destinations that are only now becoming successful. Choose your favourite and have fun. To help you out, we have asked three Middle East tourism experts to recommend their trips of choice. See below, on the list of ten must-take tours of the region:
• Visiting the city of Palmyra, in Syria. "Those who were impressed with the columns of the temples in Egypt haven’t seen anything yet," guarantees Gabriel Camargo, the director of travel agency Canadá Turismo, who highlights the architecture of the ancient Roman city. The company has a division named ‘Só Dubai’ (Dubai Only), which specializes in packages to the Middle East.
• Swimming in the Dead Sea. And spending a day in one of the local spas. "Aside from the curious fact that you don’t sink in it, the cosmetics made from minerals and Dead Sea mud rank among the best in the world," says Camargo.
• Visiting Sanaa, the capital of Yemen. "Because it is not too explored by tourism, the city is one of the most authentic destinations in the Arab world, and has very good flight connections from Dubai," says Camargo.
• Going to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. "There are art collections from all of the Islamic countries," claims Camargo. The venue is also recommended by the products manager at tour operator CVC for Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, Rodrigo Tobias. "Designed by the renowned architect I. M. Pei, the author of the glass pyramid at the Louvre, in Paris, the museum recounts Arab history through artefacts dating from the 7th to the 19th century, says Tobias. "There are rare manuscripts, metal items, ceramics, precious stones and intriguing documents that showcase the evolution of the Arabic language. A must-see!," guarantees the CVC executive.
• Taking a cruise across the River Nile, in Egypt. "The ships are very comfortable and make stops so tourists can get out and get to know the attractions along the river, such as the Luxor Temple and the Valley of Kings," says the Marketing and Sales director at company Designer Tours, Deusa Maria Rodrigues.
• Taking a ride in the desert in Dubai, in the Emirates. "The tour is taken in a 4-wheel drive vehicle, in the desert, about an hour from Dubai," explains Deusa. "It includes a sunset between the dunes, belly dancing and dinner in an Arab tent," she says.
• Going to the beach in Oman. "The country has several options of beautiful beaches, such as those in the Zighy Bay region," says Deusa. "Most are encircled with stones and have that blue, blue sea," she claims.
• Enjoying Muscat, the capital of Oman, and its charms. Including clean, organized streets, lots of green and lots of seas all around. Not to mention the shopping centres packed with international brands coexisting with souqs replenished with spices, gold and silver.
• Visiting Petra, in Jordan, a classic. "It is simply the best tour to take in the country," says Deusa. "You need energy to walk around a lot and see the architecture, but the beauty of Petra is worth the effort," she says.
• Getting to know Abu Dhabi, in the Emirates, one of the bets for tourism in the Arab world in coming years. The land of the Ferrari World, the racing team’s first theme park, which is also going to host branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums. Talk about some hype.
Service
CVC
www.cvc.com.br
Designer Tours
www.designertours.com.br
Só Dubai
www.so-dubai.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum