Dubai: Private Mini-Yacht Cruise with Swim & Sights

4.99

(380 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t actually expect to laugh so much on this Dubai mini-yacht cruise. The city always felt a bit too shiny for me, but seeing it from the water—especially with that salty breeze and my feet dangling over the side—just hit different. We boarded right at Dubai Marina (they’d sent us a pin, which helped since I’m hopeless with directions), and our captain waved us aboard like he was welcoming old friends. He had this easy grin, told us to make ourselves at home, and pointed out where to stash our stuff. I could smell sunscreen and engine oil mixed in the air. Not unpleasant, just... real.

The best part? When we drifted past Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis, I realized how massive those places are up close. Our guide—his name was Sameer—told us some wild stories about how they built those islands (sand pumped from the sea floor, apparently). I tried to picture it but mostly just stared at the weirdly blue water. We stopped for a swim near the Palm; I hesitated at first (the Gulf isn’t exactly my backyard), but everyone else jumped in so I followed. Water was warm, almost silky against my skin. Someone put on music through the boat’s speakers—something poppy—and suddenly it felt like we’d slipped into another world for a bit.

I brought snacks because they said you could, but honestly we barely touched them; juice and cold bottled water were enough with all that sun. There’s Wi-Fi onboard but nobody bothered checking their phones after a while—not sure if that’s good or bad these days. At one point, as we cruised by Burj Al Arab, Sameer slowed down so we could snap photos without rushing. The light bounced off the hotel’s glass like it was showing off for us alone. It’s funny what sticks with you—I still think about that view sometimes when things get noisy back home.