One day off, five days away: where I'd go from Dubai this National Day
National Day falls on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December this year. Take Friday 4 December as leave and you have five clear days, from Wednesday to Sunday 6 December. Add Monday 30 November and Tuesday 1 December as well and it stretches to nine. That's a proper break for very little annual leave, and everyone in the UAE has worked it out. Flights and the best rooms go first, so if you're thinking about it, now is the time to book rather than the week before. With five days, the rule I give clients is simple: keep the flight under five hours and the transfer short. You don't want to lose a whole day of a short break to airports and connections. Here are the places I'd look at first, from easy and relaxed to the full treat.
Georgia: mountains, wine and cooler air
Tbilisi is about three hours from Dubai, and early December brings crisp air and the first snow on the Caucasus. I've been to Georgia myself and it surprises almost everyone: excellent food, a wine region in Kakheti that feels like a well-kept secret, and boutique hotels with real character.
Oman: the easy escape
Oman is under an hour and a half by air to Muscat, or a drive for those who prefer the road. December is ideal, with warm days and cool mountain nights. You can split the trip between the mountains of Jebel Akhdar and a beach resort near Muscat, or keep it simple and stay put in one place.
The Maldives: worth it, even for five days
At around four hours from Dubai, the Maldives works for a long weekend, as long as you choose your resort carefully. With only four nights, I'd pick somewhere close to Malé by speedboat, or accept a seaplane transfer and check its last departure time against your flight. Arrive too late and you spend your first night at the airport. I was in the Maldives this year, staying at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi and Vilu Reef, and seeing the transfers first-hand is exactly why I'm careful about which resort suits a short trip.
What it costs
Prices over National Day are higher than a normal weekend in December, so the earlier you book, the better your choice of room and flight.
Let me do the legwork
If you're thinking about getting away this National Day, send me your dates, who's travelling and roughly what you'd like to spend. I'll check what's still available and come back with options that make the most of every day.
