Discovering The Middle East While Planning a Visit to MEBAA

There are countless opportunities and experiences to be enjoyed in the Middle East. Air Charter Guide has you covered on navigating the region in style, here, once you’ve planned your visit. We keep our information updated, correcting and qualifying content directly with our listed operators and brokers.

Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Credit: Sylvain Sonnet, Getty Images

Make sure to attend MEBAA, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, from December 6 to 8, 2022 in DWC, Dubai. Connect with the exhibitors on a redesigned immersive show floor and explore new high-tech and ultra-luxurious jets in the static display as well as other exciting content and networking features.

Find information on the venue, exhibitors, partner airlines and hotels here: https://www.mebaa.aero/.

The Middle East has unique offerings for travelers that can only be experienced in the ancient cities, miraculous bodies of water, and undulating terrain that make up the landscape. The cultural experiences there can deepen your faith or add to your understanding of history. New flavors expand the palette and can be experienced in developing and dynamic cities with offerings from museums to nightlife. If the goal is to get away from it all, the sands under big skies are replete with guided tour offerings and chances to commune with the desert. The desert dominates the Middle Eastern landscape, but lush forests and snow-capped peaks can be found too.

Stream Nahal Hashofet, Ramat Menashe Biosphere Reserve, Israel. Credit: irisphoto2, Getty Images

Galilee, Israel – Ramat Menashe District
A UNESCO-designated biosphere, Ramat Menashe Park is at the center of the Ramat Menashe District, which is roughly 21,000 acres. The area comprises planted and natural oak forests, idyllic water features like the Hashofet River, grazing areas, farms, abundant vegetation, and rare plants. While the natural beauty of the Ramat Menashe District is striking, the protected archeological sites offer another opportunity for reflection.

In Ramat Menashe District, having a car is advisable since driving is necessary to experience the region's offerings. Starting inside the park, easy-to-navigate paved walkways provide a quick route to the HaShofet River, where a waterfall can be experienced. In the winter and spring, Ramat Menashe’s rivers and streams are flanked by varieties of flowers like anemones, poppies, orchids, and irises in dramatic abundance.  

Saddle of the Blue hole, Dahab, Egypt. Credit: Jman78, Getty Images

Kitesurfing in Dahab. Credit: sandsun, Getty Images

Dahab, Egypt – Former Bedouin Fishing Village
The Bedouin people are semi-nomadic and the oldest known inhabitants of the desert. The town of Dahab is a former fishing village that is now a tourist hot spot for its breathtaking proximity to the Red Sea. Situated on the banks of the Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba, Dahab faces west looking out to the Jebel al Lawz Mountain peak.

Off the shoreline, submerged beneath the waters, are some of the healthiest coral reefs in the region, according to researchers. If you are certified, willing, and able, guided scuba adventures offer a variety of underwater excursions. Dahab’s Blue Hole is a submarine hole descending 300 feet and is recommended for veteran scuba divers. The Lighthouse Dive site is open to divers of all levels as it is naturally protected by the winds and is accessible from the shoreline.

Dahab also has a main street that runs along the water with plenty of options for accommodations, food, and drinks. Sheesha bars are a unique way to unwind and enjoy the nightlife along the water's edge in Dahab.  

King Abdullah Mosque. Credit: Walter Bibikow, Getty Images

Amman, Jordan – Rainbow Street
Amman is the capital of Jordan and has a growing nightlife and an extensive culinary environment. Furthermore, the city contains archeological sites that echo the progress of civilization against the modern city backdrop. All these things can be found along the best walking route, Rainbow Street.

Credit: MikeDot, Getty Images

The breadth of culinary experiences in the Middle East is vast. A unique experience can be had in the capital city of Jordan at Sufra Restaurant. At Sufra, the specialty is in Jordanian dishes prepared traditionally using clay pots. Fukharat is “clay pots slowly baked to perfection,” They are moderately priced at Sufra, between $16.00 and $25.00 for an order made for two.

Emerging from Sufra and continuing along Rainbow Street, the option to explore the old downtown is available as well as historical sites. A beautiful Roman Theatre sits on the city's northern side of the hill, with a seating capacity of 6,000. It is a testament to the engineering and construction progress achieved in antiquity, believed to have been built in the 2nd century. The Citadel or Al Qala’l sits at the highest point in Amman, and artifacts discovered date to the Bronze Age.