Ask the crew: Johnno Wong’s guide to Dubai

We spoke to Senior Pursor Johnno Wong about his favourite city, Dubai. Here, he shares the best things to eat, see and do in the UAE city

“My first trip to Dubai was about 10 years ago. I remember driving with the rest of the Cathay crew to our hotel and being blown away by the architecture we passed on the way. More recently, I travelled there with my son and relived those moments with him.”

Must-do

Going on a desert safari tour is a quintessential Dubai experience, and it gives you the chance to try activities like sandboarding and dune bashing. I especially enjoyed the camel ride; it’s gentle and leisurely, allowing you to admire the view while the sun sets. I also liked visiting Gold Souk, a traditional market with scores of retailers selling gold and diamonds. A fun fact: the market holds the Guinness World Record for the heaviest gold ring ever made; it weighs more than 50kg and is valued at about US$3 million. So much about Dubai is larger than life. Here’s another example: I was booking an Uber with my colleagues and we discovered that you can hail a helicopter. A car will bring you to a helipad, and you’re then given an aerial tour of the city. We’ll have to try it sometime.

Must-eat

I like trying different kinds of food when I travel, and in Dubai, you’ll find cuisines from just about every corner of the world. For the widest range of options all in one place, I recommend going to the Dubai Mall.

Must-pack

When you’re doing activities like sandboarding, you’ll wish you had something like a GoPro . It will allow you to take great action shots that capture the experience more vividly.