The long-awaited Dubai Expo 2020 finally arrived in October last year after being postponed for a year and it has been a tremendous success. Unsurprisingly, this Expo is bigger and better than ever before – for the first time in Expo history, all 192 participating countries have their own pavilions. In addition to the country-themed pavilions, various organisations are also showcased at Expo 2020, so you are guaranteed to have a plethora of interesting places to visit if you are planning to spend the entire day (or a few!) at Expo 2020.
Dubai Expo 2020 runs until 31 March this year so if you have not had the chance to visit yet (or you still would like to discover more), there is still plenty of time! A little tip – if you have recently taken a flight to Dubai with Emirates, you are entitled to a free season pass to Expo 2020, which means you can visit as many times as you like before 31 March. Prior to 10 February, the free pass was valid for just one day, however now it has been converted to a season pass which is great news for anyone who wants to make the most out of Expo and discover everything it has to offer. Silvia and I have visited it twice so far and we definitely recommend planning to visit more than once if possible.
In the span of the two full days spent at Expo 2020, we managed to visit over 20 pavilions so our selection of the top 10 pavilions to visit is based on what we have explored in person. We have not managed to visit certain popular pavilions we had on our list, such as the UAE, Japan, UK, the Women’s Pavilion and a few others due to long queues. In this post, we will reveal the first five of our favourite pavilions (in no particular order) plus some helpful tips to make the most out of your visit!
Before we reveal our favorite pavilions, we would like to share a few tips to make your experience visiting the Expo as great as possible.
How to get to the Expo
While there is ample parking available for the Expo visitors, some people have reported that it is not easy to navigate so we recommend getting to the Expo site by Dubai metro. There is a purposely built metro branch for the Expo visitors so it is very easy to get there. After you get off at the Expo 2020 station, the Expo site is a very short walk from the station. Speaking of walking, please remember to wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a lot of walking. While there are golf carts and People Mover little trains readily available to take visitors around, we think it is much better to explore it on foot if you can. At the end of your day at the Expo, you will be pleased to see all those steps add up (we had a personal record of nearly 26,000 steps on the second visit!).
Planning your visit
While the Expo app is definitely very useful for navigating the Expo site, it has its limitations. For example, you can add the pavilions you would like to visit to your favourites and you can track them on the interactive map, however you won’t be able to see where all these pavilions are in relation to each other on the map.
The area of Expo 2020 is so vast that we do not recommend just walking around trying to find the pavilions you want to see without making sure you visit them in an organised way. To make your visit as efficient as possible, we suggest making a list of all the pavilions you want to visit and then identifying their location in the app. The Expo site is divided into 5 districts: Opportunity, Al Forsan, Sustainability, Jubilee, and Mobility, and each of them is colour-coded.
Once you group the pavilions you would like to visit by district (or colour), it will help you map out your route. Only after that do we recommend checking if there is any availability to add the pavilions on your list to the digital queue (don’t forget to link your Expo pass in the app!). This way you will be able to move around in an efficient and organised way and more than likely to see more than you have on your list.
Just a quick word of advice – if you join a digital queue for a particular time slot, especially for a popular pavilion, please arrive on time, otherwise your spot in the digital queue will be cancelled and some very busy pavilions may not have any capacity for re-bookings on the same day.
Eat at the Expo
There are plenty of nice places to enjoy a scrumptious meal at Expo 2020, including national dishes in many pavilions, however if we had to choose our favorites from standalone offerings, they would definitely be two local favorites – Arabian Tea House and Saddle.
Arabian Tea House offers a wide choice of traditional Middle Eastern dishes, including local Emirati dishes. For breakfast/ lunch, you can’t go wrong with hummus – it is served with the most delicious authentic Emirati bread made just before being served – you will want to eat it all! We also recommend trying the Arabian Tea House special tea blend presented in a cute round teapot.
Arabian Tea House is conveniently located right in front of the Al Wasl Plaza so you can watch the digital shows in the evening while enjoying your food.
Saddle is another great place to grab some breakfast and it is located opposite the Emirates Pavilion. It has a selection of avocado toasts with unexpected twists – the one pictured below is with almond shavings, feta and homemade peach jam – delicious! While Saddle’s Expo menu is more limited than the one at its regular location, it also offers several options of amazing acai bowls – they also come highly recommended. And of course, there is Saddle’s famous specialty coffee!
And now we are pleased to present our top pavilions that are must-see if you are visiting the Expo.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion is one of the most popular ones with visitors always eagerly queueing in front of it so we did not manage to get in until late at night on our first visit.
Due to this pavilion’s popularity, we highly recommend joining a digital queue to visit it so you don’t have to wait in line. Or you can try your luck later in the evening before the closing time as there tends to be less of a crowd at night (at least on a working day in our experience).
We thought that the Heritage Path escalator was very well executed with heritage buildings and digital projections providing an immersive experience as you ride to the top.
Saudi Arabia has recently opened to tourists so those of you who are thinking of visiting the Kingdom will be delighted to see some of its most beautiful landmarks displayed on the screens all around and below you making it a truly immersive digital experience. It almost feels like you are there in person exploring the beautiful treasures the country has to offer to its visitors.
If you a fan of Arabic coffee then you are going to love Sard cafe. You can access it via the escalator to the right from the entrance to the pavilion if you just want to have some coffee without visiting the entire Saudi Arabia exhibition.
Sard offers a wide variety of different gahwa (Arabic coffee) blends and you can see all the ingredients on display to help you choose your favourite. Silvia and I had a hard time choosing between Al-Madinah blend and Makkah blend but eventually we went with Al-Madinah. We have to say this amazing blend with cardamom, rose water, cloves and saffron is the best Arabic coffee we have ever tried!
The coffee comes in a cute paper cup with a handy pouch to hold a date that comes with your coffee – so ingenious!
You can also choose to sit and enjoy your coffee outside the cafe in the area called the palm garden.
Hungary
Hungary is another popular pavilion that definitely deserves all the attention.
Hungary is world-famous for its thermal springs and they definitely have done a fantastic job at showcasing the country’s natural treasures in a creative and engaging way.
The quality of mineral and curative waters in Hungary is held to such a high standard that their healing effect is said to be medically proven. It is no surprise then that the minerals commonly found in Hungary’s thermal waters are also present in the human body!
After a fascinating journey learning about the thermal waters, the tradition of thermal bathing, and the luxurious spas in Budapest, the glowing blue pathway leads you to a relaxing inner dome – here you can just take off your shoes and dive into a pool of clear white bubbles while enjoying the digital show, so much fun!
Before leaving the pavilion, try some of Hungary’s best mineral and thermal waters at the Aqua Bar or choose a delicious savory or sweet treat to take home.
We couldn’t resist the lavender jelly but it was not an easy choice, everything looked so tempting! For those who are curious, the lavender jelly is divine, give it a try if you love lavender.
Cyprus
Cyprus is a small island in the Mediterranean that has a lot to offer.
Despite its small size, Cyprus offers an endless choice of stunning locations around the island. Having visited Cyprus myself a few times, I must say that these breathtaking landscapes are as beautiful in real life as they are in the photos, and every time you travel to Cyprus you always have natural treasures waiting to be explored.
Benefitting from its location on the crossroads of three continents, Cyprus enjoys a rich cultural heritage. Many archeological sites and works of art, such as the ancient Roman mosaics in Paphos for example, have been preserved for centuries to be admired in the modern days.
In the true spirit of Cypriot hospitality, we received these chamomile soap bars as a gift – thank you, such a lovely gesture!
Latvia
Latvia, one of the three Baltic states, has surprised us with a very unusual and creative approach to showcasing the country’s best-kept secret, humble peat moss.
When we entered the exhibition room of the Latvia Pavilion, we were immediately drawn to the panels that looked like they were made out of some kind of wood. To our surprise, it turned out to be compressed peat! Every block has a unique pattern and composition as it contains traces of ancient plants, trees and minerals, making it a great choice for a creative and sustainable home renovations project.
We were also shown non-reflective art glass that has a home in museums around the world, including the Louvre in Paris.
Thanks to its location on the shores of the Baltic Sea, Latvia also boasts beautiful white sandy beaches surrounded by pine trees as showcased on the screen inside the pavilion.
Continuing the theme of creative solutions for home renovations, the Latvia Pavilion is showcasing stunning reclaimed wood panels in different patterns and colors and decorative textured silk plaster that can be used instead of the regular wall paint.
In addition to the exhibition space, there is also a futuristic digital show that can be accessed through a separate entrance. Here you will enjoy a creative dance performance being projected on carved textured peat panel walls while learning about the country’s technological innovation and sustainability solutions.
Morocco
The Morocco Pavilion is one of the great examples of thoughtfully utilising large spaces to create an engaging and informative exhibition that is a joy to visit. We have to be honest, not every country has managed to use its space wisely, but Morocco is a shining example of how to do this right!
The Morocco Pavilion is spread out over several floors offering a vertical journey through Morocco as you go down the ramp.
One of the first rooms is dedicated to three great Moroccan explorers, including Ibn Battuta.
Not surprisingly, argan has a dedicated exhibit where you can learn about various cosmetic and nutritional uses for this amazing fruit.
One of the highlights of the pavilion is a room with traditional Moroccan doors showcasing Noor Ouarzazate solar plants and the country’s dedication to increasing its energy production from renewables.
To be continued with the next five pavilions that are a must to visit at Expo 2020.
Bisous,
Yasmina
