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When it comes to the filthy rich and super-elite of the world, Dubai is one of their main getaways, causing places like New York and Miami to pale in comparison to the over-indulgent opulence found throughout the streets. Located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as one of its main cities, Dubai is home to some of the world's richest residents due to the monopolized oil reserve in the Middle East. And with the rising price of gas around the world, we can all clearly see the economic impact of oil, both good and bad. Some of the world's most influential names in sports and entertainment also own property in Dubai, such as Lindsay Lohan, David and Victoria Beckham, and Giorgio Armani. Also spotted frequenting Dubai have been celebrities such as Wiz Khalifa, Eve, Gucci Mane, Usher, Neyo, Akon, Eva Longoria, and Wanya Morris from Boyz II Men.
But what draws these rich and famous celebrities to this city that's basically in the Middle Eastern Desert? Just a rough guess, but it may have something to do with the solid gold toilet bowls and the extravagant architecture that adorns the landscape. These are just some of the ways in which the rich spend their money in Dubai.
Using Helicopter To Avoid Traffic
We know that places like New York City and Los Angeles are notorious for the yellow taxi cab - if you're in need of transportation, just hail a taxi. And even more popular nowadays is the Uber transportation service that you can always schedule in advance for pickups or drop-offs. But in the land of the ultra-rich, Saudi billionaires avoid traffic altogether by hiring helicopters to travel across town. You can either charter a helicopter as a tourist for sightseeing or, if you're as much as the billionaires who live in the city of gold, you can ride your own private helicopter in the United Arab Emirates. But if you're like Angelina Jolie or Harrison Ford, riding your own helicopter is nothing new to you.
Camel-Racing Robots
Another seemingly ridiculous event that the rich in Dubai spend their money on is camel racing with mini-robots. Ever since 2002, child riders have been outlawed from the sport in the United Arab Emirates, so to keep the fun going, they opted to use robots as camel jockeys instead, better known as robot jockeys. Unlike the camel racing in Australia that uses actual humans, Dubai uses mechanical jockeys weighing about two kilograms each, with an automatic motorized whip that lashes the camel ever so often. This is supposed to make the sport much safer, but the stakes are still as high for betters!
Gold ATMs
It's no secret that the rich in Dubai is obsessed with the shiny yellow metal we call gold. From gold-painted cars and solid-gold crafted toilet bowls, gold seems to be the thing that qualifies someone as being in the billionaire's paradise. So when they get tired of counting wads of cash, they can head across to the golden ATM machine and withdraw either gold coins, bars, or medallions. Sound hard to believe? According to The Travel, not only can users withdraw golden coins and bars, but the ATM itself is also gold. Even the richest rappers in the industry with thick gold ropes have nothing on the amount of gold that's available here.
Domesticated Exotic Animals
We've heard of Mike Tyson keeping tigers as pets on his property, but his fascination pales in comparison to the number of billionaires in Dubai who have adopted exotic animals as domesticated pets, from lions and tigers to bears and cheetahs. However, despite their love of wild animals, in 2017 the UAE outlawed the keeping of wild animals as pets. According to BBC, owners who keep these big cats or other exotic animals as pets can be fined up to $50,000 dirhams (USD $13,600) and face up to six months in prison. This is pennies to a billionaire, so many of them persist with their feline fetish.
Unique And Luxurious Cars
We often admire the car collections of superstars like Floyd Mayweather, Snoop Dogg, and Nicki Minaj. But while their cars are worth more than many people earn in an entire lifetime, they're nothing next to some of the vehicles seen in Dubai. Sure, there are Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, and Ferraris trafficked up and down the streets, but some of these sports vehicles are extremely extravagant like an entire Mercedes Benz covered in white gold or a gold-decked SUV or Lamborghini that skates by like a lightning rod on the roadway. Dubai's rich definitely know how to make the term "Midas Touch" a literal thing.
Lavish Hotels
If there's one thing that makes Dubai a hot spot for travelers besides its picturesque sceneries and opulent living is its lavish hotels. Not only are these hotels an amazing sight to behold because of their unique architectural designs, but they also vary in price per night. Beginning from as cheap as $55 a night, like the Millennium Airport Hotel, all the way to $466 a night, like at Atlantis, The Palm. One of the reasons the Atlantis is so pricey is likely because it features underwater rooms. That's right! Celebrities such as Khloe Kardashian, Robert Dinero, Naomi Campbell, and Michael Jordan have also experienced the exclusivity of this hotel suite.
World's Largest In-Door Theme Park
Six Flags Theme Parks may be the main attraction when it comes to theme parks in America but Dubai can boast of having the largest indoor park in the world. Called the IMG World of Adventure, it spans a circumference of 28 football fields and carries one of the fastest and tallest roller coasters in the UAE. The park consists of four zones, which include two of the favorites - the Marvel characters zone and the Cartoon Network zone. The other zones include a total of 28 dining areas, 25 retail stores, and 21 other rides and attractions. With all this entertainment, it wouldn't be a surprise that the cost for this park was a whopping $1 billion.
Sources: Emirates Woman, The Travel, Carcility