Dubai Expo 2020: Things to keep in mind while visiting the 4 sq km site of the world event

Dubai Expo 2020: Expo 2020 in Dubai is all the rage right now, and many people are travelling to the Emirati city in UAE to see what different countries in the world have put on display. A whopping 192 countries are participating at the six-month Expo, with each country having its own pavilion. Apart from this, partner pavilions, organisation pavilions as well as some special pavilions have also been built. Now, with more than a month gone by since the Expo began, the number of visitors only seems to be increasing and deservedly so. Apart from brilliant country pavilions like those by Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India, South Korea and Japan, the Expo site also has some brilliant special pavilions like the Mobility Pavilion, which traces the journey of the humankind from the invention of the wheel, all the way to outer space, with a special focus on this journey in the Middle East.

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It also has a special segment of “Eat At Expo”, where food lovers can not only enjoy different cuisines like Arabian, African, Lebanese and Italian, but can also learn how to bake their own bread at the Bread Ahead Bakery and School!

The Expo site has many photo booth areas for visitors. (Image: Bulbul Dhawan/Financial Express)

So in case you are looking to visit the brilliant Expo 2020 that has been set up in Dubai, here are a few things you must keep in mind.

Know the Expo site

The Expo 2020 site in Dubai is massive, and we mean massive! The 4.38 square kilometre site is located in Dubai South has three sub-themes – Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability – and the site has therefore also been divided into three thematic districts named after these subthemes. Each thematic district has a Thematic Pavilion – Opportunity Pavilion, Mobility Pavilion and Sustainability Pavilion – along with multiple country pavilions.

Vehicles are not allowed within the Expo 2020 site, and users need to park at one of the four parking lots that are designated for the Expo. From each of these parking lots, shuttles run frequently to ferry passengers to the nearest gate. The site also has metro connectivity, for people who do not have personal transportation.

Keep your vaccination proof/RT-PCR test handy

At the gates, visitors need to show their tickets to enter. It is also advised that they carry their vaccination status certificates with them to provide proof that they have received at least one dose of vaccine recognised by either the WHO or by any of the countries participating in the Expo 2020. In case a visitor has not received even a single dose of vaccination, they need to carry with them a negative RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hours of their day of visit.

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The Al Wasl Plaza is at the centre of the Expo 2020 site, lying at the intersection of the three Thematic Districts. (Image: Bulbul Dhawan/Financial Express)

Comfy shoes are a must

Inside the Expo, visitors would need to walk to reach different pavilions. Since the area of the site is more than 4 square kilometers, people must wear comfortable shoes, preferably sports shoes, so that they can walk long distances.

Plan your day

The queues to pavilions can also be quite long so visitors must shortlist three to four pavilions and attractions that they wish to visit since covering more than that might not be possible. Downloading the Dubai Expo 2020 app on the phone might come in handy for directions, even though free maps of the Expo site are available at entrance and at regularly placed kiosks. Maps are also displayed on a screen at various places at the Expo site.

The Mobility Pavilion is one of the must-visits at Dubai Expo 2020. (Image: Bulbul Dhawan/Financial Express)

Water bottles all the way!

Visitors must also carry with them a spare bottle of water. The Expo site has water dispensers at regular distances from where visitors can fill their water bottles. With the heat and the amount of walking, dehydration can be a real possibility, and therefore, this is a very important aspect to keep in mind.

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Key places to visit

All said, in case you are planning to visit the Expo 2020, there are some places that you must try and cover. Apart from the India pavilion, the Germany pavilion is a big yes for children and adults alike, with its interactive games and yet, important, serious questions. Alif – the Mobility Pavilion is also a site that should not be missed. It features the world’s largest passenger life, having the capability of lifting over 200 people at once. There are many restaurants like Rising Flavours and Mudra that can be a great place for satiating your hunger. But the best of all is Garden in the Sky tower at the site, which is a rotating platform that takes you up for an aerial view of the entire Dubai Expo 2020 site.