Living At Discovery Gardens

[lmistry]

Hello All,

My husband and I are due to move to Dubai in August to work as teachers near Emirites Hill

The school has given us accomodation in discovery gardens. It's a 1 bedroom apartment. Not sure how big it is but I know it's fully furnished.

We'd like to know as much as possible about what's near the accomodation. Would we need a car to get to school? How long would it take on public transport? Are transport links good? How much are taxi's generally?

Are beaches near us? What clothes to pack and items that are not available in Dubai.

Any information would be brilliant - neither of us have been to Dubai before so it's the start of a new adventure!

[cobragb]

Discovery gardens is one of those places people either love or hate. Only a couple of ways in and out. There is Ibn Battuta mall in front of it with Metro access, but it won't get you near Emirates Hill. A taxi will cost you 25-30 AED each way.

The closest beach is in JBR and it's only 10 minutes away with no traffic.

Forget the warm weather clothes and rain gear.

Good luck!

[Gavtek]

Usually they provide single teachers with a 1 bedroom apartment.

If they're employing both of you and giving you accommodation together, I'd be looking for a bigger/better place to live or increased salary as you'll be saving them approx AED 40,000 a year.

[lmistry]

Originally Posted by cobragb

Discovery gardens is one of those places people either love or hate. Only a couple of ways in and out. There is Ibn Battuta mall in front of it with Metro access, but it won't get you near Emirates Hill. A taxi will cost you 25-30 AED each way.

The closest beach is in JBR and it's only 10 minutes away with no traffic.

Forget the warm weather clothes and rain gear.

Good luck!

Thanks for that - very helpful with the taxi cost as well. What else do they have at Discovery Gardens? I'm reading that there are lots of swimming pools and restaurants and facilities? Is this correct?

Does the Metro get you into the main Dubai town also?

[Radioactive]

The metro will get you to most of Dubai...but still, Disco Gardens is huge, and you'll need to drive or cab it over to Ibn Battuta just to catch it... Rent a car.

DG is one of Dubai's more modest living accommodations, at least on this end of town. Don't have high expectations and you'll be fine.

[CDN2012]

Do a search on this forum about Discovery Gardens to get a fair idea about the place.

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum

[Tropicana]

Originally Posted by lmistry

Thanks for that - very helpful with the taxi cost as well. What else do they have at Discovery Gardens? I'm reading that there are lots of swimming pools and restaurants and facilities? Is this correct?

Does the Metro get you into the main Dubai town also?

I have heard Discovery gardens have had pools since it started, but the pools dont have water
Restaurants are available in one end of DG, Zen cluster.

The Metro gets you to most places of interest in Dubai or to within a 5 minute taxi ride from them

[Jynxgirl]

If you have to take a taxi from 6:30 am to 9am or from 3pm until 8pm, it can take a long time to get one. Further back, the longer the wait. Like 30+ minutes. Or just give up and take a bus to ibn battuta and catch the metro. DG isnt a place to live without a vehicle if you live back in the back clusters.

No pools that actually work as nakheel cant afford them, but they do have tennis courts as that doesnt cost nakheel any money. The one by my place is always crawling with men who just stand around and stare but I live towards the back that has become more labourers accomodations but friends who live off 5th street have no issue using tennis courts up that way.

Stock up on bug powder. Came back after few weeks missing in action, and found ants EVERYWHERE yet again even though my apartment doesnt have any food except inside the fridge as such an issue with little roach yuckies that seem to forever infiltrate my apartment. The ant problem is a constant fight in my building.

Good luck.

[Elphaba]

Originally Posted by Jynxgirl

If you have to take a taxi from 6:30 am to 9am or from 3pm until 8pm, it can take a long time to get one. Further back, the longer the wait. Like 30+ minutes. Or just give up and take a bus to ibn battuta and catch the metro. DG isnt a place to live without a vehicle if you live back in the back clusters.

No pools that actually work as nakheel cant afford them, but they do have tennis courts as that doesnt cost nakheel any money. The one by my place is always crawling with men who just stand around and stare but I live towards the back that has become more labourers accomodations but friends who live off 5th street have no issue using tennis courts up that way.

Stock up on bug powder. Came back after few weeks missing in action, and found ants EVERYWHERE yet again even though my apartment doesnt have any food except inside the fridge as such an issue with little roach yuckies that seem to forever infiltrate my apartment. The ant problem is a constant fight in my building.

Good luck.

The ants are certainly out in force this year! We seem to get them in about five different sizes in our villa, despite it being very clean and using bug spray.


imistry - you are being housed in Disco Gardens as it's cheap. Hope you get a decent cluster (perhaps ask the school exactly where on the development) as many people have complained about the place. It's not anyone's first choice of accommodation and is selected due to price.

[nikkisizer]

Originally Posted by lmistry

What clothes to pack and items that are not available in Dubai.

Any information would be brilliant - neither of us have been to Dubai before so it's the start of a new adventure!

Hello Imistry,

As you are moving to Dubai in the hottest month of the year expect temperatures each day of around mid forties so very light comfortable summer clothing is all you will need.

If you like Walkers worcester sauce french fries and Bounty dark chocolate (red wrapper) bring plenty as I've been searching for the last six years and can't seem to find them anywhere here

Good luck for the future!