Dammam to Ahmedabad Flights

  About Dammam

Dammam is the sixth-largest city of Saudi Arabia and capital of the Eastern Province of the kingdom. It got its name from the Arabic word 'Dawwama' which means whirlpool. The city has grown potentially and now accounts for about a quarter of the world's total oil reserves. It was the discovery of oil wells in this region that led to its overnight growth and quick success. The city has a growing population of about 1.5 million. The locals here follow their culture and traditions strictly, no matter how much they embrace modernisation in terms of their standard of life. As the city is developing, it is also focusing on making it more tourist-friendly. Dammam has quite a lot of tourist attractions in the city, mainly for you to go with your families. The Dolphin Village has become quite popular and is one place your kids will definitely love. Like most cities in UAE, Dammam also has a vibrant and active shopping scene. You can buy from the top brands, or you can go shopping in the local markets, the choice is yours. Not to mention, you will love the food here.

Best Time to Visit Dammam

Most cities and countries in the UAE witnessed only two seasons, extreme summer and extreme winter. November to April is when Dammam experiences winter. The temperature ranges from 13 to 30 degree Celsius and while the days are warm, the nights get chilly. This is a high tourist season for Dammam. Make sure you book your hotel in Dammam several weeks in advance because the prices will increase closer to winter and availability also might be an issue. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Damman in advance. If done at the last moment, it might get difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Dammam. All the tourist attractions will be accessible during this time. The weather is slightly warmer in March and April as compared to the previous month. Dammam has a couple of diving academies that you can visit during this time if you want to learn diving. The water will not be too cold as compared to December, January and February. It will neither be too cold nor too hot. You can also go on a food tasting tour in winter.

May to October is summer in Dammam, and the temperature reaches up to a maximum of 41-degree Celsius. June to August are the hottest months in the city. The scorching heat makes it unbearable for you to step out or sign up for any sightseeing tours for the day. However, evenings and nights are comparatively pleasant. Since the locals also observe fast during Ramadan, a lot of them are given week offs from work. This is a low season for tourism in the country, and you won't even get access to all of the tourist attractions in the city. Needless to say, the hotel prices drop during summer, courtesy the low season. You might, however, come across interesting flight deals to Dammam online and at better prices. It is highly recommended that you travel to Dammam only during winters.

Places to Visit in Dammam

Dammam has a couple of beautiful corniches and also houses a human-made Coral Island. The city is slowly rising as one of the hot vacation destinations and already has a couple of interesting things lined up for tourists. Dolphin Village is one of the major attractions in Dammam. It is situated at the entrance of Coral Island and offers air-conditioned lounge seats so you can catch the dolphin and seal shows with your family and friends. You will have to pay a nominal fee to enter, but it is worth every penny. Make sure you get the best seats though, and to get that, you might have to reach quite early. You can also head to Adventure World that has indoor games, rides and play areas for kids along with some dining options. You can also head to Murakkabat Mountain Park to enjoy the lush greenery amidst a desert. You can either jog here or take a stroll in the park. Share Al-Hob (Love) Market is another tourist spot that you must head to if you want to go on a shopping spree. You can buy a lot of traditional goods here and a couple of souvenirs for your family and friends, too.

Coral Island is a human-made wonder in Dammam that you cannot miss. This is one of the best tourist attractions in the entire city. You can also head to Heritage Village to get a feel of the Saudi culture. Tarout Castle is yet another marvellous tourist attraction that was built in 1600 BC. You can also visit the Dammam Regional Museum. The speciality about the museum is that there are six halls here, each of them showcasing six different categories from the stone age. You can head to Half Moon Bay if you want to learn how to dive and King Fahad Park to relive your childhood.

Things to do in Dammam

One of the first things to do in Dammam is to try the food here. Middle Eastern cuisine is popular all over the world, and there is nothing better than trying it in the Middle East itself. You can either sign up for a guided tour of the city or explore the city on your own. Head over to Heritage Village to get a glimpse of the Saudi culture. Dammam is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and even though it has embraced a modern way of living, the locals make sure they keep their tradition alive. Dammam is the perfect place to head to for a family vacation, especially if you have kids. The Dolphin Village and Adventure World are two of the most entertaining attractions in the city. You can also head to the Tarout Castle, which was built in 1600 BC. If you go for a guided tour of the castle, you will get to know more about the inception of the castle and interesting stories around it. The King Fahad Park is another tourist attraction you can head to spend some leisure time with your family and to relive your own childhood. The city also has several diving academies that you can enrol into and learn how to dive. However, this might only be possible during early winter and late summer when the temperatures are normal. It might get a tad uncomfortable to dive underwater during winter when it is already cold outside, and while summer is the best time to go underwater diving, that's probably the only thing you will get to do on your trip.

Food and Restaurants in Dammam

Dammam is popular for its middle eastern cuisine. Though you get to try cuisines from all over the world in every city in Saudi Arabia, it is the middle eastern food that people love the most. Heritage Village is a very popular restaurant with a very comfortable decor that makes the dining atmosphere delightful. If you are in the mood for some American-style steaks, you can head to Steak House. Manoosha Alreef is popular for its fast food and Lebanese cuisine. Head over to Brasa de Brasil Churrascaria for authentic Brazilian food and to Fayrouz Lebanese Restaurant for lip-smacking middle easter and Lebanese cuisine. You can also try some of the high-end restaurants in the city like Asahi Oan-Asian Restaurant for Japanese and Asian food, Kunefeci for Turkish cuisine, View Cafe for Indian and Arabic cuisines, and Al Diwan for barbecue. Finding a decent restaurant that serves vegetarian food might be a tad difficult since most tourists and locals, too, are meat lovers. However, the food scene is barely disappointing in Dammam, and you will leave both impressed and satiated.

How to reach Dammam (Transportation)

King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia is the third major hub for Saudia, which was called Saudi Arabian Airlines before. The flight connectivity to Dammam from India is excellent. Gulf Air and AirArabia have frequent flights to Dammam from India with layovers at Manama and Sharjah. Getting cheap flight tickets to Dammam is not very difficult if you book at the right time. You can also look up exciting flight deals to Dammam online. You might end up getting a good deal if you have planned an impromptu trip. Getting a taxi or shuttle service from the airport to your hotel is quite convenient and not much of a hassle. The staff at the airport is also quite helpful. If you have to wait for a long time to board your flight, you have lots of options inside the airport to help pass the time. The airport is well-equipped with WiFi, smoking areas, restaurants, lounges, cafes, duty-free shops, currency exchange, ATMs and a lot more. In fact, you will also get through immigration and all the other formalities quite quickly since the staff is very efficient.

  About Ahmedabad

The city of Ahmedabad is known to be the fifth largest in India and is quite the commercial hub of the state. It is easily one of the fastest-growing cities in India, which also plays a centre for education and various industries. Even though it is not the capital of the state, Ahmedabad has immense scope for development and has been rapidly growing. The city plays an excellent host to a traveller who wishes to experience more of the city's history, development and spirituality. While the development sphere continues to expand in the city, the authorities are further following the Swachcha Bharat campaigns to maintain a neat town.

Ahmedabad is impeccably connected with the rest of the major cities in India. Besides, the international flight connectivity from Ahmedabad is excellent. Reaching the city is easy from all means of transport. As for accommodations, abundant options are ranging from luxury hotels to hostels for all kinds of travellers. You can opt for a fun staycation by booking your hotels in Ahmedabad and make the most of your time in the city. The city also has some great educational institutions that one can consider. In fact, the student crowd in Ahmedabad is rising as the opportunities are immense.

Best time to visit Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad's summers can get pretty rough and hot, but the monsoon and winter are equally pleasant. Interestingly, the Gujaratis actually have specific dishes for every season. For summer, aam ras and dishes made from mango. As for winter, their famous undiyo takes over the kitchens and streets! The monsoon also has some cool street food that one can indulge in, when in the city.

Monsoons are typically dedicated to fun street snacks such as roasted corn, boiled corn and some essential roasted dishes. You can primarily find these on the streets as several vendors indulge in selling smokey flavoured street snacks. During this time, the city also welcomes festivals such as Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami, which are celebrated with gusto.

Undoubtedly though, winter becomes the best season to visit Ahmedabad as it comes with a plethora of cultural relevance as well as sublime atmosphere. The temperature actually drops down to 5-20 degree Celsius, so do pack thermal wear for your trip. Not to mention how festivals such as Navratri, Diwali also take place during the winter months. This means you can actually indulge in some fun Garba as well as dress up for the occasion. Navratri food is another reason why you would want to take a trip to Ahmedabad during the winters.

Places to see in Ahmedabad

Gandhi Ashram

The Sabarmati Ashram, popularly known as the Gandhi Ashram is the place founded by Mahatma Gandhi. What makes this one of the major tourist attractions of Ahmedabad is the rich historical relevance it holds. The premise of the ashram has teachings of Gandhiji etched on the walls. Interestingly, the ashram continues to work with the principles set by the freedom fighter as the premise also contributes to the handicrafts market with their handmade products. In fact, the ashram also has a handmade paper factory and a spinning wheel factory located within the premise.

ISKCON

The Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Rama is prevalent in many parts of the country and even the world. The inspiring stories of the two deities as well as their teachings resonate with many followers. The temple is beautiful and has a festive air which will soothe your soul.

Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum

Established by Muni Shri Punyavijayi and Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai, the museum is a haven for a bibliograph as it is an abode to priceless book collections, manuscripts and text materials from a long time ago. From Vedic scriptures of Jainism to poetic verses written in ancient India, the manuscripts and published literary work would be of interest to you if you're an avid reader or someone interested in history.

Auto World Vintage Car Museum

At the Auto World Vintage Car Museum, you will find yourself in awe of some of the swanky rides owned by Shri Pranlal Bhogilal, who opted to convert his private collection to public viewing. Not only will you get to see some fancy rides such as Maybach, Cadillac, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Chrysler, Lincoln, etc. but will also get to take one for a spin! Of course, you'll have to pay a token to take one of the cars out for a drive.

Bhadra Fort

The Bhadra Fort was once a pristine palace with lush gardens and gorgeous sights. Built back in 1411, the fort vicinity also has a temple of Goddess Bhadrakali. The fort has some historical significance as well as some spiritual relevance. One can take up a stroll around the Bhadra Fort and learn more about the rich backstory.

Calico Museum of Textiles

Ahmedabad or rather Gujarat, in general, is known for their contribution to the textile industry. In fact, they are the frontrunners in the textile industry. Many might assume that credit goes to Mahatma Gandhi's Swadeshi movement, which enabled them to opt for handwoven khadi garments and produce the same. However, Ahmedabad's history with textiles dates back to the 1700s! Please take a tour through the Calico Museum of Textiles to learn more about their history and more.

Things to do in Ahmedabad

Drive-in theatres are a big hit here. You can probably rent a vehicle and head straight to Drive-In Road in the city but ensure to check the show timings before making a plan to watch a movie. Law Gardens is a bustling capital for the shopaholic in you. As long as you can handle some impeccable haggling, Law Gardens is the best place to shop Gujarati ensembles and clothes representing their culture. From glasswork on the fabric to shimmery outfits, you will have a lot of options to pick from at this shopping street.

A heritage walk is usually conducted in the city where you are taken through a tour of some of the historical streets of the town. The walk is organised by Ahmedabad's municipal corporation and happens daily. The walk starts at Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur and stretches up to the Jama Masjid. You can choose a day of leisure by hanging out at the Victoria Garden. It is close to the Bhadra Fort.

Food and Restaurants in Ahmedabad

Gujaratis fondness towards food is no big secret. They love food and are always game to explore the variety. In fact, much recently, a man found fame for selling pineapple and rabdi sandwiches! Speaking of which, if you do wish to check out this melange of flavours then you should head to Manek Sandwich in the city's Manek Chowk. For lip-smacking Gujarati thalis, you should check out Vishala. Tadka Punjabi, Sankalp is also some famous food joints in Ahmedabad with impeccable cuisines. While you're here, you should undoubtedly visit Havmor ice cream parlours and get some of that action.

There is something known as Kathiyawadi Food which is an Ahmedabad speciality. In case you're in the mood for some adventure, this is an excellent way to go about your gastronomical journey. Visit Bardi at CG Road for the same. There are more options available at CG Road such as Choice Snacks, Mirch Masala, to name a few that you can check out.

How to reach Ahmedabad (Transportation)

By Air

Ahmedabad has impeccable flight connectivity as various domestic as well as international airlines have flights in and out of the city. The main airport is the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport located approximately 15 km from the city centre. The airport is looking at some significant expansion plans to bring in more space for international airlines. Some of the global flight connectivity from Ahmedabad is with cities such as Kuwait, London, Doha, Singapore and Muscat, to name a few. As for domestic destinations, the flight connectivity from Ahmedabad is brilliant as a majority of the domestic airlines have flights in the city. You can fly to a majority of the metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Surat, Goa, Kolkata and more.

By Rail

The Ahmedabad Central Railway Station is also well-connected in terms of daily availability of transport. There are dedicated trains from Mumbai heading to Ahmedabad regularly with multiple connections to other major cities such as Rajkot, Pune , Delhi, Jaipur, Indore, Udaipur, Kolkata, Varanasi, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Chennai, etc. Other important junctions include the Sabarmati Junction and Maninagar Railway Station which connect to the central railway station.

By Road

Driving up to Ahmedabad is actually a fun ride as the roads are exciting and the highways are not risky. You can either book a bus ticket for yourself or rent a car or even drive yourself. People travelling from Maharashtra, Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh often opt for buses as the best option if railway tickets aren't confirmed. The buses are comfortable too as you have options such as semi seater and sleeper to choose from. You can easily reach Ahmedabad from any corner of the country.

  About Ahmedabad Airport

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport serves as an international airport to the city of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in the state of Gujarat. The airport is about 9 km to the north of central Ahmedabad. The airport has been named after the First Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It falls in the top ten list of busiest airports in India with respect to passenger traffic. In fact, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport stands at the seventh spot for being one of the busiest airports in India. According to reports received in 2018-19, the airport recorded a whopping passenger capacity of 11.17 million in a year. Ahmedabad Airport also serves as the focus city for GoAir airline.

The airport was originally set up in 1937 for domestic operations. However, the airport eventually received its international operations stature in 1991. In 2000, Ahmedabad Airport was added in the category of international airports in India. In the same decade, works to create a new terminal also commenced. In 2010, the airport's new terminal 2 came into existence, and it was inaugurated to handle international passengers.

Further, a towering 18 foot-tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was also erected at the airport. The airport has been recognised internationally for its world-class facilities and modern amenities. In fact, it also received an award in 2017 for being the 'Most Improved Airport' in Asia-Pacific, by the Airports Council International.

About Ahmedabad Airport terminals

Terminal 1 - Terminal 1 caters to domestic operations and comprises of two floors. The design and layout of the terminal are exquisite and is capable of handling 1400 passengers during peak hours. The terminal has also reserved spaces for parking cars which can accommodate 250 at one go. It comes with various facilities, including WiFi services and several food establishments. There are about 32 check-in counters as the terminal is sprawled over 480,000 square feet. Just recently in 2018, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport opened a new Plaza Premium lounge in the domestic terminal 1. The lounge is located right next to Gate 4 on the first floor of the terminal building. The lounge has world-class facilities and caters to Priority Pass. You can also use other select bank cards to get access to the lounge. Business-class passengers depending on the airlines that they fly from will also get access to the lounge.

Terminal 2 - Terminal 2, also known as T2, was inaugurated in 2010 and commenced operations the same year. Thanks to the exquisite Steel Structure built by the management, the terminal won accolades for the same at the 2009 edition of National Structural Steel Design and Construction Awards. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport's Terminal 2 accommodates four aerobridges with 32 check-in counters. The terminal's floor area sprawls across 41,000 square meters approximately.

With this, the terminal has the potential to accommodate over 1,600 passengers at all times. Similar to the terminal 1 lounge, terminal 2 also has a new Plaza Premium, which was opened in 2018. The new lounge at the terminal has been reserved for business class and first-class passengers. In fact, passengers who have special Priority Pass and other bank card are also given access to the terminal 2's lounge. Along with great facilities, the terminal also accommodates a 51,975 square metre long apron that enables parking bays for nine A-321 and four ATR-72 types of aircraft.

Terminal 3 - Terminal 3 is located next to terminal 1 and is used for domestic flight activities. The terminal is yet to start functioning, but as of 2019, the airport has managed to lay the foundation. Construction work has already commenced for the new terminal. The terminal building is set to accommodate a parking facility of 200 cars and will predominantly be used for Hajj season.

Terminal 4 - Terminal 4 is reserved for cargo activities. The airport has the capacity to accommodate about 51,637 tonnes of cargo, this includes gold and silver. Sixty per cent of the cargo is derived from various domestic sources. Presently, cargo airlines such as Blue Dart Aviation, Emirates SkyCargo, Ethiopian Airlines Cargo and Qatar Airways Cargo operate from Terminal 4 of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

About Airport Authority

Airports Authority of India is the owner and played as the operator of the Ahmedabad Airport. However, in 2015, they announced to privatise the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Until 2015, much of the airport's management and operations were handled by the Airports Authority of India. Following a bid to transfer the ownership or rather operations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Adani Group has become the management now. Plans of expansion and upgradation under the operations of Adani Group have not been revealed yet.

Facilities at the Ahmedabad Airport

Lounge – The international and domestic terminals of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have dedicated lounge services. Called the Plaza premium lounge, the two lounges have great hospitality and comfortable facilities.

Medical services – With a view to handle medical emergency cases, the airport has installed medical services and first aid rooms too. These are present in the domestic as well as international terminals.

WiFi – The airport offers free WiFi facilities for passengers. One can avail the free internet services without having to pay an extra tariff of any sort. Also, the internet connection is strong and can be utilised from various spots in the airport premise.

Currency exchange - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is an international airport and hence has a foreign exchange counter available in the terminal. You can get your currencies exchanged for a decent rate and also get money transfers done.

Child care rooms – There are provisions for parents travelling with kids to relax at the child care room. These rooms have been installed specifically to help parents calm their kids and to cater to their needs. The rooms are private in nature and have facilities such as changing tables, comfortable chairs and more. They also have baby products such as powders and diapers, in case the parent runs out of these essentials.

Spa – Ever since the airport has undergone upgradation, they have installed some interesting new features. One of them is a spa service. You can avail the spa services at the airport's terminals and relax ahead of the flight. They are mostly present in the international terminal.

Restaurants – There are dedicated food courts available at both the terminals of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. You can find famous restaurants and food joints from around the world at the airport. Famous establishments such as McDonald's, Subway, KFC, to name a few, are also part of the airport terminals. Affordable food joints and beverage points are present at the airport as well. You can pick from the most upscale establishments to the cheap and affordable ones at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

ATMs – The airport facilitates various ATM kiosks of local banks at selected spots in the international and domestic terminals.

Top airlines flying from Ahmedabad Airport

As one of the most important airports in India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport accommodates several domestic and international airlines. The domestic airlines that operate from Ahmedabad Airport include Air India, AirAsia India, Air Deccan, Alliance Air, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Star Air, TruJet and Vistara. These airlines connect to major cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Varanasi, Pune, Nagpur, Visakhapatnam, Patna, Kozhikode, Kochi, Bagdogra, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Indore and Dehradun, to name a few. Meanwhile, the international airlines that operate from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport are Air Arabia, AirAsia X, Druk Air, Emirates, flydubai, Iraqi Airways, Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai AirAsia and Thai Smile. These airlines connect to international destinations such as Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur, Paro, London, Baghdad, Kuwait, Doha Singapore, Jeddah, Dubai, Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, to name a few.

How to reach Ahmedabad Airport

By Bus

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is approximately 8n km away from the bus stand. From the bus stand, you can easily find taxis and private buses that will directly reach you to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. There are several prepaid taxi booths also available near the bus stand for you to reach Ahmedabad Airport. Reaching Ahmedabad Airport from the bus stand is quite convenient and comfortable. You can also find transportation facilities on Ola and Uber to reach Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. It would take approximately 20 minutes to reach Ahmedabad Airport. However, depending on the city traffic, the duration can vary.

By Rail

The railway station is also located about 8 km from the airport. If you have a flight to catch from Ahmedabad Airport and if you are travelling to Ahmedabad from other parts of Gujarat, it would be a comfortable journey. You can get various taxi cabs and other such vehicle services at the railway station to reach Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Private cabs are available at the station and would take you around 20 to 25 minutes to reach Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.