Dubai

Best Tourist Attractions in Dubai

Dubai has been one of the fastest growing travel destinations in well over a decade. This popular United Arab Emirate has so much to offer travelers and tourists. If you are planning a trip to this excellent holiday destination then you will certainly have the time of your life!

The rulers of Dubai have invested billions of dollars from their oil revenue into the tourist infrastructure and this nation has become one of the most modern and exclusive holiday destinations. There are so many outstanding activities and attractions from which tourists can select.

I have included some of the most popular things to do in this article. Be sure to visit some of these wonderful attractions during your stay in Dubai.

Jumeirah Beach

If you enjoy spending your vacation on a tropical and white sandy beach then be sure to head down to Jumeirah beach. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a wide range of activities at Jumeirah beach including wind surfing, diving, fishing, snorkeling and jet skiing.

Wild Wadi Water Park

The Wild Wade Water Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Dubai. Both local residents and tourists rank the Wild Wadi Water Park as one of the top places to visit. There are twenty three spectacular slides at this water park as well as a wide range of other entertainment options. It is located right next to the Jumeirah beach hotel.

Shopping

Dubai is one of the leading shopping destinations in the world. If you love to shop then you should definitely visit this wonderful city as it is filled with many markets, unique stores and large shopping malls. The best time for shopping is during the annual shopping festival when large discounts are offered by most stores.

Skiing

If you are planning a trip to Dubai then the last thing that you will think about is going skiing during your vacation. There is however a large indoor ski arena which opened several years ago. There are various different runs for both experts and beginners. Both skiers and snowboarders are welcome to use the facilities.

Desert Safari

Your holiday can not possible be complete without your participation in a desert safari. There are both half day and full day desert safari tour packages available. This ever so popular tour consists of going in a jeep through the desert, mountains and through small rural villages.

Dubai

Dubai Mall

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The Dubai Mall
A rendering of Dubai Mall.
Facts and statistics
Location
Dubai, UAE
Coordinates
2511?51?N 5516?45?E? / ?25.1975 55.27917? / 25.1975; 55.27917Coordinates: 2511?51?N 5516?45?E? / ?25.1975 55.27917? / 25.1975; 55.27917
Openingdate
November 4, 2008
Developer
Dutco Balfour Beatty and AGCCC
Owner
Emaar Properties
No.ofstores andservices
1200
No.ofanchortenants
4
Total retail floor area
12.1 million ft (112 ha)
Website
thedubaimall.com
The Dubai Mall is the one of the world’s largest shopping malls located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Part of the Burj Dubai, the 20-billion-dollar project is the medium in total area with 1,200 shops. It is 4times as many as the new Westfield London shopping centre.Twice delayed, Dubai Mall opened on November 4, 2008, with about 600retailers, marking the world’s largest-ever mall opening in retail history. However it is not the largest in gross leaseable space, and is surpassed in that category by several malls including the South China Mall, Golden Resources Mall, SM City North Edsa, and SM Mall of Asia.
Description

The Gold Souk

The Olympic Sized Ice-Rink

Over 12 million sq ft (equivalent in size to more than 50 soccer pitches), the Dubai Mall has a total internal floor area of 5.9million square feet (55ha) and leasable space of 3.77million square feet (35ha), about same as West Edmonton Mall.
It surpasses the previously largest mall in the Middle East City Stars, which is located in Cairo, Egypt. With a gross area of over 8million sq feet (74ha), City Stars was the largest mall in the Middle East since 2003.
The Dubai Mall has 1015 distinct ‘malls-within-a-mall’, totaling 9million ft2 (84ha) of shopping retail space (comprising of a total of 1200stores, when fully operational). Featured attractions include: the world’s largest Gold Souk with 220retailers; the 850,000sqft (79,000m2) Fashion Catwalk atrium; Fashion Island (Avenue), with 70 stores dedicated to haute couture; the Middle East’s first Galeries Lafayette department store; Oasis Fountain Waterfall; and WaterFront Atrium. Other attractions include the region’s first SEGA indoor theme park covering 76,000sqft (7,100m2); KidZania, a 80,000sqft (7,400m2) children’s ‘edu-tainment’ centre; a 22-screen Cineplex, the largest in Dubai; and The Grove, an indoor-outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof. It also features over 160food and beverage options, 220gold & jewelry outlets; a supermarket and an organic food mart. Among the shops is British toy store Hamley’s, which opened a 32,000-square foot (3,000m2) store that includes a replica of London’s Regent Street, with the franchise owned by Retail Arabia. Many shops, however, remained shuttered for a long while to come. Bloomingdales might open by 2010 and Galeries Lafayette, by February, 2009. It also has a 250-room luxury hotel, 22cinema screens plus 120restaurants and cafes. The Mall has over 14,000 parking spaces across 3car parks, with valet services and a car locator ticketing system.
The mall has won five awards. It won two awards at the Retail Future Project Awards at MAPIC, Cannes, in 2004, for Best Retail Development Scheme (Large), Best Use of Lighting in a Retail Environment. And the Dubai Mall brochure has won three awards at the Summit Creative Awards 2005, in Portland, Oregon; Gold award for Best Art Direction / Graphic Design, Silver award for Best 4-colour B2B Brochure, and Judges Special Recognition award.

The Aquarium
Dubai Aquarium and Discovery Centre
The Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Discovery Centre, developed and operated by Oceanis Australia Group, officially earned the Guinness World Record for the world’s “Largest Acrylic Panel” (32.88m wide 8.3m high 750mm thick and weighing 245,614kg). The acrylic viewing panel is larger than Japan’s Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (22.5m wide 8.2m high and 600mm thick). Its 750mm thick acrylic viewing panel can withstand pressure of 10million litres of water used in the aquarium, but its transparency gives visitors clear views of over 33,000marine animals on display. The Mall adopted an International Standard of Ethics and Animal Welfare Policy in its development and operation.
Dubai Ice Rink
The Mall’s Dubai Ice Rink multi-purpose venue, uses refrigeration plant technology by developing 1.5inches (38mm) of ice bed, almost 3times the thickness of an NHL ice rink for Olympic-sized attraction. Dubai Ice Rink can host a capacity of up to 2,000guests, when converted into a multi-functional hall with…(and so on) To get More information , you can visit some products about perspex counter display, roll paper printer, . The 1 To 11 DVD Duplicate Controller Card products should be show more here!

Dubai

Discover Dubai

Dubai is the quintessential home of sand, sun and shopping. A century ago, it was a tranquil town whose coral-and-gypsum huts housed Bedouin traders and pearl divers. Today the merchants have gone international and science-fiction skyscrapers stand alongside the mosques and wind towers of Old Dubai.

The audacity of the city’s rulers is breathtaking. Running out of coastline to build hotels? Build vast artificial islands with 120km (74.5mi) of new beachfront. Need better connections with the world? Build up an award-winning international airline in 15 years.

When to Go

The best time of the year to visit Dubai is between November and April, when the weather is coolest. The rest of the year you’re more likely to be running from one air-conditioned environment to the next instead of getting out and exploring. Ramadan, which takes place at a different time each year on the Western calendar, is the Muslim month of fasting and is strictly adhered to throughout the UAE. That means that it’s illegal, not to mention rude, to eat, drink or smoke in public from sunrise to sunset at this time. On the ‘up’ side, hotel rates drop to 50% of their usual cost.

Dangers & Annoyances

Familiarizing yourself with local customs relating to dress code and alcohol is your first step to keeping out of trouble. On the whole, Dubai is a very safe city, but you should exercise the same sort of caution with your personal safety as you would anywhere. One very real danger in Dubai is bad driving. Be aware when driving and walking near busy roads that speed limits, indication and other safety related road rules do not apply for many in Dubai. We don’t recommend that you swim, water-ski or jet-ski in the Creek. The tides in the Gulf are not strong enough to flush the waterway out on a regular basis so it’s not clean, despite what the tourist authorities might tell you. Also, be careful when swimming in the open sea. Despite the small surf, currents can be very strong and drownings are not uncommon.

Orientation

Dubai is really two towns merged into one and divided by Dubai Creek (Khor Dubai), an inlet of the Gulf. Deira lies to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. Both districts are home to traditional architecture and bustling souqs, but the old city centre is in Deira. Glittering new office buildings along Sheikh Zayed Rd (known as Trade Centre Rd) in Bur Dubai threaten to supplant it as the city’s real centre of gravity.

The focal point of Deira’s hustle and bustle is on Baniyas Rd, which runs along Dubai Creek; Baniyas Square, which used to be called Al-Nasr Square and is still generally referred to as such; Al-Maktoum Rd and Al-Maktoum Hospital Rd; and Naif Rd. On the Bur Dubai side, the old souq area runs from Al-Ghubaiba Rd to the Diwan (Ruler’s Office) and inland as far as Khalid bin al-Waleed Rd.

There aren’t really any street addresses in Dubai. People refer to the main roads by name, but the smaller, numbered streets remain largely anonymous. If someone offers you directions like ‘It’s in the white villa, next to the big tree, across from the Avari Hotel,’ don’t fret. Your taxi driver will know the way.

Visas Overview

British citizens and nationals of most Gulf countries do not require visas; Gulf citizens can stay as long as they want, Britons for up to three months. All other visitors are required to have visas. Your hotel can sponsor you for a 15-day, nonrenewable transit visa or a one-month renewable visit visa. Note that if your passport shows evidence of travel to Israel you will be denied entry to the UAE.

Telephone Overview

The UAE has an efficient telecommunications system. Calls within Dubai Emirate, not including Hatta, are free of charge. The state telecommunications monopoly is held by Etisalat. If you need to make a call from the airport, there are telephones at the far end of the baggage-claim area. Some of the lounges at the gates in the departures area also have phones from which you can make free local calls.

Coin phones have almost completely been taken over by cardphones. Phonecards are available from various places including grocery stores, supermarkets and petrol stations – do not buy them from street vendors as they are often ‘recycled’ and don’t work. Note that there are two phonecards, one for cardphones and ones for mobile phones operating on the Wasel Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM) service.

Mobile Phone Overview

Mobile numbers begin with 050 in the UAE. Often people will give their seven-digit mobile number without mentioning this prefix as mobiles have become the standard means of communication in Dubai. If you don’t have a worldwide roaming service and want to use your mobile phone in Dubai, you can buy a prepaid SIM card from Etisalat. Recharge cards are available from grocery stores, supermarkets and petrol stations – and once again do not buy them from street vendors.

The UAE has introduced Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) services, which is available to Wasel GSM users as well as to normal UAE-based GSM subscribers. All you need to do is dial 125 and follow the instructions.

People Arab (61%), South Asian (22%), Iranian (8%), other expats (9%)

Female Travellers

In general, Dubai is one of the best locations in the Middle East for women travellers. Checking into hotels is not usually a problem, though unaccompanied women might want to think twice about taking a room in some of the budget hotels in Deira and Bur Dubai. They are renowned for accommodating prostitutes from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Africa, and you may run the risk of being mistaken for one.

Although things might be better in Dubai than in other parts of the Gulf, it does not mean that some of the problems that accompany travel in the Middle East will not arise here as well, such as unwanted male attention and long, lewd stares. You may be beeped at by men in passing cars, but most times these are taxi drivers touting for business. Try not to be intimidated; it helps to retain a sense of humour.

Dubai is a very liberal place and people here are used to Western women. While it is liberal, try to dress conservatively if you will be among local Emiratis. It’s once you’re out of Dubai that you might encounter a different attitude. Don’t wear tight or revealing clothes. Women should always sit in the back seat of taxis. You’ll find that you’ll often be asked to take the front seat in buses or be asked to sit next to other women. This is so you can avoid the embarrassment of men’s stares.

In banks, Etisalat offices, post offices and libraries there are usually separate sections or windows for women – great when there’s a queue. In small Arab and Indo-Pakistani restaurants you will often be ushered into the ‘family room’. You don’t have to sit here but the room is there to save you from being stared at by men.

Gay & Lesbian Scene

Officially homosexuality is illegal in the UAE and can incur a jail term. Gay travellers, however, have no trouble travelling in the UAE. You will see men walking hand in hand but that’s no indication of sexual orientation. Women walking hand in hand are not as commonly seen.

Dubai has made a huge effort to promote itself as a tolerant, safe tourist destination, and gay and lesbian travellers won’t face any discrimination or legal trouble, short of staging a gay-pride march down Sheikh Zayed Rd. Basically authorities don’t want bad publicity, so there’s generally only a problem when a situation is played out in the public sphere. For example, one nightclub that had a strong gay following crossed the line when it posted flyers around the city calling on local gays and drag queens to come out. Only then were the authorities compelled to take action. Note that any specifically gay-focused websites are blocked in the UAE.

Disabled Travellers

Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing has a highly detailed list of facilities offered at dozens of hotels for disabled people. All the major shopping centres have wheelchair access, but ramps in car parks and into most buildings in the city are few and far between. There are a number of car parks for disabled drivers.

Dubai Transport Company has taxis that can accommodate wheelchairs. The airport has facilities for disabled travellers, including low check-in counters, but things do get more difficult once you are out of the airport. While many hotels in Dubai now claim that they are disabled-friendly, not all of them have specifically paid attention to the details of what this actually means. Dubai Museum has ramps, but other tourist attractions are difficult for disabled visitors to get around on their own. Dubai airport has modern facilities for people with disabilities, including lounges and carts for getting around the concourse.

Pre 20th Century History

Although little is known about the ancient history of this area, archaeological finds suggest that humans have been living here since at least 3000 BC. Other evidence links the peoples of what are now the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman to the mysterious Bronze Age Magan civilization. Magan ships sailed to Babylonia, Mesopotamia and beyond, trading copper from Oman and pearls from the mouth of Dubai Creek with the heavyweights of the Bronze Age economy. The Magan civilization waned around 2000 BC, but Dubai’s instinct for trade remained.

Excavations at Jumeirah, just south of Dubai, recently unearthed a 6th-century caravan station, proving that the area’s population was still keeping the trade routes well oiled during this period. Around this same time, the Sassanids, a Persian dynasty who had inhabited the mouth of Dubai Creek since 224, were driven out by the Umayyads, who came to stay and brought Islam with them.

Exploiting their prime location between the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean, the new inhabitants, working with the old, began re-establishing old trade routes and spreading the word of Allah, all the while making folks fantastic deals for the lowest everyday prices in the Gulf. As trade began to match pearl diving’s importance to the local economy, merchant dhows sailed as far as China, returning with silk and porcelain for Middle Eastern and European markets. This maritime madness reached its peak between 750 and 1258.

Soon everyone wanted a piece of the Gulf’s action. By the late 16th century the Portuguese were attempting to control local trade. Their success was such that many coastal settlements were practically abandoned, and the tribes took refuge in oases far from the coast. The British finally gained control of the region’s waterways in 1766. Dubai was caught between local power struggles and Europe’s imperial dreams, but somehow turned this bad situation to its advantage, expanding its pearl trade through every channel.

In 1833 a neighboring tribal power, the Bani Yas, decided that Dubai would be its new turf. Eight hundred Bani Yas moved into the Bur Dubai area under the leadership of Maktoum bin Butti, founder of the Al-Maktoum dynasty that still rules the emirate today.

The region’s two economic epicentres, neighbouring Sharjah and Lingah in modern-day Iran, were already losing business to bustling Dubai. Sheikh Maktoum decided to capitalise on the opportunity. In 1892 he signed an exclusive business deal with the British and in 1894 permitted a full tax exemption for foreign traders. Persian merchants were the first group of expats to take advantage of the deal, but traders the world over were on the way.

Modern History

In 1903, when the sheikh convinced a major British steamship line to make Dubai a port of call, a 25-year boom began. The Great Depression, compounded by the emergence of artificial pearls in 1929, cast a dark cloud over Dubai’s newfound prosperity. Young Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum, convinced that the pearl trade was dead, decided that this cloud had a 24-karat lining. Dubai wasn’t duty-free for nothing. Soon, the re-export business, whereby goods were cheaply imported into a duty-free port and immediately exported to another market, exploded. After Dubai Creek was dredged in 1963, allowing almost any boat safe harbour, gold smuggling took off like a rocket.

Dubai’s lucky streak had only just begun. In 1966, oil was discovered and the economy kicked into overdrive. The British had already decided to pack up the empire and head home, and in 1971, Dubai became the seventh emirate of the newly formed UAE. Sheikh Rashid agreed to a formula that gave the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai the most weight in the federation, and made sure that Dubai would continue living life in the fast lane. Border disputes and friction about the integration of the Emirates led to some tension, but in 1979, Sheikh Rashid and Sheikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi sealed a compromise; in effect, Dubai would remain a bastion of free trade while Abu Dhabi imposed a tighter federal structure on the rest of the Emirates.

When Sheikh Rashid, the architect of Dubai’s success and unrivalled financial freedom, died in 1990, his son Sheikh Maktoum took the reins of power. The core of Maktoum’s policies is economic freedom and the no-holds-barred promotion of Dubai, which makes the city a very fun place.

Recent History

World-class tennis tournaments, boat and horse races, desert rallies and one of the largest air shows in the world attract millions of visitors to the city. Other high-profile events, such as the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises, bring hordes of tourists into town. Tourism matches trade and oil in importance to the emirate’s economy.

The story of Dubai reads like a rags-to-riches tale, and indeed, it is hard to imagine anywhere else in the world that has developed at such a pace, in such a short time, for so many different people.

Places to See

There are two sides of Dubai to explore – the sleek, futuristic world of mirrored skylines, chilled-air malls and James Bond-style artificial islands; and old Dubai, perhaps most clearly represented by its ancient mosques and countless souks, all of which sell a different speciality.

Deira Gold Souq markets

Sikkat al-Khali St Deira

Deira’s celebrated Gold Souq attracts buyers from all over the world. Pass through its wooden lattice archways and you’ll find great dazzling heaps of gold chains, rings, earrings, bracelets and every other kind of jewellery. It also sells silver.

Dubai Museum

museum

Al-Fahidi Road Bur Dubai

The Dubai Museum is housed inside the Al-Fahidi Fort, which was built in the late 1790s, and is believed to be the city’s oldest building. The museum has collections of everything from Arabian sailing boats to the curved daggers known as khanjars. There are multimedia and interactive displays, and all the exhibits have captions in Arabic and English

Grand Mosquereligious/spiritual

Ali ibin Ali Talib St Bur Dubai

This multidomed mosque boasts the city’s tallest minaret. The mosque might appear to be a beautiful example of restoration work, but it was in fact built in the 1990s. As well as being the centre of Dubai’s religious and cultural life, the original mosque was also home to the town’s kuttab (Quranic school) where children learnt to recite the Quran from memory.

Maintaining the style of the original Grand Mosque, which dated from 1900 and was knocked down to make way for another mosque in 1960, its sand-coloured walls and wooden shutters blend in perfectly with the surrounding old quarter of Bur Dubai.

Perfume Souq markets

Sikkat al-Khali St Deira

While the Perfume Souq is really just a group of shops, it sells a staggering range of Arabic and European perfumes. The European perfumes are a mixture of designer originals and copies while the Arabic perfumes are much stronger and spicier. It’s worth buying some of the latter for the kitsch packaging alone

Spice Souq markets

Al Abra St Deira

The Diera Old Souq is a wonderful place to wander round and take in the scents of spices and fruits. In the eastern part of the market you’ll find sacks brimming with frankincense, dried lemons, ginger root, chilli and cardamom. The rest of the market is full of rugs, shoes, kitchenware, glassware and amusingly tacky little trinkets.

Places to Eat

The rich cultural mix of Dubai’s population is echoed in the myriad choices of restaurants and coffee shops across the city. From the simplest Indo-Pakistani workers cafe in Karama to the gastronomic delights and decor of eateries at the swanky five-star hotels, Dubai offers a huge range of dining experiences.

Night Time Venues

Abundant entertainment options mean you can keep exploring Dubai into the wee hours. See live music, see live DJs play music, see beautiful people dancing to the music, see people on a dance break partaking in a bit of traditional sheesha (water pipe) in a cafe.

Places to Shop

Dubai’s shopping muscle draws lifeblood from the thriving contrast of traditional souqs, towering super malls and boutique stores; each overflowing with fresh produce, old-world exotica, designer collections and new-wave gadgetry. The visiting shopper does not know where to begin.

Acknowledged as the best hotel in the world,

Designed to resemble a billowing sail, the hotel soars to a height of 321 metres, dominating the Dubai coastline. At night, it offers an unforgettable sight, surrounded by choreographed colour sculptures of water and fire. This all-suite hotel reflects the finest that the world has to offer.

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Dubai

Dubai – is it Exciting or Just a Building Site?

Over the last 75 years, Dubai has transformed itself from a being a simple ‘pearl-diving centre’ into a powerful international trading hub with impressive worldwide links and an ever changing ethnic identity. With a huge contingent of foreign manual workers from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan and service industry employees mostly from the Philippines, Middle East, Europe and Australasia, it’s not difficult to see why the changing population is increasing so rapidly.

Much of the Gulf region is experiencing extraordinary levels of growth, with the city of Dubai currently being at the fore-front. Although Dubai is intent on creating masses of future development projects for many years to come, it continues to provide the infrastructure to run in parallel. One of the newest development projects is the prestigious Tiger Woods Golf Complex – Al Ruwaya, which is due to open in September  2009. (See more about Tiger Woods Dubai). In reality, the expansion of Dubai is generally geared to causing the minimum of disruption to business, services, residents and tourists as much as possible. Experts seem to agree that Dubai is a unique fusion of both the old and new, and is a leading inspiration for others to ensue.

Dubai Highlights – What it’s really like

If you arrive late at night at Dubai Airport from, say a UK airport, getting through the Arrivals area could well be ‘manic’ with waiting friends and relatives gathered around the main entrance in vast numbers. At least until your taxi finally gets you away. Book an overnight flight to arrive at breakfast-time and you’ll probably find it a very civilised experience and easy to spot those greeting you. First impressions usually count, and on the way to your chosen holiday accommodation or hotel, you’ll see lines of impressive glass panelled hotels and office blocks glistening in the sunshine. During spring and early summer you’re sure to pass some amazing floral gardens that border the interchanges along the Sheikh Zayed Road, their colours will astound you. In the heat of the Dubai desert, you’ll wonder how they can produce such wonderful sights. Get yourself settled in your chosen accommodation and you’ll soon be ready to explore the city, either by taxi or driving your own rental car. As a general guide for getting your bearings, road signs showing Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi are to the south of the city and signs showing Deira, Bur Dubai, and Sharja are all to the north. There are 3 main city roads that run almost parallel. First there is the Beach road running from a point adjacent to Port Rachid through Jumeirah to the Dubai Marina. The next is the Al Wasl Road which links the Al Bada district to Al Wasl, close to Jumeirah. The biggest and widest road in Dubai, the Sheikh Zayed Road, runs through Dubai right to Abu Dhabi with only a simple name-change to worry about. This busy road is still undergoing upgrading work and some modifications to the existing layout, which is partly due to the current development and construction of the new Dubai Metro system which runs alongside Sheikh Zayed Road with a number of stations en-route. 

Where to stay – Desert Hotel, Beach Resort or Private Villa?

Privately owned holiday villas in Dubai are available to rent, and located around the southern and outer fringes of the city. Residential areas such as The Springs, The Meadows, Jumeirah Islands and Arabian Ranches are all well served with plenty of semi and detached villas for short and long term rent. You’ll find many private villas with pools in Dubai but each of the newly built residential developments cater for those without pools by providing several ‘local’ outdoor swimming pools with children’s play areas. Often located in pleasant landscaped gardens and surroundings, they are closely monitored on a daily basis with adequate security staff and lifeguards in attendance.

You’ll find plenty of modern classy beach resorts to choose from, but Dubai is creating an enormous demand for an exceptional new range of ‘sky-rise’ city hotels, that are being built mainly around the business and trade centre areas of the Sheikh Zayed Road. You will need to remember that, because only licensed hotel restaurants are permitted to serve alcohol, they attract business people, tourists and local residents who enjoy the western-style culture of social drinking hours. The popular Shangri-La provides a nightly buffet with an option price that includes alcohol. The Crowne Plaza, Dusit, Emirates Towers and The Fairmont hotels are just a few examples that can boast some individual and ‘stunning’ architectural or design features, whilst also providing several restaurants that offer authentic cuisines from around the globe. Prior booking is always recommended. 

In Jumeirah, the Madinat Al Qasar, Jumeirah Beach and the One & Only-Royal Mirage hotels are all firm favourites with previous guests and beach lovers alike. They offer guest rooms with stylish décor and quality finishes combining superb luxury amid ostentatious surroundings. Guests requiring larger suites can opt for a choice of quality room upgrades.

Then, there is the famous hotel, The Burj Al Arab. This is the world’s first proclaimed 7-star hotel, a sail-shaped building that’s also the world’s tallest dedicated hotel. It’s Dubai’s iconic symbol, a major landmark. Being set slightly off-shore, with its own private security- controlled bridge for access, this magnificent hotel enjoys fabulous views over Dubai city, the Arabian Gulf, and now, the first purpose built off-shore Island, called Palm Jumeirah. The Burj Al Arab, meaning Arabian Tower, is an all-suite hotel with cascading waterfalls and computerised water displays that greet you on various levels. All areas exude opulence and boast palatial surroundings, sumptuous furnishings and beautiful Arabic décor. There are numerous lavish gold structures and matching colourful ornamental displays throughout, plus the largest atrium you’ll ever see. Guests are provided with their own personal butler who will tend to your every need. Without even a restaurant reservation, non residents will pay an entry fee to look around, but it’s an absolute must to book a Friday brunch at the hotel’s highest restaurant-Al Muntaha where you’ll see views to die for! Reached by an amazing high speed lift, this wonderful restaurant seems perched like a wedge, but has the most spectacular views over Dubai City and Arabian Gulf. Controversially, a full-height symbol of the cross features in the design at the rear of the hotel. This is only viewable from the sea or if you take a private boat trip around the Palm Jumeirah. Nightly illuminations with changing coloured lasers create a spectacular display for the nearby hotel and Madinat guests. Don’t forget to take the camera!

The nearest desert hotel would be Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa – a luxury spot out among the sand dunes, or Jebel Ali Golf and Beach Resort on the outer fringes of the desert. This resort overlooks Palm Jebel Ali just off-shore, which is currently under construction. It’s much nearer to Dubai, but equally a great place to stay.
For sheer unadulterated luxury try a visit to the Al-Maha Desert Resort & Spa. It’s located part way between Dubai and Al-Ain and has magnificent views of the Hajar Mountains and the surrounding dunes. This elegant and luxurious resort offers a unique and personalised Arabian nature experience. With the focus being on pure nature watching and conservation, it boasts a personal desert guide for your holiday duration, and a personal, heated infinity pool with fantastic views across the open desert. Animals, wildlife and guests all secluded and protected in over 80 square miles of desert conservation. No day visitors and probably no probably no non-guests allowed, this exclusive resort is the ultimate retreat, providing maximum privacy. 

Beaches & Parks and the Environment

Whether you stay in hotels or residential accommodation, you will probably want to go to the beach sometime. If you are more interested in Arabic culture and heritage or want to shop in souqs, then Bur Dubai or Deira have city hotels that are ideally located. The Dubai Museum is very interesting, and there are opportunities to take an open top bus tour of the city with an information guide on board. The number one beach choice would have to be Jumeriah. It covers the best location from almost any point you can find along the coast. There are some fantastic views of Palm Jumeirah from The Madinat and Jumeirah Beach hotels own beaches, along with those of the famous hotel, Burj Al Arab.
There are several ‘Public’ beaches – Umm Suqeim beach, Kite beach and other stretches of beach around the The Oasis, Dubai Hilton and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi hotels that are nearest to the Dubai Marina.

Jumeirah Beach Park – being a favourite, gets very busy at weekends, but has a long stretch of sandy beach. It has excellent facilities for children, picnic tables, barbecues and several shop kiosks. Lifeguards are in attendance.
Safa Park – has excellent facilities for all the family. There’s a lake with paddleboats, barbecues, football pitch, waterfall and tennis courts.
Dubai Wildlife & Water-Park Sanctuary – has newly installed viewing platforms for bird-watchers. You may see hordes of pink flamingos which flock to the end of the Creek during winter months.
Creekside Park – has Children’s City, a themed activity centre and children’s museum that kids will love. There is plenty to do for all ages, both educational and creative, where all children can really join in.
Wild Wadi WaterPark – is an excellent water-park that caters for all, plus has some interesting, interconnecting rides. Safety lessons are on offer, and there are gentle rides for small children and nervous parents. With some awesome and scary rides for the bravest, you and your family could be in here quite a while. You’ll be surprised how food and drinks are soon acquired and paid for. It’s all great fun and not to be missed by anyone!

Dubai is generally a very clean city and litter has not become a problem, although the city employs plenty of workers to keep it that way. With increased building work reshaping the original desert and increasing levels of traffic congestion, air pollution has become a major concern. Citizens of Dubai create huge volumes of waste, but new recycling centres have now opened around the city to help cope with it. Off-shore oil spillages have forced government agencies to act, monitor and control sea pollution which threatens marine life and could also seriously damage essential desalination plants that the city depends on.

Shopping in brief

Dubai has a wealth of shopping facilities that you will find hard to beat almost anywhere else on the planet. During June is when the stores start their sales, usually lasting for a month, and all with massive reductions.
The Mall of the Emirates – adjoins the 5-star Kempinski Hotel. It’s a huge Mall with escalators to all floors. There are excellent facilities and plenty of restaurants on all levels. Parking is easy, safe and well illuminated. The Mall is also home to Ski-Dubai, one of the worlds largest indoor ski resorts.
Ibn Battuta – named after the 14th century discoverer, is a large single storey Mall with individually Arabian themed areas including lots of facilities, restaurants and a multi-screen cinema.
Wafi City – provides top-of the- range stylish designer stores and products, plus some home furnishing outlets. Excellent facilities are provided throughout.
The BurJuman Centre – a newly transformed Mall with exclusive designer shops and boutiques.
Souqs – Bustling Souqs in Bur Dubai and Deira, offer gold, jewellery and Arabian antiques along with clothing, textiles and designer souvenirs, often sold at a fraction of normal retail cost. A selection of souqs can also be found at Karama and the Madinat.

Driving

Dubai has no real public transport system in place yet, so the best way to travel is usually by car. Although the traffic is increasing rapidly and hold-ups do occur, it’s generally the easy way to navigate your way around the city. Visitors must now obtain a current International Driving Permit (IDP) which is a strict requirement for all car rentals. They are available throughout the UK, from main post offices. Renting a car in Dubai does carry certain restrictions, so driving to or through other Emirates may not be possible and it is therefore best to confirm this when booking.

Religion & Culture

Dubai is still a Sheikh-dom and the Al-Maktoum family rulers are treated with total and utmost respect. Being an Islamic society, the UAE places certain restrictions on what can be displayed in public and what can not.  Baring some parts of your flesh is strictly forbidden, and public displays of affection may also be frowned upon, so it’s best to always dress conservatively and to familiarize yourself with Arab etiquette before you travel. Muslims take their religion very seriously and needing to pray up to 5 times a day is not uncommon, even if it means stopping their lorry on the roadside to find a place to kneel. It is widely believed that anywhere in the city, you are rarely more than 500 metres from a Mosque, from where you may regularly hear the Muezzin’s familiar call to prayer.

Dubai’s tolerant and modern life-style helps promote it as a safe and exciting destination for tourists. It blends well with society in general and is where both nationals and visitors co-exist quite amicably. Religion and tradition dictate much of the Emiratis way of life, like daily routines, personal relations and even what and where they eat and drink.

Best time to go

The United Arab Emirates lies directly across the Tropic of Cancer, meaning warm and sunny winters, but hot and humid summer months. Although everywhere is air-conditioned, sound advice is for families with young children to holiday during the cooler months from October through to April. Visit anytime from November to March and you’ll be sure of beautiful sunny weather most days. There is some rainfall in winter, but it would probably be very little, no more than just a short brief shower that quickly clears up. During the summer, Dubai hotels offer some exceptionally attractive accommodation rates, especially for June, July and August when many foreign workers return home for their holidays. To prevent dehydration, it’s recommended to drink plenty of bottled water and at regular intervals – 2 to 3 litres per day is quite normal, and keep in the shade as much as possible. Remember the sun is very powerful even if you can’t see it, so wear a hat when outside and use lots of high factor sun creams.

Dubai is a dream holiday destination. There’s so much to see and do, with stylish hotels and resorts, luxury villas and apartments to rent, great restaurants to dine in and numerous shops and local attractions to visit.  Enjoy it, Emiratis do.

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