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Travel Dubai and the Emirates

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Places to visit Dubai and the Emirates+

  • Dubai and the Emirates

  • Abu Dhabi

    The capital of the Emirates lives for the moment on its oil and finance sector. The hotels are few (around 25) and the seaside tourism has not yet been developed. Yet Abu Dhabi suffers no shortage of assets

    Explore Abu Dhabi

  • Dubai

    Three palm islands, a marina, a planisphere 6 miles offshore, the tallest skyscraper in the world under construction, a new airport, 50-storey towers that make the first hotels built along the beach of

    Explore Dubai

In brief+

Weekly budget
£400
Flight budget
£300
Flight duration
7h 
Time difference
Summer/Winter
Visa
No
Vaccinations
No
Currency
Dirham des Emirats
Language(s)
arabic,
English

Overview

Dubai and the Emirates

Dubai, the Manhattan of the Middle East, along with Abu Dhabi, the financial crossroads of the Middle East are the two most famous seven emirates in the UAE (United Arab Emirates). The other emirates include: Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. In addition to Dubai (for its baffling superlatives and unrivalled decadence, the detaxed shopping scene and its souks) and Abu Dhabi (for its green spaces and its more relaxed pace of life), visitors should try to explore at least one of the lesser known Emirates.

Dubai is the second largest emirate with an urban area of 1588.4 sq mi. However, once its man-made islands are finished, it should be twice its current size.

One of the most fascinating geographical aspects of Dubai is its creek, which divides the city into two regions. Dubai Creek is made up of a natural 9.5 mile inlet in the Persian Gulf, around which the city's trade developed. The area north of the creek is called Deira, and Bur Dubai refers to the south, where it joins the tourist and residential developments of Jumeirah along the coast. Dubai also has the highest population, sharing its borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast. Due to the city's unique geographical location it enjoys a strategic position which allows it to connect to all local Gulf States, as well as to East Africa and South Asia.

Safety and security: The UAE

There is a high threat from terrorism. The FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the UAE. Attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. You should maintain a high level of security awareness, particularly in public places.

pros

  •  The desert, which is very close to the cities.
  •  The variety of festivals, including the Shopping Festival in Dubai.

cons

  •  The unbearable heat in summer (April-September).
  •  You are never far from a building site in Dubai.

map Dubai and the Emirates

map Dubai and the Emirates

Country Guide

Dubai and the United Arab Emirates Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, All you need to know!

Our Editorial team's advice

The pride and national symbol of Dubai is the seven star Burj al-Arab Hotel. It is 1,050 ft. high, built on an artificial island, and is well worth a visit for its size, but also for its incredible signs of luxury such as its gold leaf ceiling.
Every morning in the village of Wegan, the old central district is awoken by the noisy and colourful camel market.
If you wish to go to the island of Sir Bani Yas, an ecological oasis, you will need a permit.
To cross Khor Dubai, or Dubai Creek, the ritual is to use an abra, (local water taxis), a kind of large motorised rowing boat.
In the region of Hatta, the only way to visit the desert dunes and dried wadis is in a 4x4.
In the village of Falaj-al-Mualla you can watch the camel races in the camel racing ground, built on the edge of the desert.

Reasons to go

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Places to visit

Hotels reviews by the Easyexperts

Dubai, still the best adult playground

Dubai, still the best adult playground

Dubai's over-the-top hotels are well-known for their ultimate decadence and despite the uprising of several cities which have tried to develop such an infrastructure, no other place has succeeded in making anything that comes close to the emirate's extravagance. We loved it so much the first time that ...

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The Address Dubai Marina

The Address Dubai Marina

 
Score 8/10
Photo of Sarah Radcliffe

Sarah Radcliffe 25/07/2011 : "Beautiful hotel - looks very grand and everyone's so friendly! The rooms are gorgeous, but the bar can be full of chavs in evenings."

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Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah

Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah

 
Score 8/10
Photo of Latika Patel

Latika Patel 21/10/2010 : "Stunning hotel, loved the artificial lake! Over 40 restaurants, we were spoiled...great beach with view of Burj al Arab! Loved gardens!"

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The Monarch

The Monarch

 
Score 10/10
Photo of Owen Bradshaw

Owen Bradshaw 12/10/2010 : "WOW. Anything else to say? One of the most tastefully decorated hotels in the world! We rentred the exlusive SKY SUITE for our anniversary!"

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Travel Headlines

Emirates launches new routes for 2012

After launching five new routes last year, The United Arab Emirates' national airline, Emirates, is to start services to a eight more new destinations this year. Last year saw the launch of popular routes, Geneva, Copenhagen and St Petersburgh as well as Basra and Baghdad. So far this year, the airline has started services to Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Dublin. Routes to Lusaka (Zambia), Harare

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Travel News

Fairmont hotels goes for expansion

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced it will debut in three new destinations next year and add more than 1,300 rooms around the world. In the first half of the year, the hotel chain plans to open the Fairmont Jaipur with 199 rooms, nine villas and a Presidential Suite. In addition it will open a property in Baku, Azerbaijan, which is host nation for the Eurovision Song Contest next year. it will

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Weather Dubai and the United Arab Emirates

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Top destinationFlights

February : average price

Feature

The multiple facets of a misjudged emirate

Whatever the misconceptions travellers may have about Dubai as a soul-less city, we can now confirm that this is nothing more than a myth. Dubai is one of the seven Emirates; however the Emirati population makes up less than 10% of the city's population. The rest of the population consists of expatriates from all four corners of the globe. During the ...

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