Travel to Dubai

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Dubai, 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 Jumeirah look like dwarfs. Dubai is growing every day - a town which has almost nothing in common with its beginnings (as far as its modern part is concerned) in the early 1990s.

Moreover, it is a beautiful town. Urban landscape designers have not forgotten the parks (a challenge in this climate), the pedestrian walks, the places of shopping and relaxation. You can sail down the Creek on taxi boats, called abras, or on dhows (former Arab ships) and even yachts for a dinner cruise lasting a few hours.

In the 'Old Town of Dubai' (the district of Deira), you can stroll around in the souk and visit the renovated museum. The houses all around still have their 'wind tower' (a natural cooling system allowing the evacuation of hot air). Nowadays, they house art galleries or guest rooms. Sailing up the Creek along its eastern shore, we arrive at a port where merchant vessels from Iran, India and Sri Lanka are moored. Multicoloured shells, piles of boxes loaded on platforms: a large part of what is found in the streets of the souk usually pass through here first.

Living up to its reputation as 'a dream town', Dubai has even opened a ski resort. In a shopping centre, there is a hotel, the Kempinski Mall of the Emirates, which offers 'cottages' of a novel type: a view of the tracks on one side and on the town and the Gulf on the other side. Venice has also become part of the new Dubai: in a hotel complex at an arm's reach from the famous Burj Al Arab. Madinat Jumeirah, with its beautiful gardens, is a new luxury resort that attracts many Western tourists. There are still others like this hotel to come. There are also holiday clubs - a first in this area, which, for the moment offer hotel services promoted as 'tranquil' and usually very chic.

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pros

•  The very beautiful beach (which extends over 12 miles).
•  The numerous shopping centres.
•  The desert is nearby.

cons

•  The stifling weather in summer (up to 50°C).
•  The historical heritage is limited.

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map United Arab Emirates

Weather Dubai - choosing the best time to go

Visit Dubai

• To see

  Around 1 hour away, you will see golden sand dunes turning a sienna colour in the evening. Experience a drive in a 4X4 (called "dune bashing") and a barbecue under the stars. You can also see what you expect least in Dubai: a ski resort in a shopping centre. Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates offers 5 trails, ranging from green to black, the longest being 1,312 ft. Ice tracks for skeleton and ringo are available. There is no need to go into Ski Dubai to see the resort; a large window was built at the foot of the trails. It also has state of the art chalets which overlook the snow on one side and the sea on the other side.

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  To do

  Go for a cruise on Dubai Creek, the most economic way is to negotiate the price with the driver of a boat (called 'abras') to rent the boat and his services for 30 minutes to one hour. A 30-minute service should not cost more than £10. The most luxurious option would be a dinner cruise on a dhow (traditional wooden boat), generally in the open air, or on a yacht looking like a small liner (air-conditioned, with a gallery along the central walkway). On these upscale boats, a dinner cruise lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and costs about £50.

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  To think about

  Investors, architects, designers and just the curious ones, everyone comes to Dubai today, so book in advance. The hotels (including the most high-class ones) have 95% rates of occupancy from October to June. As for temperatures, the climate is similar to that in the west from early April to mid-May. In summer, it is a real furnace. It is impossible to stay outdoors more than five minutes, especially as the humidity makes the heat even more unpleasant. You will be sweating all over immediately.

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• To avoid

  The hotels that have no beach (or without quick access via a shuttle). Dubai (in the Jumeirah district) will be under construction for several years ahead. The traffic is heavy and the urban landscape (concrete towers under construction) do not always live up to the tourist's expectations. However, when you look at the colour of the water of the Gulf from a seaside resort along the beach of Jumeirah, you might think you are in the Maldives or in Kuala Lumpur when you take a look at the skyscrapers in the background along with the hotels.

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  To try

  Dubai is known for its cuisine all around the globe. You can taste all kinds of cuisine, with the exception, perhaps, of traditional Arab dishes, which are more difficult to find. You better taste them in a more typical setting at the Sultanate of Oman. Try, for example, Argentine beef which is served at "La Pachanga", a South American restaurant at the Hilton Jumeirah hotel. Enjoy Iranian recipes in the appropriate setting (a hall with cushions, an earthen oven to make bread) of the "Shabestan", the restaurant at the Intercontinental hotel. Dine with a beautiful view at the "25th", the French restaurant at the Habtoor hotel. From there you will see Palm Jumereirah almost from a bird's eye view.

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  To bring back

  The duty-free tobacco shop at Dubai airport (opened in late 2008) offers particularly interesting prices for smokers with a pack of 200 cigarettes costing around £8.50. Remember that part of the duty-free is available upon arrival. On the spot, you will find lots of expensive objects (jewellery of 22-24 carat gold, clothing and accessories with international designer brands, customised perfumes in bottles of crystal), but not many affordable souvenirs. Avoid spices, incense and scented wood which are all imported. Dubai centre is a venue for contemporary artists, which will tempt you with the affordable prices.

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Country guide

United Arab Emirates, All you need to know!

• Practical information 
• History 
• Culture and traditions 
• Useful Addresses 
• Events 
• Climate 
• Food 
• Souvenirs 

Hotels reviews by the Easyexperts

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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Dubai in pictures

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The Address Dubai Marina

 

Score 8/10

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 Hamra Village Golf Resort

 

Score 7/10

susan humphries 11/03/2011 : "Comfortable clean room with a view of the golf course.Main hotel by the sea but the resort is miles from anywhere, an hour from Dubai. "

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Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah

 

Score 8/10

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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Hotel reviews Dubai

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